This is Emily and Ezra

On August 19th, in the middle of the night, Emily’s apartment in New Bedford MA caught fire. In a matter of hours, she went from having a home and the belongings she had built her life around to suddenly having almost nothing.

Emily is a mother to 7 month old Ezra, and her priority has always been making sure her baby is taken care of. She is currently staying in a hotel while trying to figure out what comes next, with very limited financial resources and very little support to fall back on.

Emily is also a caregiver, working to support herself while providing care for a disabled woman who relies on her. She has always tried to stay positive and keep moving forward despite the difficulties in her own life.

After losing her home and nearly everything she owned in a single night, Emily is the one who needs help despite not wanting to ask for help.

She is facing the immediate reality of trying to provide food, diapers, clothing, toiletries, and other basic necessities for herself and Ezra, while also trying to find somewhere permanent for them to live.

For Emily, this isn’t simply about replacing belongings. She needs to rebuild the basic foundation of her life.

What the donations will help with

The initial goal of $5,000 is intended to help Emily and Ezra get through this immediate crisis and, most importantly, work toward stable housing. Funds will help with:

First month’s rent

Security deposit and other move in costs

Temporary housing while she searches for an apartment

Food and groceries

Diapers, wipes, and other baby necessities

Clothing and toiletries

Basic household necessities to begin rebuilding

The goal is to help Emily get out of temporary housing and into a safe, stable place

Emily is not someone who expected to need to ask for help. She works, she cares for others, and she does her best to keep going. But losing a home and nearly everything you own overnight is something not many people can wrap their head around.

If you are able to donate, any amount can help. Even $10 or $20 can go toward food or baby supplies, while larger contributions can help bring her closer to the security deposit and first month’s rent she needs for a new home.

Thank you so much for reading her story even if you can’t donate.