Jimmy  Darts

SB Mowing

Pattie Gonia

Little Miss Flint

Kalina Silverman

Samuel Weidenhofer

Patriotic Kenny Foundation

Ben Saunders

The Dogist

Peter Bond

Amy Jandrisevits

Ask Uncle Jack

That Good News Girl

Tess Bohne

FowlMouthFarmer

Latonja and Taylor Richardson

Officer Richard Craig

Flavor Flav

John Wolfe

Khloe

<div>In light of the recent tragedy that has deeply impacted our Grade A Recycling family, we’ve created this official donation link to ensure all contributions are handled safely and transparently.
</div>
<div>This is the only official fund at this time approved by and put together by the leadership of Grade A Recycling to protect our employees, their families, and our supporters.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On Tuesday, November 4, at approximately 5:15 PM, a UPS cargo aircraft (Flight 2976) went down in Louisville, Kentucky, impacting the area that included our Grade A Recycling facility.
</div>
<div>The crash completely destroyed our buildings and tragically resulted in the loss and injury of both customers and employees who were on site at the time.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Grade A has always been a Company of Champions, strong, hardworking individuals who show up every day for their families, their teammates, and their community.
</div>
<div>Today, we’re asking for that same community strength to lift up those who have given so much.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>All donations will go directly toward supporting employees, customers and the families affected by this tragedy.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Every contribution will be managed with care and accountability to ensure it reaches the people who need it most within our Grade A family.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support.
</div>
<div>Together, we’ll rise, because that’s what Champions do.
</div>

Help Grade A Recycling Employees and Families

<div>Help Support Trudi Sandmeier After the Palisades Fire
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On Wednesday, January 8th, Trudi Sandmeier and her family suffered an unimaginable loss when their historic 1933 home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire. This house, nearly a century old, was not just a building—it was a living piece of history built by her grandparents, and a sanctuary for memories passed down through generations.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>For 24 years, Trudi lived in the Iliff Street house, hosting family gatherings, student events, and celebrations. She described it as her ancestral home and it was a touchstone for her work in heritage conservation. Losing it so suddenly has left her heartbroken and in a difficult situation.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Trudi is the type of person who would never ask for help. She always puts others first, never wanting to burden anyone with her own struggles. But now, in the wake of this devastating loss, she needs our support more than ever. This GoFundMe is an opportunity for those who care about Trudi to show her she’s not alone.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The loss of her home is not just the loss of a physical space but of a family history and a foundation that has defined so much of who she is. As she faces the immense emotional and financial challenges of recovery, your support will help contribute to the long road ahead.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>How Your Support Will Help:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Unexpected Expenses: Expenses during times like this can be challenging and hard to predict.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Emotional Healing: Offering support as Trudi copes with the trauma of losing a home filled with memories and legacy.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>No donation is too small, and every act of kindness will help Trudi take the next steps toward rebuilding her life. Your generosity will ease the burden she now faces and show her that she is supported by a community that cares.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Thank you for being part of Trudi’s journey and reminding her that even when she’s reluctant to lean on others, she’s never alone.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With gratitude,
</div>
<div>Trudi's friends
</div>

Support Trudi Sandmeier After Palisades Fire

<div><span>My name is Melissa (aka Dish, Mrs. Dish, Mama Dish), and I'm a 50-year-old, recent widow, mother to 3 college-aged kids, and MS warrior for nearly 30 years. And, no, this is not my dating profile.</span>
</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div>I have been in the MS world my entire life. I was a daughter of MS, caregiver, and at just 22, a patient as well. Having lived through my mother's MS journey and ultimate passing at the too-young age of 63, I was determined to do MS differently. From day one, I have been proactive, keeping up with research, pursuing clinical trials, meeting regularly with my team of doctors and specialists.  The last 7+ years, I have made an especially concerted effort to maintain my function by religiously participating in neurological and physical therapy weekly. And, it's worked. Between regular PT, diet, and a steady dose of 12 medicines costing insurance $20k per month, I've managed to stave off another major relapse for over 10 years. No small feat.



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div>Up until now, my most significant disability has affected the right side of my body. Foot drop, hypertonicity, spasticity, making walking more and more challenging, and I'm now reliant on a cane, walker, and transport chair to get along outside of the confines of my home. With my husband passing and our children growing up and out of the house, I am in search of new ways to boost my independence. As many of you know, my foray with a mobility scooter was a big bust (literally busted my head open on my first ride in March). There must be another way. And, there is.



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div>With 2022 being a year of healing from loss and injury, 2023 is the year of ME. The Year of the Reboot. (Get it? Year of the Rabbit? Reboot? Uma? Oprah?)



