Hurricane Helene devastated the Gulf Coast of Florida this week, and the depth of damage and loss has yet to be fully discovered. I am seeking hurricane relief for my brother, Matthew, and his girlfriend, Sara, who experienced a total loss from 4 feet of surge water floating pillows off of their beds and destroying nearly every cinder block-lifted appliance and belonging. Three of their chickens did not make it, but we remain grateful no other lives were lost.

The tricky part about renting in a coastal area is that FEMA oftentimes does not approve claims for both the homeowner AND the renter, often resulting in zero relief for many who need it badly. This was the case for Matt and Sara the last time a hurricane swept over Florida and caused them personal property damage, and I fear this will be the situation they face again. He runs his own business out of this home and they will have nowhere to live or work for a while. Every penny, share, and prayer will help make a difference for them as they work to piece together and rebuild their lives.