Recovering from Hurricane Harvey

Hello friends, family, and everyone in between. My name is Nina Valdez. I am 19 years old and currently reside in Houston, Texas. I am a part of a large 6 person family. My mom, my stepdad, and my 3 siblings who are 17, 14, and 12 years old respectively. We live in a two-story home in Northeast Houston. By now, I'm sure you have all heard about the destruction and devastation that Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey has brought to the streets of my city and all over the coastal regions of Texas. Unfortunately, my home was one of the many that was affected. My family was in no way prepared for the 4 feet of water that accumulated and destroyed the entire downstairs of our home. We only managed to save a few of our material possessions. We were stranded in our home for hours until we could be rescued by the Coastal Guard. For two days, we had little to no sleep. From nearly drowning in the deep ditch waters and fierce storm winds, to having to leave behind my stepdad and not being reunited with him until 3 hours later, we have experienced nothing but anxiety, sadness, and fear of what the next hour will bring. Thankfully, with the help of friends and family and the City of Houston, we have managed to find shelter in a hotel in downtown Houston. However, we are in a financial struggle. We have to buy clothes, medications for my mother and sister, and many other basic necessities. We have lost our cars and our means to make money. We are not asking for much, just enough to get us back on our feet after the storm passes so that my siblings can comfortably attend school and be safe and warm. We are so grateful and blessed to all be alive and together. Our hearts go out to all the families and people that have been affected by this disaster. I wanted to open up this mini fundraiser to help my parents and my family overall in any way that I could. We ask that you keep us, and them, in your hearts and your prayers. Thank you.

As a GoFundMe request I am Nina Valdez. We live in Northeast Houston, TX near Homestead and Ley. The purpose of this campaign is to raise money for my parents (mom-Crystal Samuel) so they can purchase school/regular clothes, supplies, food, and expenses while we are displaced. I will have it setup so my mom, Crystal Samuel, can withdraw the money for us.