We are asking for support for the family of Sylvia Gates, who died unexpectedly on June 24, 2017, at age 36. Sylvia was the beloved mother of four beautiful girls, ages 17, 16, 12 and 6, and wife of Benjamin Gates. She had spent the last decade in school, earning her master’s degree and beginning her career in social work last year. Sylvia gave generously of herself to those she cared for in her work, as well as to the many friends and family who were drawn to her. She passed suddenly after a brief illness, and her family is reeling from their tragic loss, as well as struggling with the expenses of her funeral, and the loss of a hard working parent. We hope you will join us in supporting the Gates family in this extraordinarily difficult time. We hope to allow Ben to be able to devote his energy to the support of their children, and to his grief in this time of loss. While we can never replace Sylvia, and what she meant to her family and loving friends, we would like to ease the burden this has left on her family. We appreciate any donation that will allow us to absorb some of the financial difficulty that her family must now face in the wake of her tragic death.