Restore Homes for Elderly Neighbors

Hello, my name is Mary Hall and I live in this community that I am helping by setting up a GoFundMe for them.

September 26, 2024, forever changed the lives of many senior citizens living at the Gardens of Beacon Square 4, in New Port Richey, FL, a small town on the west coast of Florida. Many of the residents are widowers and widows on fixed incomes from Social Security. All 252 condominium villas were destroyed by the wrath of fury that Hurricane Helene brought to our doors. The physical toll of destruction was beyond comprehension, and the emotional toll is extraordinary.

Late in the night, Hurricane Helene arrived with all her fury, stirring up the Gulf of Mexico and slamming all that water inland as a storm surge. In over 50 years and 38 previous hurricanes, the community never flooded. It was gut-wrenching to realize the water was coming and we were powerless to stop it. The surging water overtook our property and our lives. As the floodwaters began to recede, an emotional flood surge came in the daylight hours. It was just the beginning of the realization of the immense loss being suffered. Just as quickly, the burning anger, the intense grief, and deep depression quickly piled onto the physical loss. Imagine, seniors in their 70s, 80s, 90s, and 100s, suddenly being informed they have to clean out and empty their homes quickly. So many already had emotional support animals, and this fundraiser will help those precious animals also return to their home where they are accustomed to being supportive to their owners. Our oldest member turned 102 this past June. It is all just too overwhelming. The population is the most vulnerable in life. All homes and our humble piece of heaven were left in ruins and are now uninhabitable. Neighbors close by came with their boats to evacuate us. For this senior population, our heaven quickly turned into a hellish experience. Just about every vehicle was flooded and destroyed, making those first few weeks impossible to even get out of the community to seek help. For years, we heard the folklore that the land was protected by blessings of the native Tocobaga Native American Indian spirits, but not this time. We so much want to feel the warm touch of our neighbor's hand, or their hugs assuring each other that life will be okay. For now, we are not okay, our homes are gone, our belongings went to massive garbage piles, our friends are gone, we are now living with family, in hotels, and some are still in shelters.

Being able to return home now requires this small group of senior citizens to find a way to raise $1,750,000.00 to pay an insurance deductible allowing for the rebuilding of our homes. That is a staggering number when your only source of income is Social Security. So many other day-to-day survival costs have reduced savings that are no longer available to offset the deductible. These are amounts that are not available from FEMA or other charities. We are reaching out to a very broad and wide audience, and asking for your assistance, whether it’s a dollar, a lot of dollars, or prayers please help bring this senior community back together and help us raise the funds we need to pay the deductibles on insurance that will allow us to return home. For Thanksgiving and the Holidays, we ask that you donate today, in honor of your senior relatives. All proceeds will be given to our community lawyer who oversees a trust fund to restore our physical property. Donations to this fund will help with emotional healing. We humbly ask and need your help to raise $1,750,000 to support the long-term recovery of these devastated communities. We want to bring our neighbors back home again. Please share our story.

With Gratitude, The members of the Gardens of Beacon Square #4 Condominium Community of New Port Richey, FL