Help Amy & Dan After House Fire

Daren Batke and I (Lauren Cecil) are colleagues and friends of Amy's at the University of Michigan. We have set up this fund to assist Amy Homkes-Hayes and her husband Dan Hayes after they experienced a significant house fire. I myself also experienced a house fire this past fall, and know all too well what Amy's family is going through. The stress and trauma of experiencing a house fire is horrible, and especially so when you have children. Thankfully they are all safe, but their home needs a lot of cleaning and some repair and most of their possessions are considered a total loss. Any support you can lend to assist Amy, Dan, and their two children recover would be greatly appreciated.
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Late on Sunday evening, March 27th, Amy and Dan started smelling and seeing smoke in their home. They discovered thick black smoke coming from their basement and immediately grabbed their two kids and two dogs and left their house. The fire department arrived and acted quickly to save their home. They discovered that the fire was caused by their clothes dryer. Fortunately, the structural damage to the home is minimal, thanks to the quick action of Dan closing the basement door on the way out of the house. The soot and smoke damage, though, is extensive. Everything in the basement where the fire originated is considered a total loss, and because the smoke traveled throughout the home, many of their personal possessions are also smoke damaged beyond repair. 

Sadly, all of the kids' toys, books, and stuffed animals (including their most precious ones from toddlerhood), and many of their clothes, which were in the basement laundry room where the fire started, are considered a total loss due to smoke damage.

The Hayes family is working with their insurance company to clean and repair their home, and are in the process of finding temporary housing. All of their possessions that can be cleaned will be stored until it's safe to return to their home. At this time they're unsure how long they will be out of their house -- but estimates are between 3-4 months, maybe longer. 

Please consider helping Amy, Dan, Lana, and Grady by contributing. Funds will be used to help meet their immediate needs, assist in the significant cleaning and reconstruction of their home, and replace their possessions.