For over 35 years, I’ve dedicated my life to teaching theater arts, performing educational social-issue shows, and helping kids learn how to stand up to bullies, be upstanders, and make safe choices about drugs and alcohol. My work has always been about giving back, lifting people up, and helping others grow. If your child has ever seen a live social-issue presentation at school, there’s a good chance it was me — I’m Tony, from Maggie and Tony’s Interactive Educational Theatre, performing for students for more than a quarter century.

Recently, a devastating fire destroyed my home and almost everything I’ve built over a lifetime — clothes, essentials, teaching materials, personal items, and the tools I used every day. The sprinklers activated almost immediately, drenching everything, and within moments the apartment filled with thick black smoke. I tried to use the fire extinguisher I bought for emergencies, but it was shrink-wrapped with no easy pull tab. I struggled with it for over a minute, and when I hit it on the counter to get the wrap off, the nozzle came off too. By then, the smoke was so thick I couldn’t see, and I had no choice but to get out. I’m trying to rebuild completely from scratch after losing the place that held so much of my work and my life.

Even before the fire, things were financially tight. During Covid, I had to use most of my savings just to get by, and I’ve never fully recovered from that setback. In the chaos after the fire, my wallet must have fallen out of my pocket. I lost the little cash I had left, my ATM card, and the remaining balance on my Red Cross card, leaving me with almost no access to funds right now.

I’m also dealing with health issues, and I rely heavily on my car to get to appointments. I urgently need new tires, but with everything happening at once, I can’t afford even basic repairs.

Asking for help is incredibly difficult for me. I’ve spent my whole career helping others, and it’s not easy to be on this side of things. But right now, I truly need support to replace basic essentials, cover emergency needs, repair my car, and begin rebuilding after the fire.

Anything you can give — no matter the amount — will make a real difference.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness, support, and generosity. ❤️