If you have had the pleasure of meeting Joe & Larissa, you already know what kind, generous, selfless people they are. You know they would do anything for you- and maybe they already have. Now, as hard as it is for them to admit,  Joe and Larissa need our help. Keep reading to find out about their INSANE year & why they need us to come together now.

I know these stories tend to go on forever so if you are in a pinch for time here are the bullet points. The full story is below.

*Joe lost his job because of covid
*Briar (2) has Neurofibromatosis
*Mikey (4) has severe kidney issues
*Cam (7) Has Asthma
*Larissa has Asthma
*Joe has heart problems
*George (78), Larissa's dad, has Alzheimers
*They were in Quarantine March-August because they were all high risk
*They decided to end the summer with a camping trip- but the car broke down
*All 8 of them were stranded in MN for 45 days
*They came home to find water & mold in the house. They cleaned it all up
*They went back to MN to pick up the camper
*Got stuck in the snow and had to wait 2 more weeks
*Came home first week of November to find mold had spread everywhere
*Insurance said they would cover it
*Insurance changed their mind & decided not to cover it
*They have nowhere to go

Back in March of 2020 Joe (A bio-medical engineer) accepted a new job with a new company. Then Covid happened and he was laid off before he even really started. It was all going to work out. they were so positive... but Covid got worse. Between Larissa's Asthma, Joe's heart problems, Briar's NF, Mikey's kidneys & George's age- the world was a minefield.

After quarantining from EVERYONE from March until the end of August, Joe & Larissa decided the kids needed a break. The family of 8 loaded into their camper and headed for a friend's property in Duluth MN. Things were going to get better!

...Until they got worse. 20 miles from their friend's property in MN the engine on their 2019 Nissan died. Mechanics tried to fix it but ended up making it worse, at which point Larissa was informed they wouldn't have the right part for over 45 days! Positive as every the family loaded into their camper & decided to wait it out. All 8 of them. In the camper.

By the time the van was fixed, it had rained so much that the camper was stuck in the mud- so they left it behind to get back home to Chicago. Of course, they hadn't planned on being gone for nearly 2 months so they had turned the AC off in the house, which would have been fine- if we hadn't had those horrible storms August 10th& 11th (just a few days after they had left Chicago). Water poured in. Then the house heated up & Larissa & Joe came home to a house full of mold!! Upbeat as ever they cleaned & bleached everything. Took George to his appointment at the VA, rested 3 days & headed back to Duluth to get the camper out of the mud. Buuuut because this is 2020- it snowed in MN & they were stranded for another 2 weeks. When they finally got home the first week of November they found that the mold had returned. It was much worse. When tested, they discovered there was mold in every room in the house- The air was unsafe.

But this is Joe & Larissa so they don't let it get them down. They clean & bleach everything again. They call insurance & move back into the camper in the driveway. 8 of them. In the camper. The adjuster comes out & says they should get quotes. They will cover the damage!! But this is 2020, so of course it's not that easy. The insurance company has decided they don't want to pay & now, 3 weeks after contacting them Joe & Larissa & George & Cam & Gianna & Lily & Mikey & Briar are still stuck with a dangerously moldy house, no money & no place to go. Oh. They have 2 dogs too.

If there was ever a more deserving family, I haven't met them. The thought of these kids going through the winter like this is killing me. They have a contractor lined up but no money to pay him. That's where we all come in. Please donate whatever amount you can to help. The house is unsafe. They need us! The estimate to fix the damage & remediate the mold is $75,000.00- an amount of money no one plans on needing at a moment's notice. An amount of money Joe & Larissa desperately need to keep their family safe & healthy. This holiday I know there will be a lot of people in need. Please consider spreading cheer to this family.  They will pay this kindness forward. They always do.