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div><strong><em>This July, I am headed to Mexico and completely REBOOTING my immune system by method of HSCT.</em></strong>



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div>HSCT or aHSCT stands for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It is a chemotherapy-based treatment where various drugs destroy the defective blood and immune cells in your system that caused the disease. The “a” stands for autologous, meaning “of the self”. The cells involved in HSCT used for MS come from your own bone marrow, through the blood, not from another source or donor.



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div>HSCT is a treatment for autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis that has proven to halt the disease progression. The aim of the entire HSCT treatment process is to stop the immune system from causing damage of the myelin so that proper electrical conduction within the nervous system is restored.  In addition to the halting of the underlying autoimmune disease, the reinstatement of appropriate healthy signaling from nerves to muscles often results in clinical and symptomatic improvement. It's efficacy is much higher than that of the drug modifying therapies I have been working with until now. <strong>HSCT has a 70-80% success rate of halting progression.</strong> And of those with positive outcomes, <strong>20-30% are seeing a REVERSAL of symptoms</strong> within 2 years. People come in a wheelchair and are eventually walking again!



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div><strong>"Why now?" </strong>you ask. Because, as much as I hate to admit, MS is at the forefront of my daily life. There isn't a moment when MS and my disabilities aren't factored into everything I do (or don't do which is often the case). The reality is I am a 6 on the MS disability scale (10 being death), and I feel like I'm one bad day away from 6.5, and a new lesion away from wiping out my left side which puts me at a whole new level of disability and quality of life (full-time wheelchair).



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div>I'm not ready for that. I am only 50. I've been thrust into this new life, and forced to start over. This is my time to refresh. Reimagine. Reboot.



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div><strong>This comes at many costs.</strong> I have to go off my current medicine regimen starting April to wash out my system, with risk of relapse. I'll be sheering my head and donating my hair in June. I'll be isolated from family and friends for a whole month of July while undergoing treatment in Puebla, Mexico (thank goodness for Netflix and Zoom). And, none of this is covered by insurance, so <strong>I'm left to raise $65,000</strong> to cover costs of medical treatment, caregiving, travel/accommodations, out-of-pocket pre- and post-op tests and procedures, with an inability to earn a living wage due to disability's restrictions and a strict SSDI wage cap.



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div>This is intense. This is a lot. And, I couldn't even consider this without the love and support of my amazing community. Your generosity of spirit continues to lift me and my family up each day. Thank you for considering this cause and sharing with those you think can make a difference. You can donate to this GoFundMe or Venmo directly @Melissa-Disharoon. I'm also grateful to receive airline miles, gift cards for meal and grocery delivery, rides to appointments. I'm really leaning into this. I can't do this without you. Any additional funds raised will continue to support my family's living expenses as we navigate this new phase of our lives.



</div>



<div><br />
</div>



<div>Thank you for your love and prayers.  Please keep 'em coming.



</div>

2023: The Year of the Reboot & Continued Support

<div>On Christmas Eve, Scott Disharoon woke up feeling a little sluggish with some chest pain and said he thought he should get it checked out. His wife Melissa, who is recovering from recent back surgery, had their daughter drive them to Urgent Care. Urgent Care determined he was having an active heart attack and called 911 where an ambulance rushed him to the ER. Within the hour, Scott coded and had to be resuscitated several times. The unimaginable has happened since then. "Dish" as he is known to those who love him, is now on complete life support.
</div>

<div> 
</div>

<div>Scott has since been transported to USC Keck where he is being kept alive by three different machines supporting his heart, lungs and kidneys. The massive heart attack he suffered damaged the left lobe and ruptured his septum <em>(Post Infarct Ventricular Septal Rupture.</em>) He is currently in a medically induced coma until they can determine the best course of action. What we do know is that there are multiple heart surgeries ahead to repair the damage, he will need a kidney transplant at some point, and ultimately a full heart transplant down the road when he can walk and talk. It is going to take a miracle for Dish to survive this, but we know this is possible because it is a miracle that he is alive.
</div>

<div> 
</div>

<div>Scott had just found his stride moving to Cayucos, CA to open up his dream business, Oceanfront Pizza. His new restaurant was going very well with the promise of getting the family back on financial footing.  It will be months before he is able to get back to work and like many, he does not have medical insurance.  The strain of what is ahead will be incredibly stressful for Melissa and their three kids, Teagan, Harper and Finn. In addition to this sudden tragedy, many know that Melissa is living with MS and her disability is at risk as she navigates the magnitude of what is sure to be a VERY long road. We have put together this GoFundMe to support all the necessary expenses... medical and beyond...that this family is going to face. If you know the Disharoon's, you know that they are warriors and will survive whatever comes their way, but any support you could give them immediately would be incredibly helpful and undoubtedly appreciated.
</div>

