My name is Gabi Huffman.

For most of my daughter’s life, I’ve been figuring out where we’d sleep, how we’d eat, and how I’d keep things from falling apart. When you’re living like that, your brain is stuck in one mode — getting through today. There isn’t space to plan, to heal, or to build a future.

When I was connected to the direct cash transfer program where I live in Bend, Oregon, it honestly felt too good to be true. I started receiving $1,000 a month, and I had access to a one-time $3,000 fund for major expenses. There were no hoops, no receipts — just a budget plan and supportive people checking in.

And that trust changed everything.

Direct cash didn’t magically erase every challenge in my life, but it gave me the ability to breathe and think clearly. It gave me enough stability to show up for my daughter the way I wanted to. It gave me the capacity to take steps that used to feel impossible — staying housed, getting support, taking my mental health seriously, and doing the daily work of building a safer, steadier life.

It also helped me keep moving forward when life hit hard. I wasn’t constantly choosing between emergencies. I could handle what was in front of me without everything collapsing at once. Over time, I started using that stability to invest in my future.