Help a Family Make Their Home Safe Again After Mold Exposure

After severe flooding in western North Carolina, my cousin and her family have been living in a home affected by long-term mold growth for nearly two years.

Only half of the home was properly treated after the flooding. The remaining untreated areas allowed mold to continue growing behind walls, beneath flooring, and within building materials — quietly re-contaminating the entire house.

Over time, everyone in the household has experienced ongoing health issues, including persistent respiratory symptoms, fatigue, headaches, and recurring illness. These are well-documented effects of prolonged mold exposure, especially when remediation is incomplete.

They were repeatedly told “nothing more could be done.”

But that isn’t accurate.

Why This Is a Health Issue — Not Just a Home Repair

Mold doesn’t always cause immediate, dramatic illness. More often, it leads to chronic symptoms that worsen over time — especially in children, older adults, or anyone with existing sensitivities.

Living in an environment like this means:

The immune system never gets a break

Respiratory irritation becomes constant

Healing is delayed because exposure never stops

A home should support health — not undermine it.

What We’re Doing

I own a mold-certified property maintenance company, and we are stepping in to remediate the home properly and safely:

Full mold removal and containment

Professional treatment of affected areas

Safe disposal of contaminated materials

Replacement of damaged sections

Use of protective equipment to prevent further exposure

We are donating our labor and doing this work essentially at cost. We are not charging for profit.

Why We’re Asking for Help

Even with donated labor, proper remediation is expensive. Materials, disposal, protective gear, treatments, and replacements bring the estimated cost to approximately $20,000.

Funds raised will go directly toward:

Mold remediation materials and treatments

Protective safety equipment

Replacement building materials

Basic room, board, and food while we are on-site completing the work

How You Can Help

If you’re able to donate — even a small amount — it directly helps create a safe, healthy living environment for this family.

If you can’t donate, sharing this fundraiser makes a real difference.

Thank you for helping restore not just a house — but the health of the people living in it.