Support the Garza Family's New Beginning

Dear friends and family,

2 days ago the Garza family lost absolutely everything they owned. Agustin and Maria were returning from visiting family in Mexico, carrying nothing but their carry-on bags. Those, are now their only possessions.

They landed at LAX as the fires were starting to spread. Their home, with all of Agustin’s art, and all of their fascinating historical artifacts, cherished family memories, everything they owned, had burned to the ground before they could even get in to grab the most important documents or family photos.

Agustin, Maria, and Clara (who luckily had been at her boyfriend’s house, with their dog Jack) were able to get to the boys in Santa Barbara where Santiago and Lucas have found them a place for them to stay for a few days. Coming to grips with “what now and what next”, they are being their typical selves, philosophical and grateful to be together, focused on what’s most important (each other) and using all 5 brains to problem solve how they are going to start to build a new future. I’m in awe of them.

For me, for whom they have been like family since I was 19 years old, the relief that their whole family survived is immense. But their decimated home in Altadena was filled with what had taken a lifetime to build. We know how slow insurance companies are to act. Even more so with the flood of claims after these fires. What are the Garza’s supposed to do in the meantime? Housing, clothing, cooking equipment, transportation…the list goes on. Right now they are painstakingly trying to find photos that can help document every single thing they could claim under their rental insurance. But when you have nothing, what do you do “in the meantime”? And who knows how long “in the meantime” will last?

We know many families are currently finding themselves in a similar daunting situation. It’s hard to know where to even begin to help.

Please consider donating here to the Garza’s “New Beginnings Fund”. You can make a direct, concrete and immediate difference, supporting them while they make a plan, find their next beds to sleep in, and start to get their feet back under them. They will forever be grateful and already greatly appreciate all who have reached out with concerned phone calls, texts and prayers. It is all felt and it all matters so much ❤️