HELP ELLEN RECOVER FROM HURRICANE IDA

My stepmother, Ellen Rizzo, needs some assistance to help herrecover from hurricane Ida. Ellen lives with her Maltese, Sophie, in Slidell, LA, which felt the direct impact of the recent hurricane. She was too proud to call and ask for help to get a hotel room further away from Ida. With seemingly no other options as the hurricane approached, she took the chance and sat the storm out in her home. She tells me that the storm sounded like a freight train coming through her property and she couldnot help but feel extremely alone and frightened. Thankfully, both she and Sophie were not physically harmed in the storm. 

Born and raised in Louisiana, Ellen is a die-hard Saints fan and loves her home state despite the challenges faced by that area ofthe country. Ellen has been through many hurricanes, some of which have flooded her entire home. After Katrina, with the help of FEMA, she had her home raised up to better protect against flooding from future storms. 

Luckily, her home did not flood this time, but her yard was left badly damaged and full of debris. There are trees down throughout her property, one of which destroyed her side fencingand a pergola that my father built many years ago. As in many areas effected by Ida, power, water, and gas are currently unavailable in Ellen’s home with no assurances as to when they will be turned back on. Temperatures are high, reaching 90+ degrees with high humidity, and spirits are low as she waits for help.

Ellen has a deep love for animals and helping others in need, which always taken priority in her life. She consistently donates what modest income she has to local shelters and animals in need. She was a schoolteacher for over 30 years and now she runs a home pet sitting service. Caring for the pets she sits for gives her great joy and she loves each one of the fur babies she has the pleasure of watching. Repairing her property is of great importance so that she can continue to run her business and insure the pets under her care are safe. 

Any funds raised will be used to secure Ellen and Sophie with a hotel room until power is returned to their home and to make the necessary repairs to the property so that she can continue her pet sitting service, which is her only source of income. She has no family nearby to which she can lean on for help. Ellen has been thrown quite a few curve balls in life and your support would certainly be very uplifting to her at this time. Any help you can provide, no matter the size, would be greatly appreciated by myself, my family, and of course, Ellen and Sophie! Thank you and please keep Ellen, and all those affected by Hurricane Ida, in your thoughts and prayers!