Help Lidya & Carlo Save Their Home After Hurricane Helene

Steve Gongage is organizing this fundraiser.

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My name is Steve, and I’m reaching out to ask for your financial support for my amazing parents, Lidya and Carlo, who have been displaced after Hurricane Helene. They are in danger of losing their home.

What Happened: Hurricane Helene swept through and caused devastating flooding, destroying the bridge and roads to their home, uprooting trees, and eroding land dangerously close to the house. The river they live on shifted towards their home and they need help saving it.

Currently:

They are displaced and unable to return home.
They are in danger of losing their home during a future rain storm and risk losing everything they’ve worked their whole lives to build.
Their primary vehicle is stuck on their property and inaccessible.
Home Insurance has denied their claims entirely.
FEMA is not able to provide funds for private roads or bridges at this time and have not been able to offer help.
Moving forward all funds will be out of pocket, which is well beyond their means.

Who They Are: Lidya and Carlo have built a beautiful mountain home in Bat Cave, near Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, where they have brought family and friends together, sharing love, laughter, and countless celebrations. They have been a constant source of strength and support for everyone around them, always showing up for others during life’s highs and lows. They have never asked for anything, but I'm hoping for you help.

About Lidya & Carlo:

My father is retired and is entirely on a fixed income.
My mother is a small business owner who was hoping to retire in the near future.
They’ve invested their entire life savings in this home.
They are part-time caregivers to their adopted grandchildren with special needs, a role they can’t fulfill while displaced.
My father is a Vietnam veteran in his 80s and 75% disabled.

They are in urgent need of skilled help to prevent the loss of their home and make the property safe and livable again.

The Plan: To rebuild access and secure their home, we urgently need funds to:

Step 1: Restore Access and Infrastructure

Rebuild the bridge: We’ve secured contractors to handle the work but they require a very large deposits to get started. Some of this expense will be shared with neighbors, but they still need to pay their part very soon.
Rebuild the road: We've also secured a contractor to help rebuild the road, but that work cannot start until a bridge has been prepared. The deposit for that will be my parent's burden entirely.

Step 2: Protect the Home from Future Erosion

Build a retaining wall to shield the house from further erosion.
Replenish land around the home to prevent collapse into the river.

Step 3: Ensure Safety and Clean-Up

Clear fallen trees and mudslides.
Restore steps and paths so they can safely navigate the property.

Our Starting Goal is to raise $50,000 to cover the deposits needed to begin this vital work. I know this is no small amount, yet it is just a fraction of what they need to rebuild.

Our Next Goal is to raise funds to pay down the remaining balance on these services, securing their home, and allowing them to return to the lives they built.

Should donations exceed these emergency needs, we will contribute everything remaining to local families and charities in the area who have also been affected by Hurricane Helene.

How You Can Help:

Donate directly to Steve if you're uncomfortable or unsure how to use GoFundMe or any other reason. I'm setup to accept via Zelle, check, cash, or anything else that works for you.
Donate to this GoFundMe campaign to directly support Lidya and Carlo’s efforts.
Contact us with reliable contractor recommendations or assistance in vetting services or providing legal help with insurance claims.
Let them know you care by reaching out to Lidya and Carlo. They are feeling all the feelings you can imagine after weeks of being displaced and not knowing what the future holds. Knowing they have your love and that you care makes all the difference.
Share this page with anyone who might be able to contribute or help.

From our family to yours, thank you.

I cannot begin to express our gratitude for any help you can offer, whether it’s a donation, professional advice, or simply spreading the word. My parents would never ask for help, but this situation has left them in urgent need. As their son, I know it's time to ask for help from others. Together, we can give them hope and help them get back to the home they love.

Thank you for any support you feel able to give. We deeply appreciate every single one of you who has reached out already, and we hope to surprise Lidya and Carlo with this much-needed support.

With heartfelt thanks,

Steve and the whole family

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