Give Hope to Jesus and His Family

Dear Friends,

This holiday season we are trying to help a local Bay Area family that lost their home in the resent Northern California fires. One of the gentlemen that takes care of our garden lost everything in the fire. His name is Jesus Mares.

After moving into our home this summer, I met Jesus. He is a quiet and hardworking; but he is a man with a huge heart, dedicated to his family.

The week before the fires started, Jesus’ wife, Rosa gave birth to their baby girl, Camila. loving and proudly refers to her as his “Princesa.” That first week the fires started, Jesus came to my house to work. When I saw him outside, I asked him why he is working when the fires are happening? Had his family been affected by the fires?

“Yes,” he responded. He told me the fire burned his entire apartment complex down and that he and his family were now living in a shelter. They had lost everything, but he was just thankful that they got out in time. He tries to put on a brave face, but as I ask him more questions, he begins to cry. I can feel how much love he has for his family and how much he just wishes to keep them safe and provide for them. He told me he has to keep working - it’s all he can do while he and his wife, Rosa and their three boys, Neyden (9 yrs), Brandon (7 yrs) and Brayon (4 yrs) live in a shelter.  

For those of us who live in the Bay Area, our immune systems were (and still are) heavily affected by the smoke and particulates in the air, causing a multitude of respiratory issues. Jesus’ newborn baby girl began to have severe respiratory issues when the fires began, causing them to rush her to the hospital. Upon further examination, Jesus’ daughter has deeper complications with her lung development and the fires have kept her in and out of the hospital to monitor her lungs. In January, she has to have a procedure done to also alleviate breathing complications.

Jesus and his wife have been in and out of the hospital, caring and praying for their daughter’s health, and a way to get back on their feet. He is still working everyday with a huge smile on his face, all while living in a shelter, as well as trying to find a new place to live for his family and also keeping hope for his baby’s surgery to go well.

My dear friend, Kat Tischler and I are trying to raise some funds to help Jesus’ family get back on their feet once they find a new apartment. Kat and myself are also collecting household items that we can provide immediately for Jesus when they move into a new apartment.

During this season of giving, please help a local underserved family that needs immediate help. You will know that you are helping a young family begin again and bring them new hope for 2018. Please consider making a monetary donation, so that they can have a bit of a cushion once they get into their apartment. 

For those of you that work with Jeff, you may also want to consider bringing in a nicely wrapped Christmas gift for his three boys and perhaps things they can use for their baby girl to Jeff at his office by next Tuesday, December 19th, as I can give them to him on Wednesday, December 20th.

They could really use some holiday cheer and kindness. 
Many thanks to you all.  I will be withdrawing the funds from this campaign to my own bank account and giving them to the family outside of GoFundMe. 

I will be presenting funds to them shortly. Thank you for all of your help and kindness!


Warmly,

Kelly Foster and Kat Tischler