True story

Rolanda, founder of L.I.F.T. R&R, was a single mother of five, raised in generational poverty. She lived on Section 8 housing in California and was determined to break the cycle.

She worked full-time for $10 an hour, commuting four hours a day by vanpool. Her children were dropped at childcare at 6 a.m. and often weren’t picked up until late at night so she could also attend college. She was exhausted, but she refused to give up.

When a friend offered her a 1978 Chevy Chevette for $250, she took it — broken seatbelt, rope-tied door and all — because it meant freedom for her kids. Parks. The beach. A life beyond struggle.

On a trip to see sick family, the car finally died in a small town. No parts. No money. No way home except Greyhound tickets she could barely afford. She gave the car away for free to a local auto-store clerk so someone else could fix and use it.

That night, the man and his family invited Rolanda and her children to dinner. Three weeks later, they drove 14 hours away to meet Rolanda and present her a $2,000 cashier’s check to buy a reliable car.

Compassion changed everything.

She bought a minivan that carried her family for seven years. She kept working. She became a homeowner. She moved into leadership with her employer. She built stability after a lifetime of struggle.

And in 2019, she founded  L.I.F.T. R&R so other families wouldn’t have to fight alone — because she knows what it feels like to be stranded, scared, and still trying.

Rolanda offered a $250 car.

She received hope, dignity, and a future.