Covid Family in Fountain Valley — we need help.
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The Ortizes, a family of seven adults and six children, live in Fountain Valley, CA. Lucinda Ortiz, is a nurse at Huntington Beach Hospital, and at home she provides in-home supportive services (IHSS) along with her husband Gerardo to two adult family members who have schizophrenia and other special needs.
Lucinda was diagnosed with COVID-19. Gerardo cared for her at home until she was admitted to the hospital, and eventually became sick himself. That left their daughter Holly to pick up the pieces: figuring out how to pay rent without the paychecks her family relies on, caring for six children, and providing IHSS services to her adult family members with special needs.
“We’re barely hanging on trying to take care of everything,” The children in their house range in age from five months to 13 years old. One is asthmatic. Holly’s daughter has lost her sense of taste and smell, but the doctor told them to call back when she got a fever. “We’re all probably positive for COVID,” she said.
The family needs assistance immediately: help paying the rent and other bills, backup IHSS providers to care for the adults with special needs, child care, and they still need PPE and supplies, especially disinfectant wipes.
“If I get sick what’s going to happen to my kids? My family who cannot care for themselves?” Holly asked. “You see the protesters on TV and I want to shout at them ‘This is real! This is scary!’”
Lucinda was diagnosed with COVID-19. Gerardo cared for her at home until she was admitted to the hospital, and eventually became sick himself. That left their daughter Holly to pick up the pieces: figuring out how to pay rent without the paychecks her family relies on, caring for six children, and providing IHSS services to her adult family members with special needs.
“We’re barely hanging on trying to take care of everything,” The children in their house range in age from five months to 13 years old. One is asthmatic. Holly’s daughter has lost her sense of taste and smell, but the doctor told them to call back when she got a fever. “We’re all probably positive for COVID,” she said.
The family needs assistance immediately: help paying the rent and other bills, backup IHSS providers to care for the adults with special needs, child care, and they still need PPE and supplies, especially disinfectant wipes.
“If I get sick what’s going to happen to my kids? My family who cannot care for themselves?” Holly asked. “You see the protesters on TV and I want to shout at them ‘This is real! This is scary!’”
Organizer
Holly Ortiz
Organizer
Fountain Valley, CA
