UPDATE 8/27/2026:

We Made It to Michigan, But the Work Isn’t Done.

We completed our four-day whirlwind trip to Michigan, and there is so much to share.

Because of your support, we were able to get to Flint, spend time with Nana, and be alongside Aunt Sara, who has put so much of her own life on hold to care for her. Sara is still working more than 50 hours a week while doing everything she can to create a safe, loving, and healing space for Nana.

This trip also meant something deeply personal for Des, Nana’s grandchild.

Because of her own hardships as a survivor of domestic violence and the ongoing realities of navigating the family court system, Des had been unable to return to Flint. This trip gave her the chance to finally come home and be with her Nana again.

Watching the two of them reunite was a gift I will never forget. There was so much love, joy and laughter in that room. After everything this family has carried, getting to witness that moment of connection, tenderness, and simply being together again is something I will hold onto for a very long time.

And the change we witnessed in Nana in just over a week has been remarkable.

Nana went from struggling to hold her own fork and put coherent thoughts together to eating to her heart’s delight, laughing, connecting, and walking around like a champ. It is incredible to witness what healing can begin to look like when someone feels loved, cherished, valued, heard, and supported.

We are hopeful that this path of recovery will continue, but we also know there are still significant challenges ahead.

Right now, Nana cannot return to her home while it awaits the eviction of her previous not so caring caretakers. She has lost access to her money as well as state services she previously relied on. In the middle of all of this, Sara is working incredibly hard to give Nana a place where she can feel safe, seen and valued. The way every human being deserves to feel.

Nana and Little Girl, her beloved dog, are now in safe and caring hands. But safe does not mean that the need has disappeared.

One of the most immediate needs is making sure Nana has someone with her while Sara is at work. Additional funds will help pay for an in-home care provider who can stay with Nana during the day, giving her the care, companionship, and support she needs while also allowing Sara to continue working.

Sara is doing everything she can with the resources she has, and we are committed to continuing to walk alongside her and Nana as they process, recover, and respond to everything that has happened. We are incredibly grateful to every single person who helped make this trip possible. And a huge shoutout to our TikTok community. You came together for people many of you have never met and helped us get where we needed to be when it mattered. We felt that support throughout the entire trip.

To watch a family that has experienced violence for far too long come back together, care for one another, and begin breaking generational cycles of harm has been a true honor. Recovery from violence is not a single moment or a four-day trip. It is a lifelong process, and we want to continue showing up for it.

So we are asking our community to keep walking with this family.

Funds raised moving forward will help provide in-home care for Nana while Sara works, along with mortgage payments, food, transportation, and other basic needs that can give this family some breathing room while they navigate what comes next.

If you are able to continue giving, sharing, or simply keeping this fundraiser moving through your communities, we are deeply grateful.

The trip may be over, but our commitment to Nana and her family is not.

Thank you for helping us show up. And thank you for helping make it possible for Nana to be somewhere she is loved, cherished, valued, and safe.

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8/21/2026

My/our dear friend Des received news that is incredibly hard to hold.

Her grandma is currently involved in an elder abuse case after being in the hands of caretakers who have not given her the care, safety, and dignity she deserves. Des's grandma has made it clear that time feels precious right now, and Des wants to be there with her while she navigates what comes next.

Des lives in Tucson and needs to get to Michigan as soon as possible. She is also a domestic violence survivor who is still in the midst of court hearings and navigating the financial and emotional weight that comes with that. The money for an unexpected trip across the country simply isn’t there.

This is an enormous amount to carry, and she shouldn’t have to carry it alone. When Des asked me to make this trip alongside her, there was no question that I would be there. We need to leave this Sunday and return Thursday. During those few days, we’ll be there to offer emotional care and companionship, help with housing and resources, and begin making plans for what comes next for her grandma. Most importantly, we want to make sure she feels surrounded by people who are there to listen, advocate, and help her move toward safety.

We’re asking our communities to help us get there.

With two last-minute flights, a rental car, hotel, and gas, we estimate needing about $2,800 to make the trip possible.

I know there are so many things asking for our attention and our money right now. If you’re able to give, even a small amount will help us get closer to Michigan. If you can’t give, sharing this fundraiser is deeply appreciated too.

This is one of those moments when showing up matters. We want her grandma to know that she has not been forgotten, that what is happening to her matters, and that she does not have to face what comes next alone.

Thank you for helping us show up.