On July 17, a massive fire tore through the Helix Apartments in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, destroying around 90 units. My son Randy and my grandson Asa lived there — and in a matter of hours, they lost nearly everything. They are safe, and I'm grateful for that every single day. But "safe" doesn't mean okay. Randy is starting over from ground zero — no furniture, no clothes, no kitchen, no everyday things most of us don't think twice about. The kind of things you open a fridge or a pantry for without a second thought.

Asa lost his clothes, his toys, and so many things he had collected and treasured over the years — the kind of belongings that can't just be replaced with a receipt. And on top of everything else, school is about to start. He needs a backpack, school clothes, supplies — a fresh start he shouldn't have to be scraping together right now. Yes, there's insurance, and yes, it will help eventually. But insurance takes time to process, and life doesn't pause while you wait. Right now, Randy and Asa are living in the "right now" — needing basics, needing stability, needing to know people are behind them. That's where I'm hoping this community can step in.

Every one of us knows how far a dollar doesn't stretch these days, and I'm not asking anyone to stretch themselves thin. Even $5 helps. It adds up, and more than the dollar amount, it tells my son and grandson that they're not facing this alone. Thank you for reading this, and thank you in advance for anything you're able to give — or even just for sharing their story with someone else who might. With gratitude, Dee