Please help save our family business

Can you help?

Hi, we are the Pop family and we are raising funds to try to save our family business. Our journey began back in August of 2014 whereupon we left the UK and emigrated to California in search of the American dream.

In 2015, my family bought a smog shop business that was doing well enough to provide for my family, As we were new to the United States, our only source of income was the smog shop that we had purchased. The smog shop took care of all our basic needs as I also had an investment to pay for our green card under the EB-5 Visa Program. This Program allowed my family to legally emigrate to the United States.

The formalities of the green card should have been completed within 18-24 months so that we could reclaim our invested funds which were going to be used to buy a modest house for us to live in and continue the pursuit of the American Dream.

In October of 2017, the first of the big wildfires in Northern California(Tubbs Fire) affected us and I remember getting a phone call from the insurance agent that fateful morning telling me not to worry because we would be made whole, as this was so severe that it had been taken up at the federal level. Sadly the insurance company did not deliver on their promise and despite having to close our business for weeks on end, did not end up covering the loss of business. Despite the fact that we were forced to evacuate and close our business, earning zero income, I funded the salaries and expenses of the business and my few employees from my own personal emergency fund savings. Little did we know what the knock-on effect, over time, the loss of over 10,000 vehicles in Norther California would have. As well as the many loyal customers we had that had decided to move out of the area or even the state in fears of this happening again, which it did. The following three years, there were wild fires that affected us again, and again., and again. By this time, we were further impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sadly this devastating blow to our family business continues The smog shop business revenues are now down by 80%. Over the last fews years we have sold off everything we had of value, and are struggling to make it to the end of each and every day. on occasion we have to make the decision to pay rent or to buy groceries. Sadly seems that things are taking much longer to pick back up as any new vehicle that was replaced due to the wildfires would not require my family businesses services for 8 years due to California Smog laws. As a result of the many misfortunes my family has experience we have fallen behind on our businesses rent a few months and are constantly on the verge of eviction, losing our family business and our way of living.

My son has been doing all that he can to provide for himself as well as myself and my daughter but there is only so much he can do.

Our visa issues are still ongoing, over 9 years later, over 7 more years than initially promsied. The exit strategy for our invested funds has been delayed for another two years, possibly because investment for our green card has been so affected by the pandemic.

I am a former airline pilot and I feel terribly ashamed, never having been in this position, to ask for handouts and I still have faith that God will come through, but I now throw myself on your mercy. Bless you, all and thank you for listening to our story.

If you know anyone that would be willing to help my family in our desperate time of need, I, as would my family would be eternally grateful.