Paris Hilton

Jimmy  Darts

Flavor Flav

SB Mowing

Kalina Silverman / @makebigtalk on Instagram

The Dogist

Patriotic Kenny Foundation

Pattie Gonia

Little Miss Flint

Carlos Eduardo Espina

Samuel Weidenhofer

Ben Saunders - Flawless Cleaning

Peter Bond

That Good News Girl

Ask Uncle Jack

Amy Jandrisevits

FowlMouthFarmer

Tess Bohne

Latonja and Taylor Richardson

Officer Richard Craig

<div>First and foremost, our hearts are with everyone affected by the wildfires—those who have lost their lives, homes, businesses, and those who are displaced. The devastation is unimaginable, and the resilience of our community in rallying together through mutual aid and countless efforts is inspiring.
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<div>While we count ourselves fortunate not to have faced the flames directly, the impact on small businesses like ours is profound. We’ve dedicated our lives to this industry—building relationships with our regulars, supporting our staff, and creating spaces that people rely on and love. Like so many small businesses, this isn’t just work for us—it’s our livelihood.
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<div><strong>Our</strong> <strong>Story</strong>
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<div>We built our businesses from the ground up with no investors, remaining a family-owned operation since 2015, with Peter and Lauren, the owners, at the helm. We’ve weathered a pandemic, strikes, extreme weather, and now the ripple effects of the wildfires. The wake of the strikes has been choppy, many small businesses as a whole have not fully recovered from the Pandemic for a myriad of reasons, and now, a natural disaster is just one more blow to the already steady challenges we have faced. <strong>This is the most scared we’ve ever been of losing it all. </strong>Sales are down 50% or more across the industry. In a time when 85% of restaurants may close, we don’t want to be a statistic. After nine years at Wax Paper Frogtown, six at Wax Paper Chinatown, and two at Lingua Franca—our dream restaurant that took seven years to build—we’re fighting to stay open.
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<div><strong>Our Impact &amp; Commitment</strong>
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<div>We take pride in what we’ve built over the last decade, including:
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<div>•	Creating 100+ jobs across all three locations
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<div>• Offering health insurance to our employees despite this not being required for a company of our size
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<div>•	Committing to diversity, equity, and inclusion for our employees &amp; a safe space for customers of all walks of life
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<div>•	Helping our communities - local and at large when in need
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<div>•	Becoming a destination for customers from all over the city, state, country, and world
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<div>•	Building valuable relationships with thousands of customers we now call friends
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<div><strong>How</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Help</strong>
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<div>It’s uncomfortable asking for help when so many people have lost so much, and we don’t want to compare struggles. But the reality is, small businesses like ours are in crisis.
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<div>Several friends, family, and customers have asked how they can help. We’ve created a GoFundMe under Appreciate You Restaurant Group, which houses Wax Paper and Lingua Franca, to help sustain our business through this downturn. This fundraiser has been established by us, Peter and Lauren, for our small
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<div>business’s sustainability. *GoFundMe disclaimer required to be added in this description
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<div>Please, only give if you’re in a position to do so. We deeply understand the greater need right now.
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<div><strong>Other Ways to Support</strong>
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<div>If donating isn’t possible, there are so many other ways to help us are:
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<div>•	Book a reservation at Lingua Franca
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<div>•	Stop by for a meal at any of our locations
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<div>•	Leave a nice review
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<div>•	Share this message
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<div>These small gestures make a huge impact.
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<div><strong>Where the Funds Will Go</strong>
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<div>Every dollar raised will go directly toward sustaining our business and supporting our team during this incredibly challenging time. Specifically, funds will help us keep our amazing staff employed, sustain operations during slower business times and any unexpected closures, catch up with our vendors, cover essential operating costs such as rent and utilities, and cover administrative costs to ensure we can continue our business operations smoothly.
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<div>Running a restaurant is a delicate balance, and every bit of support helps keep our team, our spaces, and our community thriving.
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<div>Thank you for reading and for being part of our story. Your support—through any means—helps us keep going.
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<div>With gratitude and hope,
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<div>Lauren &amp; Peter Lemos
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Help Save Wax Paper & Lingua Franca

