In the early morning hours of December 17th, a heater valve in the apartment above ours suddenly burst. Water sprayed for hours and went unnoticed until I woke up to water pouring through our ceiling lights. I immediately called the fire department, but it took nearly an hour and a half before the water was finally shut off. By then, our apartment had suffered severe water damage. We were forced to evacuate, grabbing only a bag of clothes each. At first, I believed we would be okay. However, over the past two weeks, the financial strain has quickly added up.

We currently do not have access to a kitchen, which has significantly increased food expenses. The kids also lost access to their school uniforms, which they will need for the upcoming weeks. Being temporarily housed farther from home and their schools has an impact on transportation costs and disrupted our work schedules as well.

I know times are hard for everyone, and even just simply sharing this means more than you know. Any donation—no matter how small—will help us cover essential needs such as clothing, school uniforms, food, transportation, and other unexpected expenses as we work toward getting back on our feet. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, support, and prayers. Thanks, Mallorie