Help Cathy Rebuild Her Life and Career

Hi I am Cathy, an award winning artist and photographer. I live, work and volunteer in my community of Monterey, CA. An unexpected series of events has me reaching out today.

While attending a funeral in Santa Rosa, I was rear-ended in a hit and run incident that left my car with major damage and an insurance company unwilling to adequately cover the repairs to make my car whole again.

Then while getting estimates on my car, I put my belongings into a storage unit which was broken into less than 24 hours later. My cameras, lenses, and 30 years of photographic prints, sketches and drawings were stolen. They were a valuable source of income that is now gone. Without cameras, I am unable to accept assignments or jobs. Without the original work, I have no prints to sell.

I am asking for your help to get on my feet again. That requires help with car repairs and replacement of photographic equipment. Several body shops feel that repairs to my car will be an additional $2700 above what the insurance company is willing to cover. Replacing camera and photo equipment will be around $4500. Replacing 30 years of sketches and drawing is impossible and a soul crushing loss.

To say I am heart broken, is an understatement. I’m really struggling at the moment and embarrassed to be out here making this plea but I need support. Maybe with a little help from everyone, I can move forward. If you can help, thank you. If you can’t (and even if you can) maybe you can forward this effort to any of your friends and family that might be in a position to donate. Either way, I am grateful beyond words.