Santa Fe Community Foundation launches fund to aid flood victims
For six weeks, his breathing has quickened at the sound of raindrops. He wonders if the weather will deepen the nightmare that began when a historic flood devastated parts of the city in July and created a stream through the front door and out the back of Thompson's two-story home off
"You could've whitewater rafted through my house," Thompson said.
After that storm damaged his roof and ruined most of his flooring and furniture, life hasn't been the same.
Climbing the stairs past his damaged kitchen, Thompson peers at the ceiling and wall in his guest and master bedrooms, searching for drips. It's force of habit: A laundry basket full of towels was his only defense until Tuesday, when his roof was finally mended for a little less than
"This place was my sanctuary," he said of his house, which will need tens of thousands of dollars more in repairs. "I don't have those same feelings right now."
In order to try to fill the gap between insurance coverage and federal loans for some of the nearly 300 homeowners and business owners affected by rainfall, the
The campaign,
The application process will open once
"We're still seeing a great need in the community," said
Aranda said the fund's initial goal is to reach
Once applications are completed, a committee composed of the
"It's at least something to get going," Aranda said. "The biggest thing is to see how much money comes in."
"We can move forward together, united as one," he said. "We're not going to be waiting for assistance that we as a community can come together and serve."
"Most of the damage we saw out there was minor in the grand scheme," he said. "
Flood victim
Weeks later, with the carpeting ripped out and the drywall damaged, Flores, a detention officer for the
Even the basics of rebuilding, he said, are difficult when balanced against daily costs that don't go away just because there was a flood.
"It's things I know I could do," he said of repairs, "but out of pocket, I've got other bills."
He said a
"I don't want [my mother] staying in that room through Christmas," he said.
As the season turns and the air chills, Thompson also is struggling to make his house a sanctuary again. The roof is repaired, but he worries about spending the winter with much of the insulation torn out of his walls and ceilings. Whether he's working through insurance settlements, loans from the
During a trip to
"I saw some real poverty -- that's what I relied on the most to not get depressed," Thompson said. "It keeps me from falling in the abyss."
To donate
When donating, click the drop link specifying the cause and select
Checks also can be mailed to:
P.O. Box 1827
Businesses wishing to offer in-kind services may contact
Other assistance
Although the
For information: disasterloan.sba.gov/ela
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