<div>Hello all,
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<div>With a heavy heart we ask for whatever help you can spare at this time so that we may cover the memorial and funeral expenses for Carmen Alemán Carrillo, mother, wife, and dear friend. She passed suddenly after undergoing a major surgery and we are now struggling to raise the necessary funds during this trying time. We appreciate any and all donations.
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<div>Thank you
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<div>-Family and Friends of Carmen
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<div>Con mucho dolor les pedimos su ayuda para enterar a nuestra querida amiga. Su fallecimiento fue inesperado y deja a su familia con un gran responsabilidad en esta época tan difícil. Se les agradece cualquier ayuda y oración que nos puedan brindar. ella era una gran amiga, cariñosa y servicial.
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<div>-Familia y Amigos de Carmen
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Funeral Funds for Carmen Alemán Carrillo

<strong>I am Dior Edmonds, and Dominique Rem'mie" Fells was my oldest sister out of 3 of us. She also leaves behind our mother Terri Edmonds and our father Keith Edmonds. </strong> <br /><br />We are from York Pa. and all funds raised will go towards funeral costs for remembering her. <br /><br />Dominique was a black Transwoman brutally murdered and discarded in a river in Philidelphia Pa. Our family is in mourning and in utter disbelief that something like this could happen to one of our own. <br /><br />Dominique who often went by the name Rem'mie was truly one of a kind. We can Assure all of you that we will not stop until her killers are found and justice is served accordingly. <br /><br />Thank you for your kind donations and for helping us get through this trying time.<br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/48770544_1591970120885967_r.jpeg" alt="48770544_1591970120885967_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> 
THIS IS THE ONLY GO FUNDME CAMPAIGN FOR DOMINIQUE!!!

Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells Funeral Costs

My name is  Mechelle Hooper from Gardena but have worked in Long Beach  for 25 years on 5/31/20 the salon I  work at Legacy Salon  a Black owned Salon  in Long Beach, Ca  along with 5 other small businesses were looted and then burned down to the ground . It’s a tragedy that these businesses have been closed down due to Covid 19  for 2.5 months and no income , then  this.
I am a stylist at Legacy Salon  with 4 other stylist  who have been friends for two decades..We have served the LB community for over 20 years and to have our  livelihood stolen from us overnight is devastating. Most of us over 50 some over 60 . We agree change has got to come , times have  to be different . We support peaceful protests.   Where do we pick up the pieces. Trying to figure out how we’re gonna feed our families, pay our bills, buy new equipment,  or even the simple things . I’m asking that we come together and make a change in these people’s  lives who have been devastated and dramatically impacted by this riot.

Rebuild Legacy Salon

Zahalea Anderson/ Zahalea Showe lost her business in Long Beach, California yesterday. 25 years in this building running her School of Self Defense, and now it’s been lost to the only fire in Long Beach. It is easy to say “Black Lives Matter,” but if we do not rally behind our black brothers and sisters in times of need then our words are EMPTY. 100% of this fundraiser will be going directly to Zahalea Anderson/Showe to buy a new dojo and reopen her business. I’m in contact with Zahalea and she is the sole beneficiary of the funds raised by this campaign.

Zahalea Anderson

Our staff is our Family and they are suffering due to COVID-19. We are a 3 month old restaurant just barely getting by and unable to keep our staff during this crisis. They do not have benefits and most of them are tipped employees. Some of them have families to support and no other income. Any donation helps, 100% of donations go to our employees. #SmallBusinessRelief <a href="https://www.eszettla.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://www.eszettla.com/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.eszettla.com/</a></a> <br /><br />Thank you,<br />Sabrina + Spencer

Eszett Family Relief Fund

Alfonso &amp; Sarah were hit by a car while walking through a crosswalk at 9th &amp; Los Angeles street last night. <br /><br />They had just gotten off work and were crossing the street one block away- when a drunk driver hit another car throwing two cars through the crosswalk and into the intersection.<br /><br />Alfonso will need help with his hospital bills. He brings so much love and beauty to the lives of others- I’m excited to see what we can all do together to help him now that he needs us!<br /><br />We’re happy to report that he is expected to make a full recovery, but has hurt his back and broken his arm - he will undergo surgery today.<br /><br />We are rooting for you, sweetheart!<br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/40763392_1563631532821767_r.jpeg" alt="40763392_1563631532821767_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><br /><br />Sarah was flipped over the car and suffered a concussion and is achy. We hope that she and Alfonso recover quickly!

