Welcome and thank you in advance for your support.

My name Is Michele Fatturi (O'Bea). I am a Brazilian living in Kansas City. This fundraiser was created to help my family members, neighbors and childhood friends restarting their lives in my hometown of Canoas, in the Southernmost state of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul (RS). In early May this year, our state was hit by the biggest flood in its history. This is my home state and situation there is dire. In my town alone, 60% of its area was entirely covered. My neighborhood (bairro Rio Branco) disappeared under the flood waters.

Our neighborhood - Canoas- Brazil.

People like my mother, uncle, several cousins, neighbors, childhood friends and their families lost everything. They are all just now (late May/early June) able to access their homes to start the process of cleaning up and accessing what is left to restart life from scratch.

How will this funds be used?

Although is not possible to help all of those in need, the humble goal of this fundraiser is to help 10 families with about $1,000 per family. This amount will help with most urgent needs: appliances, furniture, home repair materials, cleaning supplies, clothing, bedding.

Our goal is to evenly split the amount raised by up to 10 families.

If we do not reach our goal we will split the amount raised by a minimum of $1000/family up to the amount raised and my not be able to donate to 10 families. If we surpass our goal, the plan is to either increase the donation to each family or to help additional families.

Who are these families?

This is my mother, uncle and aunt, families of 4 cousins, my mom's next door neighbor and 3 childhood friends.

We have been helping with what we can but there is only so much we can do alone. If you find it in your heart to help support our loved ones, neighbors and friends in Brazil in this time of great need, we will be immensely grateful.

Here are some numbers of this tragedy and some links to international news coverage if you want to know more:

Rio Grande do Sul area alone (108,784 mi²) is comparable to the country Italy (116,631 mi²) or twice the size of Greece (50,949 mi). Of the state 497 cities, 469 have been affected by the catastrophic floods and landslides. Over 2 million people affected. 582.000 unhoused people, being 56.000 of those living in temporary public shelters set in schools, churches and gymnasiums. In the cities and in the countryside, people lost everything. Not only their homes but they livelihoods as well. Even our capital’s airport, one of the busiest in Brazil, is still covered by flood water and has no set date to re-open.

Here are some links if you wish to read more about it:

The Guardian- Overwhelming scale of loss in Brazil

BBC-Brazil floods drive thousands from their homes

DW - Brazil floods displace hundreds of thousands