For over 60yrs, this house has been more than a building but a lifeline. It has always been a safe haven, a place where any family member could come and stay when they needed support. Our two-story home was filled with love and memories, housing my aunt Jessie, her daughter Shon, and two grandsons downstairs. Upstairs lived my cousin Laurie and her son, a college student at CSUN, as well as my cousin Yvette, a dedicated woman who works from home.

At 1am, a fire started in the back of our house. My cousin Laurie bravely jumped out the window, waking everyone up downstairs and then trying to rescue Yvette, who was trapped inside by herself. Thankfully, the fire department arrived and rescued Yvette. While we are so grateful that everyone made it out alive, we lost everything in the fire. Our family is now trying to rebuild from scratch, facing the challenge of starting over while holding onto the memories that made this house a home.

We are not a family who gives up. We are already holding each other up, praying, and planning how to put this back together. But we can't do it without help.

If you can give, even a small amount, it means one less night we spend wondering how we'll survive this. And if you can't give, please share — this family's story deserves to be heard.

Thank you for being part of our village.