Help Ralph & Shari Fund

Hurricane Sandy hit New York City hard. My dear friends Ralph and Shari were hit especially hard. They lived in a basement apartment in Seagate, a beach community near Coney Island, mostly to be close to Ralph's father who passed away earlier this year. Down steep steps their apartment took on water during Irene, leading them to think staying to sandbag, run pumps, and deter the looters that stuck after Irene, might prevent more loss - a crucial mistake. 

When the storm surge came, water rose above the sandbags so when they broke water came pouring in at a dangerous and alarming rate. The entire apartment filled from floor to ceiling with seawater in less then 5 minutes. They were able to rescue one of their two cats before the water rose above their faces, the other cowered on the bed, frozen in fear.  They eventually found her body in the very same spot.  

Wet, scared, and grieving, without shoes or dry clothes they huddled on the third floor of a neighbor's house. Eventually their landlord rescued them and has put them up since.  When the apartment was pumped out, and they came back to sift through the remainder of their belongings, they found looters had gotten there first, doing more damage to both apartment and car.

Shari is a full time honors student, and Ralph works for Home Depot. Like so many they live paycheck to paycheck, and now they need everything. Ralph and Shari are two of the most generous and helpful people I have ever met. Please consider helping them, big donations help us reach out goal, but anything shows you care.