The Anderson Family Flood Relief

I am a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Columbia.  So many people have been affected by this historic flooding event that has impacted South Carolina.  This hit home for me as well and while my family was fortunate to not be significantly affected, a co-worker of mine from the National Weather Service office in Columbia, SC had his home flooded and did not have flood insurance as his home was not located within the flood plain.

Doug Anderson and his family (wife Janet, daughters Audrey and Alicia and granddaughter Annalee) need your help.  This ex-military family was reunited just two years ago.  Doug took his dream job in the NWS but had to move to Bethel, AK without his family (to avoid uprooting the kids from their school and friends).  He returned to Columbia a couple of years ago and  purchased their first home.  They had have been working on it to make it their dream house.   After water pipes burst in their home during a hard freeze last winter, they had significant water damage. Due to the age of the home (80’s), insurance depreciation drastically lowered what they received from insurance. They had $25,000 worth of damage and insurance only covered $5,000.  They used that money and depleted nearly all of their savings to pay for the repairs.

The flooding from last weekend wiped out all of that work and money that was used to get the house back to normal.  They left their home Sunday morning as 4 feet of water entered the home, wading out with Annalee and their pets.  Audrey grabbed the family photo you see here on the way out.  They also lost both vehicles in the flood waters.  Since the water has receded, they have been fortunate to have friends help them begin to clean out the damaged furniture, nearly new laminate flooring, and 30 yrs worth of memories, but insurance will not provide assistance because they didn't have flood insurance.  They are seeking some assistance from FEMA but that is a slow process and will not cover the loss.

The Anderson family is a group of fighters with the short-term goal of saving their home, making it livable again and then rebuild the interior slowly as they can afford it.  Anything you can donate will help them at least get their home safe to return to within a few months. The money donated will be used to replace drywall, flooring, furniture and replace vehicles.  If you are unable to contribute, the Anderson family requests that you "please offer prayers. God can move mountains." Thank you so much for any support you can provide this family!