Above: Cherie & Emma above looking on what's left of their home.

Our friend and co-worker, Cherie Marquez, along with her husband, Kirk, and children, Mikaela, Emma, and Keanu, experienced the tragic and devastating loss of their home, neighborhood, schools, and community in the Pacific Palisades Fire in Los Angeles.

Fortunately, they were all safe. However, they had only a few minutes to leave their home. They could only grab phones, computers, and a few clothes. They've lost everything else. They've lost their home, their belongings, their schools, their park, and their community. The kids wonder how to see their friends if their schools aren't there. The parents can work remotely but need to find a space where they can be productive and care for their family. There are more questions than answers. It has been and continues to be an emotional roller coaster.

Your prayers and words of support are deeply meaningful to Cherie and her family. They are doing their best to keep their spirits up during a challenging time.

Our goal is to help them through this difficult time with funds to find temporary housing and monthly necessities while they figure out what their next steps are.

So that you can be certain this is not a scam, we are Cherie's co-workers and friends from KEO Marketing and E&I Cooperative Services. The funds will go directly to Cherie's family over the next several weeks as they move forward with their temporary plan until they can access insurance funds if their insurance company doesn't file for bankruptcy and find a more permanent place to live.