Help Dwayne To Rebuild His Beloved Deli and Raise His Sons

My name is Dwayne Henry. I need to raise funds to put the pieces back together and find a way to take care of my three boys. My baby's mom passed away at 35 by cancer, and I'm raising her son without her.

I have recently gone through a series of disasters resulting in losing my business, Yaadman Deli at 943 Westchester Ave.

The troubles began when, two years ago, an MTA construction site was started in front of my building, blocking any view of my storefront, and causing people to use the area as a place for illegal and unsanitary behavior. That construction site has been there for two years, now abandoned.

I had to take my landlord to court over a year ago for a serious rat infestation, but I was barely able to get them to send out an exterminator. Throughout the past year, these rats have continued to destroy my property, including the dry goods I sell in my shop and also the wiring of my machines.

I took out a loan to replace some of this destroyed property, only to have it destroyed again by the rats. This made it impossible for me to turn a profit, and over the past several months I was running out of money, facing eviction. The landlord "Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc." is not accessible, while the LLC which technically owns my building is completely impossible to reach––except for when they are extorting overdue rent.

On the morning of Wednesday, September 4th, I showed up at my deli to find that there had been a destructive fire, most likely caused by the electrical hazard from the rats chewing my wires.

This deli was my sole livelihood and the result of my life's work. My mother told me to pursue owning a business, that it was "the American way." I love to cook. This is what I want to when I wake up every single day of my life. I love it: to feed people every day. But now I don't know how I will carry on myself. My store is boarded up.

Thank you for sending anything you can, to help me in this time of hardship, so that I may rebuild my life once again.