Hello- My name is Wanda Willis and I am asking for help to change my life in a meaningful and lasting way. A true opportunity to begin building stability in my life. For more than six years, I have lived paycheck to paycheck. Every pay period, my income goes immediately to rent and utilities, then to caring for my pets, who are my only family. By the time those necessities are covered, there is almost nothing left for basic needs like food, toiletries, or savings. I have no children — a decision I made consciously because I have never felt financially secure enough to provide a stable life for one. I have always believed it would be unfair to bring a child into the same instability I experienced growing up. I spent my childhood in the foster care system. When I turned eighteen, I was given two weeks to leave my final placement because funding for my care ended. With nowhere to go and no guidance on how to transition into adulthood, I became homeless. I lived on park benches, couch-surfed when possible, and carried only what fit in a backpack. Without support or stability, I fell into addiction and struggled for nine years years. In December 2015, my life nearly ended due to complications from endocarditis caused by intravenous drug use. I underwent emergency open-heart surgery for a valve replacement and later required a pacemaker. Doctors told me that if I had waited one more day to seek care, I would not have survived. That experience changed me completely. When I left the hospital after four months, I made a commitment to never return to drugs. I have now been clean and sober for ten years. Since then, I have maintained steady employment and have rented the same home for eight years. While I am proud of how far I’ve come, I remain financially stuck. I do not have a driver’s license, I have never gotten one, and I have never owned a vehicle. This has become one of my biggest barriers. I rely on others for rides to work, and when transportation falls through, I am late. I am currently at risk of losing my job due to tardiness caused by lack of reliable transportation. Receiving financial assistance would allow me to obtain my driver’s license and purchase a reliable vehicle. I am asking for help to raise $8,000 to obtain my driver’s license and purchase a reliable used vehicle. These funds would cover:• A dependable used car• Registration, tag, and title fees• Driver’s license and testing fees• Initial insurance costs• Transportation to complete required appointments• A small cushion for immediate maintenance, repairs, and fuel. Having transportation would create stability in my employment, open doors to better job opportunities, and allow me to begin saving for safer housing. It would be the first real step toward long-term independence and growth. I have worked hard to overcome addiction, trauma, and homelessness. I continue to attend therapy and prioritize my mental health. What I am asking for is not rescue — it is a chance. A chance to build the stable, self-sufficient life I have fought to create for the past ten years. A chance to build a foundation. A chance I never had when I turned 18 and had nowhere to go. A chance to move forward instead of staying stuck in survival mode. I have survived. Now I am ready to move forward. If you read this far, thank you. Even sharing this post or sending kindness my way means more than you know. I’m not asking for perfection — just a chance. With gratitude. Wanda Willis