Help Samana and Her Kids Find Safety and Stability

Update: Due to the RV rental costing more than initially anticipated, we have had to change course on how to make this move happen. We are now thinking the best route will be a large SUV/Van rental, and possibly a small U-Haul trailer hitch.

Our dear friend Samana and her two children, Kenan and Levio, are in urgent need of your help. They have faced tremendous hardships, and their situation is about to worsen—they will be homeless by June 15th, 2024.

Samana and her children, aged 11 and 12, are stranded in America, unable to return to their home in Austria for multiple reasons. Unfortunately, instead of receiving kindness and support, they have been exploited and abused her. Samana, despite her severe health issues and anxiety, has been relentlessly working to keep her kids safe, fed, and loved.

Recently, what she thought was a safe haven turned dangerous, and now they must vacate with all their belongings in just a few weeks. Conventional resources and assistance are either exhausted or inaccessible due to their unique circumstances.

Samana needs a safe environment to heal and provide stability for her children. The only viable option is across the country, requiring a rental vehicle for a 4-5-day journey, including food expenses before, during, and after the trip. While their new hosts will help as much as possible, they too are not well-off and will need to make their small space livable by purchasing essentials like a bunk bed, storage shed, and organizational tools. Long-term, Samana aims to secure an RV or tiny house to live in in order to provide a stable home for her family.

Both families need all the help they can get to make this transition possible. Any amount you can contribute will be greatly appreciated. If you are unable to donate, please share this campaign with your friends, family, and followers. And if you can help in another way, please send us a message. Let’s give Samana and her kids a second chance at a peaceful, productive life free from violence and manipulation.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

Below is a breakdown of the approximate costs it will take to relocate the Unger family. Disclaimer: these are estimates based on other people's experiences, but they are as accurate as we could find based on current prices and locations.

SUV/Van rental price range for dates needed: $650 for SUV/Van rental, $278 for small U-Haul trailer.

Fuel - $500~, which will vary depending on gas mileage for weight they're hauling and the actual SUV/Vans that are available. The site www.getroadtrip.app helped us estimate fuel costs for a Van/SUV, that has 20-25 mpg, estimating $3.5-4 per gallon, and traveling nearly 2,600 miles.

Motel stays - $840 (before tax) With an average of $60 per room, per night. These will have a range in prices, they will stay in the most budget friendly options available, which depending on location, tend to range from $47-$75 per room, per night, but they will need 2 rooms, while she does trust the person driving her, she has experienced enough harassment that she simply needs to have a room with just her and her kids to feel fully safe.

Food - $250-$300, depending on what options are available along the way, and considering they will not be able to cook. Samana will do her best to buy groceries and cook food that they will bring with them before leaving, so as to reduce costs.

Storage shed - $600. Samana's new host family will need to make space for them, which means moving the contents of their office into an 8x10 storage shed. Then they will convert that room into their bedroom.

Office shed - $600. Since the hosts work from home, they will need a place to work. They currently have a woodshed that will need to be converted into an office. That means weatherproofing the walls and floor with insulation and drywall and adding a small AC unit.

Bunk bed - $150. Samana and her boys will need a bed to sleep in. The hosts are hoping to obtain a bunk bed that will fit all three of them.

If, for any reason, she and her kids are prevented from traveling to stay with this family in Washington, the funds would be used to shelter and feed them closer to their current location, until more permanent housing can be found.

if we are unable to raise the funds for the RV, the funds will be put towards a van rental to be able to drive them all and bring their belongings. In this case, the funds would also have to be appropriated towards motel stays, as they cannot drive straight through on such a long move. Samana's health issues make it so she must have access to a restroom at any given time, which is the reason for wanting to travel via RV.

Help Samana and Her Kids Find Safety and Stability