Help Victoria Rebuild Her Home After Fire

Dear reader,

On June 16th 2022, my dear friend Victoria Simmons had her home destroyed as a result of a raging fire. Her apartment, furniture, and material belongings that were once the backdrop to cherished memories became rubbles in a building no longer fit to live in.

Victoria is a beautiful soul, poet, model, student, surfboarder, and so much more. She has extended so much generosity to me throughout our friendship, and deserves to be supported in this difficult moment.

At this time, the challenge of rebuilding her home, finding temporary housing, and recouping her damaged furniture is a battle that has her teetering on the edge of homelessness. However, with the power of community, we can help Victoria weather this storm and continue being a beacon of light to her community here in New York City.

Read on to hear the story in Victoria's own words:

THE STORY

The cause of the fire is still a mystery....

The fire began in the apartment above mine. I was home at the time doing arts and crafts with two friends. We heard a beeping for about 20 seconds and was confused by its origins until my friends thought maybe it was a fire alarm. Then there were explosions upstairs, the smell started changing. I looked out the far right window of my room to see large flames billowing from the apartment above mine.

After exclaiming that my friends needed to “get out of here,” I made sure my friend called 911. I ran upstairs in a panic to knock on all the doors and alert my neighbors in the building. Later, I evacuated myself, with the clothes on my back and a sentimental camera.

My bedroom, once my own little oasis, is now a heap of rubble that resembles a construction site. There is a hole in my roof the size of a washing machine. The air quality is so poor from the fire that I cannot enter my damaged apartment without getting a cough and feeling unwell from breathing in the toxic fumes in the air of my home.

THE AFTERMATH

Like many New York renters, I don't have renters insurance. While the Red Cross has accommodated me with a hotel for the first weekend after the incident, but they're no longer able to put me under a roof and I have been staying on friend's couches in the meantime.

When I asked the state about my options, they informed me the only accommodation they could offer at this point was a shelter. The only way I can imagine staying out of a shelter is with the help of people like you – my community.

I was fortunate enough to have a great deal on this charming Crown-Heights home and had no intentions of moving anytime soon. Because of this, I am not in a position to scrounge up first and last month's rent and a security deposit for a new home right now.

THE DONATION

This fire has caused over $7,000 of damage in furniture alone. This includes my bed, dressers, shelves, and other pieces I have acquired over the last 13 months of living in this building. In addition, the cleaning crews that have come through the apartment to clear out the damage have dumped more of my furniture out.

The power of grassroots donations through this GoFund Me will me rebuild my home, stay out of shelters, and have a roof over my head. My finances are now very precarious and my security was compromised by this fire.

Your donations will help rebuild my sense of security and well-being in the process of getting restabilized in my home in New York City. Every donation will go toward new housing, furniture, and the cost of the unforeseen rent for the temporary housing I must find.

You will have my sincerest gratitude for supporting my efforts to raise $13,000 as I navigate the challenges I am confronting. Every little bit has a huge positive impact. If you are not in a position to donate, sharing and encouraging others to repost this story is also supremely helpful.

Thank you from the depths for reading my story and considering my plight.