Alfonso needs our help!

<img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/25113488_1509740227.87_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><br />On October 9th the Tubb’s Fire ripped through Santa Rosa. The following day, our team member Chazandra Kern shared with us the terrible news that her family's home of over 20 years had been completely destroyed in the fire. Her father evacuated at 3:00am, while her mother was still at work. He managed to grab a few photos and important documents and fled as quickly as possible, leaving his truck behind. The entire Coffey Neighborhood was destroyed, displacing a tight-knit community of neighbors that shared countless meals and laughs at the Kern family home. <br /><br /><strong>The <a href="https://www.mas.la" target="_blank"><strong>LA-Más</strong></a> family has been heart-broken by this tragedy and we are rallying together to launch a crowd-funding campaign to support the Kern family as they attempt to piece their lives back together.</strong> <br /><br />This is Chaz's account of what happened: <br /><br />"Over 20 years ago we moved into our home on Hopper Ave in Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park Neighborhood. My parents met while my dad was stationed on a US Navy Base the Philippines where my mom worked. Coming back to the United States, they both chose Coffey Park to start building their lives together. My sister and I grew up surrounded by a strong sense of community in a home we could call our own. <br /><br /><img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/25113488_1509740862.6281_funddescription.jpeg" alt="" width="100%" /><br />Together we found lifelong friends across the street, down the block and right next door. My parents loved sharing their home and what they had with others, often filling their home with family on holidays, friends on random weeknights, and for the occasional slumber party. After my sister and I moved out my parents continued to live in their home, along with their cockatiel and two budgies.<br /><br /><img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/25113488_1509740559.5778_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><strong>The Fire</strong><br />Early morning on October 9th the Tubb’s Fire jumped over the 101 Freeway and destroyed the Coffey Park Neighborhood. In an instant my dad evacuated by himself, while my mom was at work around 3:00 am. He grabbed a framed photo of their wedding day hanging in their room, photos of my mom’s family in the Philippines on her night stand, and my sister/my diplomas. He left in my car, leaving his truck, and waited in a mess of traffic, feeling the heat as the fire approached everyone trying to escape. <br /><br /><iframe media_type="0" media_id="AYvPOkR-uek" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AYvPOkR-uek/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe><br />Like so many others they lost their home and all their belongings in the fire. Everything we owned and everything they had built for themselves and for us was gone. It has been devastating to see my Coffey Park family and friends lose everything. Beyond that there has been so much loss suffered by everyone affected by the fires in Sonoma County.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7588914-181/cal-fire-4658-homes-destroyed?gallery=7567866&amp;artslide=0" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7588914-181/cal-fire-4658-homes-destroyed?gallery=7567866&amp;artslide=0" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7588914-181/cal-fire-4658-homes-destroyed?gallery=7567866&amp;artslide=0</a></a> <br /><br /><strong>What’s Next</strong><br />Everyone in my neighborhood has been displaced, but are looking to rebuild their lives by taking it one step at a time. My parents have found temporary housing and have received outstanding immediate support from people donating work uniforms, clothing, and other basic necessities. We are incredibly humbled by the love everyone has provided during this time.<br /><br /><img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/25113488_1509740785.1122_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br />Their long term goal is to rebuild their house. The process will be long, taking at least two years as the county, city and individuals decide on how to take on the next steps of rebuilding. <strong>Donations will go towards a truck for my dad so that he is able to continue his small businesses and for financial support as they rebuild their home.</strong> I’m grateful for the support and love found in my community and beyond. Our neighborhood has been wiped away, but the memories each one of those homes held for each family stands strong. I’m gracious for the place my parents gave me that I called home. No amount is too small, anything helps and is beyond appreciation."<br /><br />Please consider making a donation to the Kern Family on this website. All funds will go towards purchasing a new truck for Chaz's dad so that he is able to continue his small businesses, which provide critical financial support as they wait to rebuild their home.<strong> No amount is too small, anything helps and is beyond appreciation.<br /><br />Help us send love and solidarity to the Kern family!</strong>

Peter & Lemos

Peter & Lemos

What they care about

Featured causes

Help Save Wax Paper & Lingua Franca

Funeral Funds for Carmen Alemán Carrillo

Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells Funeral Costs

Rebuild Legacy Salon

Zahalea Anderson

About me