THE CAR 2 COTTAGE PROJECT
From Parking Lot to Possibility
Helping unhoused women 50+ move from survival in their cars to safety, dignity, and home.
Car 2 Cottage Project is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Good Fund, a California nonprofit corporation and registered 501(c)(3) organization, Tax ID (EIN) 46-1323531.
Car2CottageProject.org
(512) 270-8371
Why Do We Exist
Why We Exist
This is not a shelter.
This is a sacred handoff.We don't believe every woman living in her car is broken.
We believe she's standing at the turning point of her story.We’re not here to preach, fix, or rush healing.
We’re here to remind women of their own strength, their own dignity,
and the possibility that this moment isn’t the end—
but a powerful beginning.We've been there.
We know the fear, the silence, the exhaustion,
the $10 in your bank account.And we’ve also seen what happens
when one small YES flips everything right-side up.Car to Cottage isn't about saving.
It’s about walking beside women until they remember who they are—
and where they’re going.From parking lot…to possibility.
💚 What is Peer-Led Support?
At Car 2 Cottage, we believe the strongest support comes from women who have walked the path themselves. That’s why our model is built around peer-led support — a dignity-first approach where lived experience, not paperwork, guides the journey.Why Peer-Led MattersBuilds instant trust: women feel safe opening up to someone who “gets it.”Creates community, not casework: it’s about walking alongside, not managing.Removes barriers: no need to “qualify” with the system — if you’re living in your car, you matter.How It Works at Car 2 CottageDaily Check-Ins → Quick, mobile-friendly forms or calls (“How are you feeling today? What are you grateful for?”).Micro-Pathways → Small, achievable next steps co-created with each woman.Peer Mentors → Women who stabilize through Car 2 Cottage become mentors for others, creating a cycle of strength.Community Circles → Space for sharing stories, offering encouragement, and building hope together.
How It’s Different
Not a Handout. A Hand Up. A Way Home.
What We Do
The Car to Cottage Project supports women 50+ who are living between homes — often in their vehicles — because of poverty, abuse, or a lack of systemic support.We focus on low-barrier, dignity-centered solutions — not shelters filled with fear, but sanctuaries rooted in safety and respect.Our work includes:Partnering with landowners to host micro-housing or safe parking spaces.Matching women with transitional cottages, trailers, or ADUs.Providing gentle community and resource connections — no red tape, no judgment.Our goal isn’t just housing. It’s healing.
We meet women exactly where they are, and walk with them toward safety, stability, and hope.
Our Approach: Sanctuary Without Stigma
Most women we serve are turned away from shelters and programs—not because they’re unworthy, but because they’re not broken enough to qualify.No addiction. No violent partner. No minor children.
Just a woman. In a car. Alone.The system wasn’t built for her.We were.The Car to Cottage Project rejects the idea that trauma must be visible or extreme to deserve care.We believe in support that is:Low-barrier: No complex paperwork or qualificationsNon-conditional: You don’t have to be sober, religious, or traumatized “enough”Dignity-first: Every woman is seen as a whole person, not a problem to fixOur approach is rooted in restoration, not rescue.
Our Stories
How it started
It started in a Cracker Barrel parking lot.Sheryl was living in her car. So was I.We talked for hours — about exhaustion, about invisible women, and about how we didn’t fit the system’s criteria for help.Same story: turned away from shelters. Abused in places meant to protect her.That’s when the goosebumps came.We knew — this wasn’t just our problem.
It was a nationwide blind spot.So we started the Car to Cottage Project.
Not a charity.
A movement for women like us.For every woman parked behind a business, praying no one knocks.
For every woman who’s too strong to crumble — and too overlooked to qualify.
