Help Leah Rebuild After Dual Hurricanes

It's sometimes hard to realize how lucky we are. We all go through the daily grind. We deal with all the pressure and the stress of life, but when one of your loved ones gets hit by two hurricanes and loses everything, it can really change your perspective.

Our esteemed friend, sister, daughter, aunt, and teacher Leah Gucciardi, whom we all know and love, needs our help. Leah lived in Pass A Grille on St Pete Beach for the past 18 years and due to the devastating flooding from hurricane Helen and the further destruction of Milton right afterwards, she’s lost nearly everything - her furniture, appliances, all of her beloved books, her clothes, shoes, electronics, hard-drives, personal items, even her picture albums, teaching materials, and her car was flooded-a complete loss. Today, there’s almost nothing left to salvage.

Leah is staying positive; she’s grateful that she’s still standing with friendly neighbors that survived these storms. Since Helene, she’s been bouncing around and dealing with the aftermath environment of difficult roadways, no power, water, or reliable cell service, empty shelves and shuttered stores while her little beach home is completely uninhabitable.

Vacancies are scarce with so many displaced folks in the area-people’s houses are filled with guests affected by the storm. She’s struggling to find a place to stay (among other things) that will have some quiet and wifi so she can get back on her feet and resume the work she loves, helping her students learn and grow.

She’s happy that FEMA is helping on the ground with meals, drinkable water and shower stations, but these are the very basics and she’s going to need more than the a day to day life she’s been experiencing.

She’s also expressed thankfulness to be on a FEMA list that could provide a temporary trailer for her while she figures out her next steps-finding where to plant herself next while the long restoration process of the entire island’s homes, businesses and infrastructure surrounds her. With such a wide area in disarray, FEMA is overwhelmed at a state and local level and she can’t count on that list coming to fruition.

At this stage, she’s still smiling and saying “Everything happens for a reason.” She continues to rely on herself, the goodness of friends, neighbors and volunteers that help her get through each day as she navigates this challenging life-changing situation.

As you can imagine, Leah still has many needs to fill.

WE CANNOT LET HER DOWN!

If you know Leah, you know her independent and private sort of nature doesn’t lend itself to asking for help. And through all of this, at the suggestion of reaching out for support she’s expressed concerns and awareness that this might be a difficult time for everyone’s finances, prices being what they are today. She doesn’t want to be a burden or tax anyone further that already feels the strain of today’s financial difficulties. I’ve insisted that in this kind of catastrophic situation, it’s ok to share her struggles with others and cast a wide net. So I’ve promised to stress on her behalf to only give support if you feel that’s what’s right for you. From one person that’s known Leah for a very long time to all of you, I humbly ask you to give what little you can spare, however small, to help her put the pieces of her life back together again. We all know a little goes a very long way.

**Please note that the goal amount is simply numbers we entered to complete the requirements for GoFundme; whatever is raised goes directly to Leah and is vastly appreciated!**

To those of you, near and far, we send our love and wish you all many blessings. ❤️

UPDATE: THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH!

Leah is overwhelmed with tears of gratitude to the folks who have already lent a hand.