My name is Susan, and I’ve lived in this community for many years. Last week, the floodwaters rose quickly in our area, and on Wednesday night we were told to evacuate. My family and I waded through water to reach my older Ford Escape SUV, which we bought used but has always been reliable. We had to drive about two and a half city blocks through thigh-high water to get out of town. The car made it through the night, but the next day, as we tried to return home after the evacuation, it started to choke and die. Now, we’re not sure if insurance will cover much—if anything at all. There’s a chance they may total the car, which would leave us without transportation and not enough money to buy another vehicle.

Having a car is essential for me, especially right now. I help take care of my new grandson in Olympia, which is an hour and a half away, and I need to be able to visit and support my family. Being without a car would make it nearly impossible to keep up with these responsibilities and manage daily life.

I know many people lost more than I did in the flood, and I am incredibly grateful that our home is in fairly good shape, though we did have some losses and extra expenses. I’m also so thankful that our two cats, who were frightened half to death, made it out safely with us during the evacuation. I’ve enjoyed living here all these years, and I thank you ahead of time for any help you can give—even if it’s just a small amount. Your support means so much to me and my family as we work to recover from this difficult time.