When we picked up a grandma and brought her to our shelter, she was extremely anxious. She was very concerned about losing sight of her bags. As I walked her through the space; showing her where she would sleep, where the bathroom was, and where she could find food, I noticed something was wrong. She couldn’t see the other side of the room. Her vision was severely impaired, and the unfamiliar environment overwhelmed her. She was frightened, unsure if she would be able to manage on her own. She told me she had lost everything. Her house had burned and what she had left was in 5 bags.
I took extra time to show her everything slowly and carefully, making sure she knew where she was and what was available to her.
The next day, when I came back, she could not stop thanking me. Over and over again, she expressed her gratitude. Her anxiety had eased. She felt safe. For her, the simple actions of someone who cared meant everything.
This is not an isolated story. These are the people we help. This is only one of many stories like this.
Many of the people we help here have no one.
When we ask about their families, some don’t know where their loved ones and others already know they have died. Many have no one left to turn to at all.
To our sponsors- Thank You. Your support helps us evacuate the vulnerable, provide shelter, meet basic needs, and offer something just as important: reassurance that they are not alone.

