Hi, my name is Jennifer and I live in Yonkers, NY with my husband, Anthony, our 5 year old daughter, Mia and my 74 year old, father in law, George. As I write this, I am looking out my front window to see our memories and our belongings all over my front lawn after Hurricane Ida flooded the bottom floor of our home! As my family and I watched my daughter's art work and toys float in over a foot of water, my heart broke! Since COVID-19, my husband, daughter and I have lived and worked from that space. We have created so many memories in that space!

Due to the extensive water damage we have lost office equipment, office supplies, electronics, toys, stuffed animals, living room furniture, and so much more! We are so glad to be alive and together, as the night the storm hit, we were actually driving back to our home though the worst of it. As I drove home alarms and sirens were blaring to seek shelter! We arrived home safely, after the most terrifying experience of my life, to find water rushing into our home. We thought we were prepared. We have three pumps in our home and drainage to prevent flooding. Unfortunately, thanks to Ida, they just couldn't handle the force and amount of water. As the water rushed into our space, my husband and I frantically tried to save as much as we could, but the water was too fierce and too fast. We lost everything! My poor father in law, who has spent his life collecting and selling baseball cards, watched waterproof containers forced open from the sheer force of the water and the contents floating all over in over a foot of water! Thousands of baseball cards ruined. My father-in-law stood crying over his life's work!

As we try to stay strong for my daughter and remind her how lucky we are to be alive and have each other, we are all heart broken and devastated. The overwhelming feeling of rebuilding and replacing everything that we have lost is crippling. Today was supposed to be a happy day; my daughter's 1st day of kindergarten after a year of being quarantined and home schooled. Due to the devastating storm, yonkers public schools have delayed start and my daughters sits watching our memories and belongings being thrown away in a dumpster! Instead of creating new memories, we will spend the day filling a dumpster with our possessions and memories.

Unfortunately our home owners insurance does not cover acts of nature, so we will be paying out of pocket for all repairs. We anticipate the cost could be 25,000 or more to repair. I'm reaching out to the generosity of friends, family and strangers to please help my family repair and rebuild after Ida destroyed my office, laundry room, garage, daughter's playroom and our family room! Our hearts are completely broken and our living, work and learning space is destroyed. Please help us rebuild and repair. Any amount will help! Thank you for your kindness and generosity.