New Year's Fire Catastrophe Fund

Khanh Ho is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Lidia Delgado.

Donation protected

Just after Christmas and right before New Year’s Eve, Lidia Delgado’s house was engulfed in flames. It was 4:15 in the early morning and firefighters fought tooth and nail to extinguish the fire in gusty wind conditions. Unfortunately, everything was lost—not only practical items like furniture and appliances but also irreplaceable keepsakes: family photographs and treasured heirlooms. They even lost their Christmas gifts.

Lidia is too proud to ask for help. But many of us in the neighborhood feel that these long-time members in the community deserve our aid. The family is three generations of six people--grandmother and brothers, sister and grandchild. They are grateful that they were able to save their three adorable dogs: Paco, Nena and Mama…but where will they house them?

Lidia’s family has lived in the same house for 18 years and in the same neighborhood for 28. And they contribute to the quickly changing community of Highland Park by bringing a sense of family values and diversity to the landscape. But right now, they face very real challenges.

There are very pressing medical concerns for the grandmother. The youngest brother, Arthur, is disabled and demands not only medication but constant care and attention. They have no clothes, except that which they wore the night they escaped the inferno. They are saddened but already know that the family will have to splinter: the housing situation is just too tight.

In fact, it was almost impossible to find a hotel within a 20 mile radius of their burned down house, because of all the out-of-towners here for the Rose Bowl. And here's the kicker: now that they have found one, they just don’t have the money to pay for more than one night.

Let’s show the Delgado’s how to ring in the New Year right. Let’s help them get back on their feet. This New Years, the seven of them will in all likelihood be sleeping in their car. But we can prove our humanity and community by doing something to truly make the New Year special.