Jillian | Founder
I am Jillian Stidd, Founder and President of Car 2 Cottage Inc. I live with my cat Jazzmeen and my Maltipoo, Cooper, who have both been my steadfast companions through every chapter of transformation. I’m most at peace when I’m near the water, under an open sky, or watching the quiet rhythm of the world remind me that we are always being guided home.If I’m not writing, building, or coaching, I’m usually traveling in my Jeep—what I lovingly call my “SoulStead”—where every sunrise is a reminder that purpose doesn’t need a fixed address. I cherish long conversations over coffee, stargazing from campgrounds, and connecting deeply with people who are ready to reclaim their truth and rebuild their lives with dignity.My Educational Background
I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and hold a Master’s Degree in Reiki Healing, blending analytical precision with energetic and spiritual understanding. My background bridges both financial systems and holistic wellness, equipping me to design sustainable, heart-centered solutions for women navigating transition. I believe that real transformation happens when empowerment meets practicality—when soul and structure finally align.My Purpose
My purpose has always been to stand at the crossroads of spirit and strategy—helping others rebuild not just their finances or foundations, but their faith in themselves. Having experienced deep personal transformation and seasons of uncertainty myself, I understand how fragile stability can feel—and how powerful it is to reclaim it.It is my passion to have boots on the ground, walking alongside women who are still in their vehicles, listening, learning, and creating real-time solutions born from compassion and lived experience. I believe change doesn’t start in boardrooms—it starts in parking lots, campgrounds, and the quiet moments when someone finally feels seen.Car 2 Cottage was born from that knowing. It exists to bring dignity, safety, and possibility to women 50+ who have slipped through the cracks of the traditional system. My role is to hold both the vision and the vessel—to make sure every woman who comes through this project feels seen, supported, and equipped to move from survival to sanctuary.I am deeply honored to serve alongside this team of heart-centered leaders, each carrying wisdom from their own path, united by one mission: to help every woman find her way home.~Jillian
Christina | Director
I am Christina Wood, I live peacefully in the mountains with my two dogs (Cooper and Tallulah). I love everything outdoors! If I am not at home, I am out fishing, hiking, camping, or scoping out my next adventure. I also enjoy painting scenery, landscaping my yard, encouraging everything from butterflies to deer to enjoy the sanctuary of my home, and I savor spending time with friends around the campfire.
My educational Background
I believe in the power of a dream, at 48, I graduated Summa Cum Laude, earning A Bachelor of Science in Integrative Medicine. In 2025, with the completion of my Doctorate in Integrative Medicine, my practice encompasses Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acudetox/Acuwellness for addiction and trauma, Ayurvedic Medicine, Kinesiology Certification, Pharmacology (Western), Phytotherapy (Western, Eastern, Folk Clinical Herbalism), Clinical Aromatherapist, Nutrition and Healthy Aging. In addition, I am a End of Life Doula as well. I received my certification through University of Vermont in 2023. I uphold to the principal that true healing occurs when the mind, body and spirit is balanced and aligned. I hold certifications as a Wilderness Medicine First Responder and hold licensure with the State of Tennessee in Auricular Acupuncture.
My Purpose
My knowledge base is ever expanding, but more important that what I know, is why I care. It is valuable to know who is serving you, to ensure they understand and are uniquely positioned to offer specialized assistance. Not that long ago, I had a unexpected life change and found myself living in my car for almost a year. With grit and perseverance, I purchased 6 acres on the side of a mountain. First living here in a tent, then purchasing a tiny house and now have expanded that into the peaceful sanctuary that I currently call "home". The word home is different for each of us, and I am honored and privileged to help you attain yours. I am here to offer life experience, earnest compassion, and mind, body, spiritual wellness to support you in upgrading your life and empower the move from car to cottage.I look forward to working with each of you,~Christina
Join The Movement & Contact Us
Whether you're a funder, landowner, volunteer, or a woman in need of safe parking or housing—
We want to hear from you.
This isn’t a traditional shelter.
This is sanctuary.
We’re building something sacred.
If this mission speaks to you—whether you're a woman in need, someone with land, or a potential partner—
reach out. We’d love to walk this with you.
7901 4th St N STE 300
St. Petersburg, FL 33702 USA
(512) 270-8371
Car 2 Cottage Project is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Good Fund, a California nonprofit corporation and registered 501(c)(3) organization, Tax ID (EIN) 46-1323531. All Donations are tax deducible.