Hi, my name is Erin, and I'm fundraising on behalf of Emilie Machak, Paul--her partner, and their 7-year-old daughter Cypress. I am a good friend of Emilie's, who I met through the stained glass community, where we are both artists. We have maintained a close friendship across state lines, where I reside in Utah, and she lives in Florida.

Emilie and her family lost their home to a Hurricane Ian storm surge on Wednesday, September 28th. The hurricane hit landfall in their town of Fort Myers, destroying everything in its path with sustained winds of 155mph and heavy rainfall. The flooding swept away their neighborhood, destroying their home, which included Emilie's stained glass business and studio--Obscure Glassworks. Unfortunately, the flood also took the Machak family's pet cat Vince.

The funds collected from this fundraiser will support six months of bills for Emilie and her family while they rebuild their life. Due to the loss of Emilie's studio, she will be unable to generate a stable income until she has a new permanent residence and studio space. $10,000 equals roughly $1,667/mo and will assist in her ability to pay their monthly bills, put food on the table, and take care of their daughter.

There are no words to describe the loss felt by losing one's home in such a traumatic and violent fashion. Please consider donating to this relief fund for the Machaks.