Displaced mother and children from fire

Hello everyone, my name is Anita Garcia. There was a fire in the apartment complex where I live, two units above me. Thankfully everyone in the complex got out and are all safe. However due to the fact that my apartment unit is 2 floors directly under the one that caught fire there is water damage and it is now uninhabitable. We woke at about 1:40am on Monday April 15, 2019 on Fruitvale Ave in Oakland, CA to a fire in one unit on the third floor. As I slept I seen red flashing and for some reason it woke me up to find that it was flames. My son heard yelling coming from upstairs as of people arguing and he went out to have them quiet down. As he walked out of the complex and looked up he seen that the neighbors apartment was on fire and the tenants leaving the complex. He then woke up his younger brother and his younger cousin and got them out fast and to the front of the complex. He pounded on my bedroom door as he was getting them and told me to get out that there was a fire in the complex. Before that I had woke up looked out the window as I seen the red outside, worried that it was the gas station next to us. We got out and all the neighbors including the general manager that lives in the complex as well started to evacuate and working together to make sure everyone as well as our pets were out of the building. I am now displaced due to this and unfortunately I do not have renters insurance and regret that more now then ever, and the owners as of now are not reimbursing me for a hotel. I do not know how long the repairs are going to take as they need to do a complete remodel of my place. As of now they are not placing me in any temporary housing, and I am on my own to find a roof over my kids head until my apartment is complete and ready to move back in. I never have thought nor am I one to ask for money even when I need it. I am a single mother and I do work, however the cost of being relocated are going to take a toll on me and I want to make sure I can keep my kids in Oakland as they only have about 26 days or so left of school for this year and can’t have them miss school and need to keep them in Oakland so their brother and other family members can help me to get them to school everyday while I go to work. I work in South San Francisco and I have always worked hard to make sure my kids never go without. I also have temporary custody of my niece as well, as her parents get back on their feet. My kids even though being raised by a single mother are honor roll students and one in college. My oldest is a college graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree so I have always done my best to make sure that they focus on their future. I never have imagined that I would ever be asking for help let alone from complete strangers. I have always been a very proud, strong, independent woman and if you knew me you would truly know how hard this is for me to ask. For my kids and nieces well being are at hand and to me that is all that matters right now. I just want to make sure that I am able to keep a roof over their head and that they do not go without the basic needs. I am not asking for much and any little thing will help. This is very hard for me to do and I have been debating over and over again if I should. It is time for me to put my pride aside and make sure that I get through this with minimal affect on the lives of my children. If you donate I can’t even begin to explain how thankful I am. If you are even just taking the time to read this I thank you as well and welcome kind words of encouragement.

From my heart to yours I thank you,

Anita Garcia