Abbot repairs Jose and Reina's house after fire.

Jose and Reina and their children Ricardo and Juaretsi need our help to repair their home after they suffered a devastating fire over winter break. Luckily no one was home or injured, and a neighbor called the fire department in time to save the structure. However, nearly all of their possessions were destroyed or damaged, and the house, while repairable, needs major work to be livable again. They lack the homeowner's insurance to pay for repairs and need financial help.

Jose and Reina's son Ricardo is in Mrs. Briggs' 2nd-grade class with my son Adrien at Abbot Elementary in Ann Arbor. Their daughter Yaretzy is in Kindergarten. Currently, they are staying with their closest family, Reina's brother, in Detriot. They drive 45 minutes each way to bring their kids to school. While their kids attend school they are working on throwing out everything that was ruined, ripping out the charred drywall, burnt doors and melted plastic fixtures. They are also talking to contractors to come up with a plan to fix the house.

The fire started at the furnace, which needs to be completely replaced. At least half of the electrical in their home needs to be replaced. Much of their plumbing was destroyed when the house froze after the fire. One of the bathrooms melted in the heat of the fire. The water heater and washer drier need to be replaced. Four doors, two windows, and a lot of drywall need to be replaced. The firefighters also cut a hole in their kitchen floor to douse the fire. They need our help paying for it all.

The gift card fundraiser that we did at Abbot Elementary was a big success and helped replace the kid's clothes and other small things. Please join me in giving what you can and sharing this fundraiser with others who can give. Together we can rebuild the Romero family home and strengthen our community in the process.