Dear friends, family and kind strangers,

My name is Audrey Mendiola and my family and I all live in Tampa, Florida. Currently, I am reaching out via social media and seeking assistance for my family, my mother Dorcas Manglona and brother Mark Manglona as we all had just recently gone through the disasters of Hurricane Helene. Recently, I shared our terrifying experience just a few days ago when my mother’s apartment was flooding during Hurricane Helene. The water levels rapidly rose up to 3-4ft that we had to evacuate immediately, and the damage we faced afterward was overwhelming. Sadly, the hurricane brought sea and waste water into her apartment and everyone else’s in the complex, leaving the entire building severely damaged.

When we were finally able to return, it was heartbreaking to see that everything—furniture, bedding, documents, appliances, clothes—had been soaked beyond repair.

To make matters worse, my mom received confirmation from her landlord of what we feared most: her home being no longer livable. The landlord informed that she and my brother would need to move out while repairs are going to be made and that all repairs would take 6+ months.

Right now, our immediate focus is finding temporary housing and, eventually, securing a new long-term place for them live. My mom, unfortunately, did not have renter’s insurance at the time of the hurricane, so we are left to resolve things on our own. We are currently applying for FEMA assistance, but as many of you know, it can take weeks or even months to receive any help. Thus, this is why I ultimately made the decision to turn to social media.

We are humbly asking for any assistance, whether big or small. All donations will go directly to help cover temporary housing costs and/or deposits for a new apartment and lastly, to replace all items that were damaged such as her bed, clothings, and furnitures. Every little bit helps during this incredibly challenging time, and even sharing this message can make a world of difference.

Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by #HurricaneHelene. We’ll all get through this together one step at a time. ❤️

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, generosity, and support during this difficult time.

With love and gratitude,

Audrey, Dorcas & Family