Help Reunite Nohelia's Family After Los Angeles Fire

Dear Friends and Community,

I write this to you as my family is separated, displaced due to the Eaton Fire.

As of January 7th, our family has been displaced from our rental home due to the ongoing devastating Eaton Fire that has impacted Pasadena, including our neighborhood in Hastings Ranch. My husband Leo and I evacuated with our two children, Mateo and Alfonso, my sister-in-law Lilia, and our two pets - Diego kitty and Magnus pup.

We do not own our home. We rent it. Currently, the property is not safe to live in given the health officials reports of toxic hazards in Eaton Fire zone due to dangerous levels of lead, arsenic, and asbestos. The home is full of toxic ash, smoke residue, and we have not heard from the landlord about next steps to address the safety of our home. We are unable to move back into the home for the foreseeable future.

This situation has been surreal, deeply impacting our family's stability and sense of safety. As an autistic child, my son, Mateo, especially needs a predictable, safe environment. We have not been able to stay together as a family - Leo, Lilia, and our pets are in one location while the kids and I are at another location. This creates an even more challenging situation for our family.

We are asking for support to bring our family together under one roof until we can find permanent housing. Due to this crisis and already stretched housing market, including the overwhelming need for transitional housing, systems like 211 and Airbnb.org have already been saturated. We are still trying to access resources through FEMA, but as it stands, we have not been able to access these resources.

We anticipate costs associated with transitional housing for 5 people and two pets over an estimated three months. Your support will help us meet basic needs including transitional housing costs, food, toiletries, and clothing for the family. Additionally, it will help pay for unanticipated medical expenses for my autistic child who will need trauma informed therapies.

During this tragedy, I am continuing in my role as faculty and department chair of Life Sciences at East Los Angeles College. I have the pleasure of working with many of you in service to our students, faculty, staff, college, and district. Thank you for your consideration - your support means everything to our family.

We know that there are many people suffering immeasurable losses. Our family stands in love and unity with all of the individuals, families, and community members impacted by the ongoing devastation of these fires. We will get through this together.