Two days ago in the middle of the night, my mother, Wanda Stewart, lost her home in a fire. Since then, our family has been displaced and thrown into the immediate reality of seeking stability after the loss of the family home. This fundraiser is centered on helping Wanda as she faces the loss of her home and the difficult road ahead.

For more than 5 years, Wanda has been a true hub for her community in Berkeley, opening her home every Thursday for FREE food giveaways and helping people get through hard times when food and resources were short. People in the community could come by her house and freely take food at no cost. During COVID, people could rely on her to have FREE food available for them to pick up. For more than 30 years, she has also mentored youth and supported families through school communities from Arizona to Southern California to the Bay Area. She has spent so much of her life showing up for others, and now that daily rhythm of caring for people has been interrupted by this loss.

Right now, donations will help Wanda with the immediate costs of displacement, including rent for a place to stay, clothing and other essentials, food and supplies for her dog Yonas, and basic needs for the family while we are trying to stay fed and get through this upheaval. Support will also help with cleanup, repairs, and what may end up being a full rebuild of the home.

If you know Wanda, then you know how much of herself she has given to others. If you do not know her personally, please know that your support will go directly toward helping someone who has spent years caring for her community. Any donation or share would mean so much as my mom tries to find stability and begin recovering from this devastating fire.