- Cars are mainly used to take you from point A to point B. For a growing number of unhoused Americans, their means of transportation is also their main source of shelter.

We speak to a single parent who's trying to navigate her pathway towards housing and an organization providing safety during that search.

Take a - Look.

We're usually pretty comfortable.

Not like, you know, like we're in a bed, but it's doable for right now.

We can manage.

- Asia Cole isn't living in her car by choice.

Before this chapter of her life, the single mother of three tells us that she was dealing with a landlord who allegedly ignored unsanitary living conditions.

- We faced having to live with mice.

Having to deal with that for months at a time is stressful.

I have a younger son that plays on the floor and he can touch something and then it could get in his toys and then he goes to touch his face and now that's a whole nother issue I have to deal with.

- Asia brought up this issue to her landlord, but after nearly six months of it being unresolved, Asia felt that her rent wasn't being respected.

- Being the hardworking woman that I am, I'm going to pay to live somewhere.

I should not have to pay for the things that you guys don't want to fix.

- One day after she came home from work, Asia was met with an eviction notice.

- My initial thought was, "I can't believe I'm about to go through this.

What is my next steps?"

And they would say, "Okay, well you have until this date to pay this amount."

But in the back of my mind, I'm like, "Okay, I'll pay this amount, but are you going to come fix the problem?"

- After her eviction court process, Asia and her three kids found themselves in an unbelievable situation.

- I eventually moved out.

And then we actually, I just parked my car in a parking lot of a grocery store.

My kids had ended up falling asleep at the time, so I kind of just pulled over and I went to sleep as well.

You don't know who's going to see you, so you kind of had to sleep with one eye open and you basically have to be on the go.

- Situations like these are why Cincinnati Public Schools nonprofit organization, Project Connect, started their Safe Sleep Lot program in the spring of 2026.

- April 30th was our first day opening and we were concerned that the lot wouldn't be utilized.

We were like, we hope we didn't come up with this idea for nothing and it's been nonstop.

- Rebecca Beach is the program manager for Project Connect.

This safe sleep lot is the first of its kind fully run by a school district.

It's located at William Howard Taft Elementary.

The program allows unhoused families with Cincinnati public school students to safely sleep in a secure parking lot as they wait to find open space in the shelter or find permanent housing.

- We were hearing from a lot of parents that number one, they didn't feel safe at night and so they were not getting sleep.

And we had a couple of families who shared that they lost their positions at work because they were falling asleep at work.

- The Safe Sleep Lot gives parents the resources to provide for and protect their children.

- As a mom, I felt like for a second I was failing as a parent.

- What did your kids say during this process?

- Yes, they were, "Mommy, what are we doing?"

I'm going to get emotional.

They were asking me lots of questions.

"Why do we have to sleep in the car?

I don't want to sleep in the car.

I want to sleep in my bed.

Where are we going to go?

Are we going to be able to stay somewhere else?

"Sorry.

And I know this is temporary.

I know it's not permanent, but it's like when your kids are asking you questions that you don't have the answers to right then and there, it's hard.

- Determined to find help.

Asia called the Cincinnati Shelter hotline where they got her connected with the temporary solution of the Safe Sleep Lot.

- Coming to the lot when I pulled in, it did make me feel safer because it was gated.

I was able to actually get some sleep and have a peace of mind for a second, but I allowed my kids to also rest as well.

- There's about 12 spots here in the Safe Sleep Lot where families have access to resources and wraparound services here on site.

The program is open between March and November, but during the off months, Project Connect has partners such as Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Cincinnati, the host of families that utilize the program, but the organization's looking for additional partners.

- We hope to work with some of our local churches and partners to be able to find spaces for those families during the really cold months, but we just were not comfortable having families sleeping in their vehicles on the lot during the really, really cold months.

- And the key focus for Project Connect is not letting homelessness affect the child's education.

- A parent shared with me that her daughter, who they have been sleeping in the lot as well, and her daughter is attending our summer program.

She's eight years old and she said her daughter wasn't reading when she started the summer and that since coming to the program, now she reads billboards as they drive because mom DoorDashes in the evening and that happened from attending the program and reading the books that we keep in the little library at the Safe Sleep Lot at night.

- Safe Sleep Lot users have full access to all of Project Connect's wraparound services, including a facility on site that has a kitchenette with snacks and meals, bathrooms that include showers.

On top of that, Project Connect provides hygiene products, school uniforms, and have a system for users to get their laundry done.

Project Connect has a lot of partner organizations to help the Safe Sleep Lot users, including a unique group called the Bloomstadt Foundation.

Director Jacoya Hill, who goes by Coya for short, explains the organization's experience fund.

- We get a sense of how many people are in the family, some things that they're interested in such as outdoors, museums, sports, movies.

We get an idea of what they like and then we remove the financial barrier by providing access for them to go do something that they enjoy.

- Coya believes this service allows a family to weather the difficult season of homelessness.

- I think that what we do, it gives them a small bit of hope, a small bit of joy, even if it's just short term.

- How important is it to keep them active and to have these activities, fun activities to do?

- It's very important because I rather have them on a positive outlook.

You're getting ready to be second, third grade, you're going to have another level of work that you're going to be focusing on.

So that's what you need to do.

You don't have to worry about anything else.

- I asked Coya how the Bloomstadt Foundation helps one of Project Connect's missions of keeping unhoused kids in school.

- It taps into the emotional aspect, the social aspect.

If they feel the joy, the love at home, they're going to pour over into school.

- The Bloomstadt Foundation heard about our interview with Asia and wanted to share the joy with her and her family by providing them with an experience fund as well.

- Families really enjoy the experience that - You offer.

In all these efforts, whether it's the experience fund with Bloomstat or the temporary solution of the Safe Sleep Lot program with Project Connect gives parents like Asia an opportunity to provide a better future for her kids by following her own dreams.

- I am a home health aide currently while studying to become a nurse.

I've always aspired to help people in general.

I basically dream to be able to give back to people who may come into this situation.

- Asia wants to remind people in similar situations like her that despite their circumstance, their outlook on life will play a role on their kids' development.

- If we're not 100%, our kids aren't going to be 100%.

The situation, yes, can be depressing, but then you also have to look at, like I said, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel and this is not permanent.

- Project Connect completed phase one of the program byding the facilities and also adding security.

In phase two, they plan to add a pergola and tutoring services for the families and students to utilize.

Rebecca also told me she's open to speaking to other school districts and organizations to see how they can incorporate this program on their site.

As for this site right here, she doesn't have any plans on expanding and she hopes she doesn't have to.

For Brick by Brick, I'm Hearns Laguerre Jr.