<div> 
</div>

<div>If you wish to follow his medical updates, there is a <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EJozeXf6oafRumpSy-btCaujjOUYehbtAmI_r-8tvNQ/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GoogleDoc</a> set up with real time information as his condition changes from moment to moment. There are other support options listed on it as well, like the <a href="https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/5r1y7r" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meal Train</a> that was originally set up for Melissa as she recovers from back surgery that has now been extended to help them through this new challenge. We pray for that miracle, that no matter how long the journey, Dish gets back to his life, slinging pizzas and playing sports with his kids.
</div>

<div> 
</div>
<img class="m-text-editor-image" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/62206905_1640559906500987_r." alt="" width="100%" media_type="3" />
<div> 
</div>
<img class="m-text-editor-image" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/62206905_1640559993604989_r." alt="" width="100%" media_type="3" />
<div> 
</div>
<img class="m-text-editor-image" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/62206905_1640560010128181_r." alt="" width="100%" media_type="3" />
<div> 
</div>

Bereavement Support for The Disharoon Family

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Long story short:</strong>  Qismat was 19 years old when he signed up to be an interpreter in for the Army. He served alongside US soldiers (including my husband Matt) for three years, then applied for an immigration visa to escape death threats and the Taliban. He's been waiting since June 2013 to come to America. Yesterday, the day President Trump issued a ban on refugee travel, Qismat was granted his visa.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Please help buy his plane ticket and give him a fresh start!<br />__________________<br /><br /><strong>1/30 UPDATE</strong>: You raised <strong>$20,000 in 24 hours</strong>, that's incredible and heartwarming. The goal has been met - but please keep sharing sharing and donating! Every donation will help secure Qismat's financial future, he will have unexpected expenses and this will make his fresh start a little easier. Thank you, thank you, thank you. <br />__________________</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Full story:</strong> Qismat and Matt, met on Matt's first deployment in 2010-2011 to the Nangarhar region of Afghanistan. They worked together day in, day out, and became very close friends. </p>
<p dir="ltr">In June 2013, Qismat applied for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) and was stuck in "administrative processing" for years. As of yesterday, he has his visa. We are so relieved, but also anxious...</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Qismat wants to arrive in America as soon as possible, before additional refugee bans are put in place.</strong> We are concerned he could be stuck in Afghanistan if he waits for the official assistance programs to issue him funds for a plane ticket. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Please help us get Qismat to California and set up for his new life!</strong> Qismat will stay with us  in Palo Alto when he lands. He may move to Sacramento, where a close interpreter friend settled last fall, or Denver, where he could stay with Matt's parents. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Your generosity will cover transportation for him and bridge the time between now and when the immigration assistance program will provide financial resources. Specifically, funds raised will be used for a plane ticket, clothes, shoes, transportation, cell phone, medical expenses, all the basic things someone needs after leaving their home behind. Eventually he'll take classes, get a license, need transportation for a job, a job and eventually a place with some roommates. We are setting up a bank account for him to access when he arrives.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>He's been through enough out of service to others, let's get him on his feet.  </strong>We are thankful for anything you can contribute, and Qismat is too! He can't wait to get here, be safe, and start his new life. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Why does he need money, what about his pay from when he worked for the Army? </strong>This is a fair question; simply, Qismat's been in hiding for years and is out of savings. He was unable to get hired as a translator after he applied for the visa because organizations thought he might get through the process at any moment and leave. He's had to borrow money from friends to get by and has nothing left.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Additionally, he's been separated from his family during great loss. Qismat could not visit his family or hometown after 2011 because he received death threats. Qismat's father was diagnosed with cancer during this time, and Qismat spent his savings on medical treatments but it was not enough and his father passed away.  In October, 2015 the Taliban threatened his family and confiscated their crops to force them to reveal where Qismat was hiding. Qismat, and his family, will be safe once he gets here. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Articles about Qismat's journey: </strong><br /><a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Army-veteran-struggles-to-save-interpreter-stuck-9175264.php">Army veteran struggles to save interpreter stuck in Afghanistan, San Francisco Chronicle, August 2016</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2016/09/06/ball08/">Army Veteran Ball ’08: “Afghan Translator Deserves Special Immigrant Visa”, News @ Wesleyan, September 2016</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/12/21/afghans-who-aided-us-military-face-long-fearful-visa-wait.html">Afghans Who Aided US Military Face Long, Fearful Visa Wait, Associated Press, December 2016</a></p>

Qismat, Afghan Interpreter, Refugee