My name is Theresa , and I’m reaching out during the most devastating moment of my life. Yesterday evening, a sudden and unexpected house fire in Holyoke, MA destroyed our home and everything inside it. My two children — ages 14 and 10 — and I escaped safely, but we lost all of our belongings, including clothing, important documents, and the things my kids cherished.

The Red Cross provided us with a hotel for two days, but that assistance is ending soon, and we have nowhere to go next. I am doing everything I can to keep my children safe and stable during this overwhelming time.

On top of losing our home, this fire happened right before Christmas. I had already purchased gifts for my children and was halfway through my holiday list — and all of those presents were lost in the fire. It breaks my heart knowing how much they were looking forward to the holiday, and I am trying my best to rebuild even a little bit of that joy for them.

This fundraiser will help with:

• Emergency housing and shelter

• Clothing for myself and my children

• Basic necessities (food, toiletries, shoes, school items)

• Replacing essential items lost in the fire

• Rebuilding some holiday gifts for my children

• Helping us work toward stable longer-term housing

I have never been in a position where I needed to ask for help, but today, I’m humbly reaching out. Any support — whether it’s a donation, sharing this fundraiser, or offering resources — means more than I can express.

Thank you for helping my family rebuild after losing everything. Your kindness gives us hope during an incredibly heartbreaking time.

With gratitude,

Theresa G