Empower a Resilient Family After the Storm

Hello, this family is in dire need of anything you can provide after Hurricane Helene.

Jaren and Ann Skinner, and 12 year old daughter Fiona are about to lose everything, again. Jaren, an environmental scientist, was able to quit his job and become a full time business owner of Island Rides, a car sharing company serving the Islands of Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island. Ann, had a full time job with Breakaway Vacation Properties on Sanibel Island.

Things were going well, so a second car sharing and rental company, Mountain Rides, was created in August 2022.

Then came Hurricane Ian October 1st, 2022, which completely devastated Fort Myers and the Islands. Fiona’s school was closed for over a month. Luckily they were able to live in Asheville while cleanup efforts in Fort Myers were underway. However, dependent on Tourism, the family business, Island Rides, failed.

So they decided in December 2022 to move to higher ground in Asheville full time and build Mountain Rides. Ann was able to work part time remotely for the vacation rental business and Mountain Rides was thriving.

Then came Hurricane Helene. Mountain Rides depended on the thriving tourism industry in Asheville and surrounding areas. October is like Black Friday for the businesses in Asheville due to the fall foliage, concerts and festivals in the area during the fall.

Western North Carolina has been devastated and is still without power and water. They cannot pay bills or survive with no income due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Several cars are still missing or stranded. All of their October reservations have been cancelled with no help in sight. Towns have been completely washed away with thousands of people still unaccounted for.

Please spare anything you can to help them get through this difficult time, help them get supplies and be able to keep a roof over their family’s head. Thank you!