Hi Everyone, 

I'm Marlin Olivier, a resident of Washington, DC who grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana.  The beneficiary of this donation campaign is my mom, Debbie Olivier. 

Mom lives in Lafayette, Louisiana, and like many in the state, was caught off guard by record flood waters that rose suddenly on the weekend of August 13th, 2016. 

The water entered our home of nearly 30 years, soaking the walls and insulation, ruining furniture and clothing, and forcing Mom out for months until repairs could be made to make the house livable again. 

She's received some relief money from FEMA, but after applying these funds, she still has outstanding contractor fees totaling $32,000 for basic reconstruction of the house.  She did not have flood insurance as our property sits at higher elevation and has never flooded before. She has had to take out a loan against her retirement to cover the costs of the repairs.  The cost of furniture and clothing replacement hasn't even been considered. Almost every time I speak with her on the phone, she breaks down crying due the stress and burden she's suddenly facing. 

In addition, the house was built by her father, so we've got deep ties to the property.

My mom is 61 years old, lives alone with three pets, and works as a nurse at Lafayette General.  She's spent her whole life taking care of me, our family, her pets, and her patients.  I remember the long days and nights she spent managing the patient overflow from another disaster, Hurricane Katrina.

I’ve created this campaign in the hopes that my friends and acquaintances might be able to help her a little in the wake of this trying disaster.   

My goal is to raise $2000 to give a tiny bit back to Mom, considering all she's given to me and to so many others.

Any amount of money raised through this effort would bring her relief and offer reassurance that her life will return to normal.  Anything you give will make a big difference and is greatly, greatly appreciated. 

All funds collected via this campaign will be directed towards paying back the loan that Mom has taken from her retirement, as those funds have already been withdrawn to secure a contractor, who is is currently in the process of rebuilding the demolished walls, fixtures, and floors.

Previous demolition work has already been paid for. 

Once the campaign ends, funds will be transferred directly to Mom via GoFundMe, but I plan to wait a few weeks before arranging this transfer.  I hope to surprise her with the donation total. 

Thanks very much for taking the time to read this.