Dear friends, family and community members,

On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, my friend Katie and her roommates, Anne and Jenny, lost their home to a massive fire that ravaged the top floor of the 201 W 107 ST building in the Upper West Side.

They still have not been able to ascertain the extent of the damage, but clothes, furniture, photographs, books and other sentimental items were damaged and likely destroyed. The fire also took future memories, as they were going to host Anne’s 14th annual Christmas cookie party that same week.

At the time of the fire, Katie was teaching her middle school students at a nearby public school, Anne was about to head to work at the East Harlem public high school where she teaches and Jenny was about to start her day working in children’s publishing. Thankfully, they are safe and have found temporary shelter, but they need financial support to get back on their feet and begin rebuilding their lives.

Please help us raise $15,000 for Katie, Anne and Jenny to alleviate the financial burden the fire has caused. Your donations will go directly to them to help clean salvageable fire- and asbestos-damaged items, replace much-needed essential items and procure day-to-day basic necessities.

Katie, Jenny and Anne are aware that others in the building are also in need of support and will share any surplus proceeds with other tenants who were affected!

Thank you for your support, and Happy New Year!