My name is Shasta Ford, and I am a mother to five wonderful kids and one dog. Just two days ago, our lives changed forever when our house caught fire and burned down to the ground. We lost everything we owned, including two beloved dogs and a cat who were part of our family. We barely made it out alive, having to jump from our second floor window, and I suffered a mild case of carbon monoxide poisoning. The firefighters told us that if we had waited just five more minutes, we might not have survived. I am so grateful that my children and I are safe, but we are now facing an uncertain future.

Since the fire, we have been relying on food pantries and the kindness of our community. We have managed to pay for about a week at a hotel, but after that, we have nowhere to go as our funds are running out. My case worker is helping us apply for assistance with a deposit and first month's rent for a new home, but it will take about two weeks for that help to come through. One of my children has celiac disease and diabetes, and it has been especially hard to find food that meets their needs at the food pantry. We are doing our best to stretch what little money we have, but food is expensive and I am scared we won't have enough to make it into a house before the money runs out.

I just want to thank you for taking time out of your life to read my family's story. Anything you could help with would mean more to me than you will ever know. My kids have been so emotional and scared, just having no place to go and losing everything we owned. Your support would help us find a safe place to stay, provide food and basic necessities for my children, and give us hope as we start to rebuild our lives after this tragedy.