Here is a little bit about Kasandra in her own words:

"I am a small town girl from Bald Knob, Arkansas. My high school sweetheart and I moved to Charlotte in 2006 and got married. We have 4 beautiful children. I am a teacher to some of the most amazing little humans in the world, I absolutely love being a teacher.

 I also lead worship at Forest Hill Church Ballantyne and lead a youth group of high school girls. I'm a breast cancer survivor which I feel has helped me be even more sensitive to people's needs and heartaches. God knows what He's doing."

Kasandra

God definitely knows what he's doing. If you see Kasandra around town, you'll see messages on her red SUV like "Mental Health Matters" and "Anything is Possible". The people in these photos below are why she works so hard to spread love...

"My baby brother Keaton committed suicide Christmas day of 2013. He was only 20 years old. He had been suffering with mental illness for a couple of years but we all thought we were coming to a healing point, only to find out it was a "second wind to farewell." He seemed very happy and was having a great time doing things. Even smiled for opening presents the same day he took his own life. 

8 years later having dealt with covid, and having to quarantine, and missing our baby brother still, my baby sister Kaitlinalso committed suicide. She was 32. She also had been dealing with mental health for more than 10 years, maybe more like 15-20 years. It seems to run in our family. On the way to my sister's funeral in Texas my Aunt LynnMarie called me and asked me if I would like to do my sister's makeup, I was scared but if she were alive I know very well that she wouldn't want anyone else to do it if I were there so I wanted to do this for my sister. When I walked into the room where her body lain I had an overwhelming feeling that my heart said "no one should have to feel this, without questions answered without any warning" my sister was there cold and still and I was responsible for making her pretty to meet Jesus. I sang to my sister and told her I wasn't angry with her and that I promised her I would carry her and Keaton with me to make a difference in the world and shed light on mental health and make the world see that we need to do more about it.

So I continued my car ministry writing words of encouragement for the people behind me, praying over each one that would be strategically placed there to receive the words they needed for that day, to keep them going." Kasandra

Meeting someone like Kasandra gives me hope for a better future. Awareness is key. The more we learn about Mental Health and suicide, we help others and hopefully prevent another tragedy like the loss of her 2 siblings. Little things go a long way.

In spite of all the heartache that she has experienced, Kasandra is still spreading love and light wherever she goes. She chooses JOY and hopes that she can lead others to finding JOY too.

Meeting someone like Kasandra gives me hope for a better future. Awareness is key. The more we learn about Mental Health and suicide, we help others and hopefully prevent another tragedy like the loss of her 2 siblings. Little things go a long way.

In spite of all the heartache that she has experienced, Kasandra is still spreading love and light wherever she goes. She chooses JOY and hopes that she can lead others to finding JOY too.

Suffering this kind of immeasurable loss, not once, but twice, is unimaginable. Her car ministry is a daily act of love that she hopes will keep someone else from feeling hopeless. She said that she looks in her rearview mirror at stoplights and sees people smiling often. Sometimes they honk, wave and say thank you as they pass her.

Not only does Kasandra make people smile in traffic, she also started a charity called "Pockets of Sunshine" where she creates boxes of uplifting things, encouraging stickers, keychains, candy, jewelry with words of Affirmation, anxiety fidget things. These boxes are purchased by people to send to friends or family that seem to be going through something and need a "Pocket of Sunshine" to see past their storm. Any profits from them go to Congregation for Kids, Next Level Mental health fund, and any other organization that she can find that helps people receive free counseling for their mental health issues. 

"I hope through the little things I'm doing will keep other families from hurting as much as I do. Even if it saves a few I've done what God wants me to do. 

People can make a difference by helping others see their worth when they feel worthless. Simple compliments, hugs, words of Affirmation, a call or text to say hello and I love you. These things stop people in their tracks and helps them see that someone actually cares. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to my story. I really hope and pray God will use me to do so much more, I'm humbled by Him saving me from my own mental illness and because he Has and does everyday I will serve Him the best I can." Kasandra