Help Jim Sheppard Rebuild After Hurricane Helene

My name is Jim Sheppard. I am 71 years old and my sole income is Social Security. I live in Silver Springs, Florida with my brother. Together we own and live in a doublewide manufactured home.

At 1 AM on Friday the 27th (2024), as Hurricane Helene moved past the area, a big gust of wind snapped our neighbor's 60-foot Live Oak, bringing the tree down on our home. We were fortunate to escape unhurt, but tree limbs came through the roof in three separate rooms. This incident has been recorded with Marion county Fire and Rescue, Marion County Damage Appraisers, and Marion county Building/ Safety Department.

We are seeking to get the trees removed and to repair our home as quickly as possible; otherwise, we will be joining the homeless population. We like living here with our pets and never imagined being put in such a situation. You might ask whether we had house insurance. No, we did not. Anyone with any knowledge of the Florida home insurance situation knows how bad it is. There are only a few insurance companies still here, and they don't want to insure manufactured homes. The ones that will insure go for prices like $3,000 to $6,000 a month, with coverage being very low and with many conditions. The vast majority of manufactured homeowners can't get the insurance or can't afford it.

So, I am reaching out to the public for help with dealing with this life-impacting emergency. Any and All Funds collected will be used only in expenses accrued as rebuilding occurs. Your generosity and kindness will be forever truly appreciated. Thank you.