Help Yousef Recover From Fire/Theft

Yousef Elhaj has been a trusted friend and neighbor, a pillar in his Church Street neighborhood, and a committed immigrant father who sacrificed everything to bring his family to live with him in his adopted San Francisco. He has been a true inspiration to both neighbors and subsequently the creators and fans of a film documenting his journey. As you can tell, Yousef and the Church Street Market are, in their way, a San Francisco institution at its finest.


Just months ago, he was celebrating what should have been the final chapters in his long journey: his wife and children gained US citizenship as they took on full roles in what he could now finally call a family business. Though it took him nearly two decades to build this humble but not insignificant future for himself and his family, it was all thrown into jeopardy in just two hours.


At four in the afternoon on February 21, 2015, a three alarm fire broke out above his store. Yousef and his wife, along with their neighbors, were evacuated, while upwards of 85 firefighters attempted to contain the blaze. While the fire was contained just after 5:20pm, 301 Church Street was already devastated not just by fire, but also hazardous smoke and the thousands of gallons of water needed to suppress the blaze.


Along with his neighbors on Church Street and other victims throughout the Mission District, the prospects were immediately grim. Like all residents and small business owners here in San Francisco, good situations are fragile at best, and any little upset can make things impossible.


But as bad as things seemed that day, the worst was yet to come. Upon returning to the store just weeks later to conduct a routine inventory for insurance purposes, Yousef discovered that he truly had nothing left. While the city had evacuated the residences, and secured the entrances compromised by the fire, it became clear that building was in fact left vulnerable. Police determined that looters had broken into the building through the basement and robbed Yousef’s store of valuable inventory and personal items, the last of what he could salvage to begin moving forward. Now, Yousef is stuck and needs our support.


The damaged property will take a minimum of a year to a year and a half to reconstruct, and Yousef is doubtful that the rent will remain affordable to him on completion. Because the insurance policy will pay out only a fraction of what was lost, he is left with little hope remaining, and insufficient capital to move on.


If we can close the gap left by his insurance in a timely manner, Yousef would be able to move on to a new business and remain in San Francisco. His family will continue to work hard with the same pride and hope that has kept them together all these years.


Although our fundraising goal may seem ambitious, we know from experience that the love for Yousef’s story, family, and the man himself, is both deep and wide. We are certain that the community at large will be committed to getting this story and this family back on track.  


Please give what you can, and if you have a message for Yousef, please comment below. Although money can help mend his financial situation, it will be our love, thoughts, and encouragement that will truly lift the spirits of Yousef and his family though this unthinkably difficult time.