Items lost in a flood

I'm Chaelsie, also known as CJ. I am an aspiring businesswoman, determined to succeed.

I live in a small town of just under 2,000 people out in the middle of nowhere, Ohio. I have an 8 year old special needs child and a need for the products my business -- I, am able to produce.

I make all natural bath, body, and skin care products. I even make a little something for our four-legged friends!

Because everything is handmade, it takes a lot of time, love, and sometimes, a little bit of machinery to help me make my products.

Back in February, I lost my only source of income. A week after, my home flooded. My child and I lost 95% of our clothing, quite a few pieces of furniture, most of our electronics, my son's toys, and, some key tools and supplies needed for me to continue producing my products. I lost my blender, my mixer, my scale, several boxes of packaging supplies (jars, tubes, bottles, etc,) and around $1,000 worth of supplies.Soap bases, mica powders, clay powders, oils, butters, fragrances - the list goes on.

Now, my son and I are forced to live solely off the income that I get from my business. Because of the items that I lost in the flood, I am only able to produce a fraction of the items that I would normally offer. After a few months of trying to raise enough money to restock my supplies, I am now completely out of the supplies that I need to keep going.

People ask me, "Why didn't you set up a GoFundMe for the furniture and clothing?" Because those things I will be able to easily replace, once I have a steady stream of income, again. Because being a single mother, especially to a special needs child, I have to prioritize. And right now, fixing my business so I have steady income is most important. My son is home schooled, so no one will mind if he wears the same outfit twice in one week. Our beds are fine, his school room is fine. Therefore, I *have* to focus on what we NEED right now.

Another question I get asked is, "Why didn't you have insurance?" I rent, for starters. Yes, I'm aware that I could have had renters insurance, but my landlord's home insurance should have covered the damages, regardless. They didn't. Why? Because I was told afterward that some things on the house aren't up to code, so the insurance company will no longer insure the house.

I have orders sitting in my inbox right now, but no way to fill them. I am currently playing the waiting game for state benefits - I have several weeks to go before they start. 

I was once told, "Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime." I don't want or need anyone to replace my clothes or my furniture or my TV or PS4. I just want to be able to get my business back up and running so I can support myself and my child. I am now 3 months behind on all of my bills, minus a few that I've been able to keep a little more current by selling off what products and items I had left, but things around here are getting desperate.

Every share helps. Every dollar helps. And, as a thank you for reading, sharing and/or donating, I have a giveaway set up. Should my campaign succeed, I have two giveaways - one for shares, and one for donations. Every share grants you one entry, as does every donation, for a separate one. Keep an eye on my campaign and once it is over, I will announce the winners here. Thank you so much for taking the time to read. God bless!

Much love, and light,
CJ


Below are a few photos of the custom soaps that I create.

Unicorn Bars:

Globe Soaps: (Yes, I know South America is backwards. It was done on purpose so it was able to fit into the mold properly.)

Geode/Crystal Soaps

Seabed soaps