Erickson/Mitchem Flood Fund

Help Charleston family who lost everything during the flood in their West Ashley home on top of a plethora of medical expenses.

It seems like bad things come in threes but for the Mitchems/Ericksons it didn't stop there. Milt Erickson, the caretaker of his wheelchair bound wife Alice, fell and suffered from several injuries which led to their daughter Julie Mitchem and her husband Lee to move to Charleston in effort to help take care of her parents.

Then last spring, Alice’s leg had to be amputated. Grandson Erick Bassett moved to Charleston to help his mom and grandfather before he moved to Texas for graduate school. As soon as the family was beginning to adjust, Alice suffered from an even more debilitating stroke that led to hospice care, expensive medical bills, and constant stress for the whole family. Julie’s brother Brad and his husband Brian flew in from California and serious funeral arrangements were being discussed when Alice miraculously started talking and eating again. She is still in a rehab facility in Summerville at this point and has made slight progress. Julie and Lee made the decision to move in with her dad Milt despite her working over full time at Middleton Plantation.

In the summer, Julie found out she had a mass in her pancreas and had to have intensive surgery that kept her in the hospital for a week despite the fact that both of her parents and her husband are dependent on her. She suffered from post surgery complications, which kept her out of work longer than expected, and the bills kept piling up. This is all while her daughter Elizabeth who is in medical school got engaged and son Erick was leaving for graduate school.

When everything was starting to slow down their home was flooded.

All of the family's belongings were lost in the flood and they did not have flood insurance. Julie, her husband, and her father are all staying in a hotel room until they can find a temporary apartment. Alice is still in a rehab facility regaining use of her hand in hopes to operate her electric scooter again. 

Julie is one of the hardest working, caring people you will ever meet and she has suffered from a long string of terrible luck. This family is trying to deal with poor health issues on top of a natural disaster destroying all of their earthly belongings and they need your help!

We have a storage unit to collect physical donations downtown Charleston, SC. Clothing, bedding, furniture...they need it all. If you want to donate an item please contact Haley or Hilary Royer. (sizes at bottom) 


I am specifically reaching out to the Greek community. Erick was a Pi Kappa Alpha at Wofford College and Elizabeth was a Kappa Alpha Theta at Wofford College.  
Myself(Erick's girlfriend) was a Zeta Tau Alpha at Wofford and my sister is a Chi Omega at College of Charleson. I have seen all of these chapters do great philanthropic undertakings and I believe this is a great time to show the nation and the community what being involved in Greek life is about.

Julie- mom-(50s) small /medium top and 6/8 bottoms. Size 10 shoe.

Milt (grandfather in his 80's ) 36 30 in pants and a large top 12 in shoes.

Alice( grandmother 80s) just wears night gowns size s/m

Erick- (23) large shirt
34-34 pants

Lee(husband) -says he doesn't need anything