My name is Paula Newman, and I am starting this GoFundMe at the end of a long 7-month journey.

On August 1, 2025, I got a frantic call from my daughter that said water from the toilet and tub began to overflow into the house. It would not stop running. By the time I had rushed home within the hour, the house was flooded in several inches of sewer water. Needless to say, it destroyed everything it touched. We lost most of our furniture, my granddaughter's crib and toys, clothing, and other essentials that were stored in closets and under our beds. The first step was getting a plumber out immediately. The diagnosis was that a tree line had burrowed into the sewer line, causing the massive backup. A carpet cleaner had to be called in to extract the water from the home. I had resided in this home as a tenant for 10 years. And then... no remedy from the landlord, despite never missing rent in 10 years. The landlord suggested that I remain in the home and continue to pay rent in order for the repairs to be made, even with the house being uninhabitable due to the sewer residue all in the carpets and staining the walls.

I used my insurance claim monies and what savings I had to get all the damaged stuff out of the home and vacate immediately. Then I put what little I could salvage into storage. My daughter, my granddaughter (who was only 10 months at the time), and I moved into a hotel to try and just recover and figure out the next steps. It was only supposed to be a temporary situation. I wasn't prepared to just uproot after 10 years and relocate.

Over the course of the next several months, I lost my dad, a brother, and a cousin who was like a brother. I also saw my last son who was home off to the Marine Corps for boot camp. He now makes son number 2 to join the Corps. It has been a rocky road, but me and my girls are getting settled as I have secured a new apartment. But we are literally starting over. I am reaching out to just ask for assistance with moving expenses. Since my "muscles" are off serving the country, I need help getting moved in. I am beyond grateful for even the smallest of donations.