Jim's housing fund
Donation protected
This fundraiser is being formed to help Jim Kolessar. Jim is a long time resident of the Sandy Point Mobile Home Park in the Lake Hopatcong section of Jefferson Township, Morris County, N.J. having moved to Sandy Point in 1995.
Jim is in his 70's now and has been a self employed dry cleaning delivery service man up until the Covid-19 pandemic struck. With the onset of the pandemic Jim found himself with little work and struggling to make ends meet. With little more than social security for an income Jim made the unfortunate choice to let his homeowners policy lapse.
On Tuesday May 18th at approximately 6:20am Jim awoke to a loud noise on his front porch. Jim went to his front door to see what had happened. When he opened the front door he saw the flames and felt the heat of the extreme fire. He quickly slammed the door and ran to the back of his trailer to escape through the back door. Jim was able to get out just in time before his entire home was engulfed in flames. He ran to his driveway and moved his car to safety. Neighbors awoke to the same noise and acted quickly calling 911. The Jefferson Township Fire Department, Police Dept. and EMT's were on the scene in minutes and did everything they could to contain the fire and kept it from spreading to neighboring homes. Unfortunately the fire was very fast moving and there was nothing that could be saved of Jim's home.
Jim was lucky to survive but he lost everything. His trailer was completely destroyed along with all his belongings. Some neighbors have helped Jim with immediate essentials like clothing, toiletries and meals. Jim is currently living out of his car and sleeping on the neighbors couch. He has been fortunate enough to locate one of his beloved cats and is still in search of his other cat named Jessie. Jessie is a black cat with a white face and a white mark on her tail. If you live in the Sandy Point area and have seen a cat fitting this description please let us know.
Because Jim didn't have homeowners insurance the neighbors and community have donated to the clean-up effort on his behalf with the removal of the fire damaged trailer completed at no cost to Jim.
Unfortunately there are new Federal guidelines for construction and inspections of new trailers from the factory that make the cost of a trailer no longer a very affordable option for people of minimal means . With some of Jim's savings, volunteers and through this Gofundme we hope to be able to raise enough money to help Jim rebuild his home and stay here in the community he knows and loves. Please if you can help in any way it would be greatly appreciated. Every contribution helps no matter how small. Times are tough and the pandemic has many of us doing what we can to get by. If your not able to contribute we understand. Please share this post with your friends and family. Every share can be just as helpful. Thank you.
Jim is in his 70's now and has been a self employed dry cleaning delivery service man up until the Covid-19 pandemic struck. With the onset of the pandemic Jim found himself with little work and struggling to make ends meet. With little more than social security for an income Jim made the unfortunate choice to let his homeowners policy lapse.
On Tuesday May 18th at approximately 6:20am Jim awoke to a loud noise on his front porch. Jim went to his front door to see what had happened. When he opened the front door he saw the flames and felt the heat of the extreme fire. He quickly slammed the door and ran to the back of his trailer to escape through the back door. Jim was able to get out just in time before his entire home was engulfed in flames. He ran to his driveway and moved his car to safety. Neighbors awoke to the same noise and acted quickly calling 911. The Jefferson Township Fire Department, Police Dept. and EMT's were on the scene in minutes and did everything they could to contain the fire and kept it from spreading to neighboring homes. Unfortunately the fire was very fast moving and there was nothing that could be saved of Jim's home.
Jim was lucky to survive but he lost everything. His trailer was completely destroyed along with all his belongings. Some neighbors have helped Jim with immediate essentials like clothing, toiletries and meals. Jim is currently living out of his car and sleeping on the neighbors couch. He has been fortunate enough to locate one of his beloved cats and is still in search of his other cat named Jessie. Jessie is a black cat with a white face and a white mark on her tail. If you live in the Sandy Point area and have seen a cat fitting this description please let us know.
Because Jim didn't have homeowners insurance the neighbors and community have donated to the clean-up effort on his behalf with the removal of the fire damaged trailer completed at no cost to Jim.
Unfortunately there are new Federal guidelines for construction and inspections of new trailers from the factory that make the cost of a trailer no longer a very affordable option for people of minimal means . With some of Jim's savings, volunteers and through this Gofundme we hope to be able to raise enough money to help Jim rebuild his home and stay here in the community he knows and loves. Please if you can help in any way it would be greatly appreciated. Every contribution helps no matter how small. Times are tough and the pandemic has many of us doing what we can to get by. If your not able to contribute we understand. Please share this post with your friends and family. Every share can be just as helpful. Thank you.
Organizer
Sharon Sutton Leek
Organizer
Jefferson Township, NJ
