Support for the Garcia Family

On July 3, our dear friend Rafael Garcia lost his battle with Covid-19 after a 2-month hospitalization just 4 months shy of his 50th birthday in November.  He leaves behind his wife, Beatriz, and 2 sons--Jonathan age 2.5 and Alfredo age 13.

Rafael was an immigrant from El Salvador who called the United States home for the past 20+ years and worked around the clock to make the American Dream a reality for his beloved sons.  Whenever we needed him, Rafael came running, without question, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and on holidays--rain, shine, Snowmaggedon.  And not just for us...Rafael came to the aid of countless friends and friends of friends--always there, always ready, always in service of others.  

He was the very definition of a "stand up guy", a calm, gentle spirit that taught his boys the value of hard work and the lessons of honesty and integrity by being a living example day in and day out.  

Now is our chance to honor Rafael's memory by showing his family that the village is there to help in their time of greatest need as they grieve their beloved husband and father and try to figure out how to navigate life without their primary breadwinner.   Our goal is to create a fund for the Garcia family to help with some of the expenses and unknowns that lie ahead and importantly, to help his young boys continue achieving the American dream that their beloved dad aimed to provide them, starting with a solid education.  

Thank you in advance for your generosity and for forwarding this to anyone you believe might be willing to help this young family.

Mari Belalcazar and Houcine Mkais