Support a Resilient Family in Crisis. Anderson-Smith Family

My name is Calli Anderson of Marion NC. I'm not one to ask for help, especially not from the media. My family - my mother, brother, and I - have always been the ones to put others first, sacrificing our own needs to make sure those around us are taken care of. But the morning of September 27th changed everything. Hurricane Helene tore through our lives, leaving destruction in her wake that we never could have prepared for.

Our home, the one my grandmother left us when she lost her 15-year battle with cancer, still stands, but it's broken. The roof, cracked open by a falling tree, lets in the rain, spreading ceiling leaks throughout the house. The basement, flooded and already growing mold, is a breeding ground for disease. Water seeps into our heaters, threatening to destroy what's left of our warmth and safety. The wiring, damaged in the storm, could ignite a fire at any moment. My car also took a hit from a tree leaving the windshield shattered.

We're grateful for what we still have, for each other. But the damage is too much to bear alone. We need help. We need a safe place to live while we try to rebuild. A temporary camper, a rental, anything to get us out of this dangerous house. But that costs money, and insurance... we have none. My grandmother took that secret to her grave, leaving us with nothing.

I'm begging you, please. Help us. Help my mother, who only ever put others first. I don't know how to fix this on my own. I don't know how to give my family the security we need without your help. Anything, please. Anything you can give will bring us closer to rebuilding, to healing, to coming home again.