Aid Jeff and Bari in Overcoming Mold Crisis

We have close friends who have come upon some very rough times, circumstances that are out of their control. I asked them to provide some details. I would ask that you read their story and please donate to their GoFundMe account if you feel led to do so.

Back in April 2023, Jeff and Bari rented an apartment in Schaumburg. At the beginning of July, they went to change the furnace filter on the AC unit and noticed it was covered in black mold. At that point, they contacted the owner and explained that they were going to need a new unit because it wasn’t working properly, plus the black mold. Initially, they were told, “But it still works, doesn’t it?” The landlord didn’t seem to care about their safety or well-being and didn’t want to do anything. After a lot of complaining, he begrudgingly contacted an HVAC technician, who came to the house and explained that he didn’t even want to touch the AC unit because it was so badly covered in black mold. Jeff and Bari had to beg him to replace the unit because they had been experiencing severe symptoms like migraines, dizziness, weight loss, severe memory fog, gasping for breath while walking, among various other symptoms, including the declining health of their two beloved cats. In the middle of July, the AC unit was finally replaced, and Bari told him that he needed to get another HVAC company to clean out the air ducts because most likely there was still black mold residing in there. The landlord ignored their requests. The original black mold on their walls and baseboards was painted over. The landlord didn’t clean it properly, so the hazardous mold has just been rapidly increasing over time.

About a month ago, they had water damage in the area where the AC unit resides due to leaking pipes, which the building was responsible for. Mold was located on the floor yet again. The landlord was once again informed, and it was requested to get an HVAC tech out, and again there was no response. In Jeff and Bari’s minds, they had suspicions about how it could affect their health and began working with a mold testing company. They were initially told results take 6-7 days; however, they received the results within 48 hours. The representative stated there were extremely high levels of dangerous mold currently in their house. The representative also stated they needed to have a mold remediation company come out, clean it, and fumigate the entire apartment. While they are still trying to figure out what their recourse is, the testing for their health to see how badly they’ve been affected will cost approximately $700 per person. The couple currently does not have health insurance as Bari lost her job six months ago, plus she suffers from severe fibromyalgia, which appears to have been exacerbated by the mold toxins. Jeff and Bari will be displaced from their home for 4-6 weeks at a hotel during the remediation process of fumigating. They don’t have the financial means for hotel expenses during this time of displacement. This has been incredibly stressful for them, and any financial assistance would be of benefit to them from living in this dangerous environment. Please consider, if you are able to, assisting this couple by donating whatever you’re comfortable with donating.

Thank you in advance for any and all help! ❤️