On Sunday September 7, 2025, Brandon and Hannah Frederick were struck by an unimaginable tragedy- their house caught on fire while they were home with their 2 little girls, Evelyn (5.5yo) and Remi (3yo). Luckily everyone, and the cats, got out safely (and the Steelers beat the Jets!) but unfortunately, their house was severely damaged and is expected to be a total loss.

The damage went beyond the house itself- the part of the house that had the worst damage included Hannah’s work space. Her photography equipment is destroyed, putting her out of work and unable to earn income. Her car was also totaled in the fire.

This family is a pillar of the Hamilton, Colgate University, and Central New York community, and they need our help. Brandon in particular worked for over a decade bartending for an entire generation of Colgate alumni, and now is a model employee of Colgate University’s Buildings & Ground staff. Hannah is an accomplished family and wedding photographer, and her skill has touched the lives of hundreds of families across Central New York.

It’s time for us to give back. The money raised will go to restoring their lives as quickly as possible, especially to help give their little girls a sense of normalcy. For the girls this includes new clothing, school supplies, bedding, arts & crafts (they love creating!), toys, and more. For Hannah, this includes helping her get back to work by securing a temporary work space, new equipment, and related expenses to get her business restarted. For the family overall, all of their clothes and personal possessions were severely damaged in the fire, so funds will also go to them restoring many of their basic needs, plus temporary transportation until Hannah can secure a new vehicle, and to pay bills to make up for Hannah’s lost income.

Lastly, funds will also go towards Bright Harbor disaster recovery services to give Brandon and Hannah direct assistance dealing with all of their insurance carriers and related recovery companies they will be working with.

Brandon and Hannah and their girls need our support- let’s step up and show them how much this community loves and appreciates them.