Main fundraiser photo

Houston Home and Studio Flooding

Friends and family,

I am Keliy Anderson-Staley, a photographer who has lived in Houston for four years, and I am raising funds for myself, husband and children. These funds will support our immediate needs in the aftermath of the flooding from Hurricane Harvey--clothing, lodging--and some of our longer term needs, especially to replace camera and studio equipment essential to my livelihood. We are asking for this support for use as soon as possible. This money will go directly to us and our needs. 

As many of you have heard, our house in Southwest Houston was completely flooded during Hurricane Harvey. The nearby bayou rose quickly on Saturday night and began to come in through the doors and walls early Sunday morning. When we left the house, there was already two feet of water in every room. Even as I write this from the safety of a friend's house nearby, rain continues to fall. 


We have been truly touched by all your words of kindness and support via Facebook and text and email. I sometimes wonder how real social networks are, but your words have all felt so true and very real, and I have been turning to them for comfort. We are so grateful to have so many friends and family across the country thinking about us. I am also so grateful for the Houston arts community and all my photo friends who have checked in and reached out.




It looks like our home may be uninhabitable for a long time. When we left, two feet of water had already inundated the whole house. We lost both cars, Matt's book collection, all our clothing, toys and furniture. My tintype and photo archive, the source of our livelihood, is all on a second floor and mostly seems safe. I have, however, lost some equipment, including some essential to my work, and I may come home to even more losses. I'm not sure when my studio will be functioning again, which means a tremendous set-back for us. Meanwhile, life and work go on.  I'll have a busy semester at University of Houston, Finn will be starting pre-k when the public schools reopen, and I have several exhibitions opening this fall, with the work already going up on the wall. 



In the meantime, we are feeling a bit lost and overwhelmed. Fortunately, we have flood insurance, but we'll have to see what the adjusters say. We are just beginning, though, to realize how costly this will really be, and how long it will be for things to get back to normal. I am a bit embarrassed to ask for financial support, but I have decided to set up this go fund me site to help us get our household and my studio back up and running, and also to help with our immediate needs--rental car, some new carseats, clothing for the four of us, diapers.

Please don't feel you need to help us in this way. You have already helped us so much, more than you could ever know, with your expressions of love and concern. I also, want you to know that any help will be to get us through this difficult time, but that I plan to make an edition of prints (see my work at www.andersonstaley.com) to thank those of you who contribute and as a way to repay your generosity. When things are up and running again, I will send a print to anyone who donates and would like one. 



There are also so many people in Houston in similar or worse situations and some in extremely precarious situations, so if you have the means, please find a way to help them.



I think Houston is sometimes not well understood by people who don't live here or by people who haven't visited it, but it is a beautiful city full of beautiful people, and my heart is broken right now. 

Thank you so much for everything!

Love,
Keliy and Matt

Organizer

Keliy Anderson-Staley
Organizer
Houston, TX

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