Flood Recovery Fund for Ajá & Gabe

If you live in or visit Croton, chances are Ajá - store manager of the Black Cow and barista extraordinaire - is part of your life. She sees us at our very best (celebrating graduations, hugging our friends) and our very worst (messy, stressed, rushing to make a train).

Now, she needs her community to come through for her.

On Monday night, when the storm hit, Ajá and her partner, Gabe, lost everything. The rain rushed in and swallowed their home in water as Ajá and Gabe stood on the curb, soaked, holding nothing but a small backpack and each other’s trembling hands. Everything else – their photos, clothes, dishes, the cozy couch where they shared morning coffee – was gone.

They are the people who show up for others. The first to bring a pot of soup when you’re sick, to water your plants when you’re out of town, the first to ask, “Are you okay? What do you need?”

Now, they need us.

They need a safe place to sleep while they figure out what comes next. They need clothes, food, and a path toward rebuilding the life the flood tried to wash away.

If you’ve ever known what it feels like to be knocked down by life’s sudden storms, you know how powerful it is to have a community say, “We’ve got you.”

We’re raising $12,000 to help them cover housing, food, clothing, and essentials while they piece together a plan for the long term. Every dollar you give helps them breathe a little easier, rest a little safer, and feel a little more human in the middle of this mess.

If you can give, thank you. If you can share this, thank you. If you can send a lead for a new apartment, thank you. If you can send them love, prayers, or encouragement, thank you.

Let’s show Ajá and Gabe that even when the waters rise, community rises higher.