Help Maura & Melissa Recover

It's been a tough few years since my sister Melissa's workplace acccident, which left her permanently disabled and still in constant pain. While we were fighting her disability case, we had to liquidate everything... savings, 401K, IRA and TSP.  Then I injured my back while working 4 jobs to keep us afloat. I officially retired in May, 2016. We needed a warmer climate to heal, so we sold our house on Long Island and took a $150,000 loss... and moving & storage fees were astronomical. We limped to Florida a few months ago and found a great place that's manageable.

In the first year after her injury, Melissa started making jewelry from some of our late mother's broken beads. What was originally occupational therapy for Melissa has become a "cottage business." The response has been wonderful and she even had a few gallery shows at the Soho Art House on Sullivan Street in NYC and the Ouichi Gallery in Brooklyn. Friends have bought several of her designs from pictures on her Facebook page. So her artwork has a track record!

Now that we're in Florida, we need to move ahead and get the designs out there to you & the world!  We have absolutely nothing in the bank after the move, so we're asking for your help to finance a website on GoDaddy, incorporate the business -- known as My Mother's Beads! -- open a business account at a local bank, print some business cards, get some ads/promotion going and buy more supplies. 

We've posted a picture of some of our designs... $10-$15 for bracelets & earrings, $15 for black thong necklaces, and more elaborate designs that range from $25-$45. 

We're asking you to please give us a leg up as we recover from our devastating financial situation, and give Melissa a chance to move on as well. Thanks so much for any help!