Client 70: Imani Won’t Be Walking Home at Night Anymore!

“I’ve been showing it to all my friends! I can’t wait to get a sparkly wheel cover and a shiny license plate frame for it! I love anything that shines!” - Imani a week after receiving her new car

From the time she was sixteen years old, Imani has been responsible for supporting herself. While many young people are still figuring out what “adulthood” even means at that age, she was already learning how to navigate life on her own.

Imani was nominated to us by one of our incredible partner organizations, Unbound Now out of Ft. Worth, TX. Through their program and over many years Imani has not only enroll in the Job Corps, where she earned her high school diploma, but she has also participated in their Self-Sufficiency Program, where she has continued to thrive and excel.

Imani’s advocate, Taylor, has had the privilege of walking alongside her for more than four years and has watched her consistently pursue her goals while balancing work, school, and the many responsibilities that come with living independently.

Working Nights With No Vehicle

However, even as she pursued and excelled at self-sufficiency, transportation had become one of the biggest challenges in her daily routine. Juggling 2 jobs and often working late hours, there were nights when her shifts ended after the city buses had stopped running. Sometimes she relied on expensive Uber rides to get home, but more often than not, she was left with no choice but to walk home in the dark by herself.

Even with those challenges, Imani continued showing up. She carefully managed her finances, used public transportation whenever possible, and remained committed to the goals she had set for herself. What should have been a short drive often turned into hours spent commuting, but she never allowed those obstacles to keep her from moving forward.

A Car is MUCH More Than a Convenience

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we had the opportunity to surprise Imani with a wonderful and reliable Mazda 3!

For Imani, this car represents much more than convenience. It means getting home safely after working nights. It means spending less money on ride shares and less time navigating bus schedules across the metroplex. It means having more time to rest, more freedom to pursue opportunities, and one less barrier standing between her and the future she has worked so hard to build.

A week after we gifted her the car, I (Taylor Russell) had to meet up with her to finalize a few more documents. When I did, she was still beaming ear to ear when she talked about her new car! One things she said was:

“I’ve been showing it to all my friends! I can’t wait to get a sparkly wheel cover and a shiny license plate frame for it! I love anything that shines!”

It never get old to see the joy of a gift given & received in love.

We are grateful to our friends at Unbound Now for the incredible work they do and for faithfully walking alongside people like Imani every step of the way.

Likewise, we are grateful for the opportunity to play a small part in Imani’s journey. Her determination, perseverance, and commitment to building a better future have been inspiring to witness, and we are excited to see what lies ahead!

Congratulations, Imani.

Story and Photos shared with client permission

Photos by https://www.jdunlopmedia.com