Hurricane Ida Relief for The Cyps

On August 29th, 2021 Hurricane Ida impacted millions of families in Southeastern Louisiana, including mine. My husband, our 1-year-old daughter, and I, rent a home in Jefferson Parish -- one of the communities hardest affected by Ida. Although we are extremely thankful we have been able to evacuate safely, our home is no longer habitable due loss of power, running water, and flooding. As of now, we are staying in a hotel out of state, not knowing when (or if) we will be able to return. Power will not be restored for about a month for the majority of Southeast Louisiana (where we live), leaving my family and I to seek shelter in hotels far away from home.

This is going to be a very costly journey for us to say the least. I personally have been out on maternity leave which has naturally put the financial burden on my husband, however, since most of our community is inhabitable, that also means my husband is out of work for the foreseeable future. We have depleted our savings in preparation for Hurricane Ida and although we have applied for financial relief from every available resource, we are not sure when or if that relief will be provided.

The initial impact of the hurricane has far exceeded our planning and preparation. As the days pass and reality sets in, we are realizing we will not be able to recover on our own. This has been a traumatic experience for my family and so many others, coupled with the anxiety of not knowing how we will be able to financially provide for our child. If there is anything you can contribute, our family would greatly appreciate and value your help.

With eternal gratitude,

The Cyps