Kelly and Manny Torres run a small restaurant in Ridgewood, Queens called Alcapurrias. Like so many others, they have been struggling to make ends meet through the pandemic. As the weather is changing and business is taking a downturn, Kelly and Manny been dealt another blow: their three-year-old daughter, Kylie, has received a devastating diagnosis of Rett Syndrome.

Rett Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes severe developmental impairments that affect nearly every aspect of Kylie's life. She cannot walk or talk or feed herself. She is a three-year-old functioning developmentally at a four-month-old's level. There is no cure for Rett Syndrome, but there are treatments that can give her and her family a better quality of life.

Kylie's situation will only improve with frequent occupational therapy and speech therapy, something not covered by the Torres family's insurance and not adequately provided by the state. A family with means could access the kind of care Kylie needs and deserves, but the Torres family does not have those means – their last resort is community support.

Kylie's therapy needs to begin as soon as possible in order for it to be effective – after she turns five, the effects of the therapies will be greatly diminished. We started with the goal of $20,000, which will cover an initial program of therapies. Based on our first day of fundraising, we believe we can raise more to provide more long term care for the family, so we've now raised the goal to $25,000.

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