Westchester community rallies to help with Ida relief and recovery efforts

Ludworth Kennels in Hastings-on-Hudson is among the businesses hard hit by Hurricane Ida’s remnants that now has a GoFundMe page.

Well, we’ve had fires, floods and the plague. (What’s next? Locusts?) When the going gets tough, the tough contribute. GoFundMe has informed us of a number of fundraising efforts in our area on behalf of those families, businesses and individuals who have suffered Hurricane Ida’s wrath:

Brittney and Walter Reyes are longtime residents of Mamaroneck who, due to the flooding from Hurricane Ida, they were forced to evacuate their basement apartment. The couple have been planning their wedding since prior to the pandemic and this is going to be another setback for them. The GoFundMe organizer writes: “We have to stick together and help each other out these days but even more so when these disasters happen at such critical points in time.” 

Maytal Adi is the owner of Lucky’s Gym, a private garage gym at his home in Mamaroneck. One year from when he opened his business, Ida’s remnants submerged his home in 5 feet of water for hours. With his house deemed uninhabitable and his equipment destroyed, he is unable to run his gym.

Mosia Brothers Auto Service, which has been in business for almost 30 years in Mamaroneck, was completely flooded with more than 2 feet of water, destroying cars, computers, tools, furniture and more. Insurance will not cover the full cost of the repairs. The children of brother-owners Frank and Jeff created this fundraiser, writing: “They work with customer’s budgets, schedules and needs and will never fix anything that is not broken. They are simply two guys who always do the right thing and try to have a fun time while getting the job done.” The community has raised more than $22,000 in just one day for the Mosia brothers. 

The Callahan family’s home in Hartsdale was deemed uninhabitable after flooding from Hurricane Ida’s remnants covered all their possessions in sewage. Diane Siegel created this fundraiser for her best friend, writing: “Even while currently battling cancer, (Taryn Callahan) would be the first person to take her shirt off her own back for someone else in need. Her husband just got on his feet after over a year of being unemployed due to Covid.” In addition, their son, Shane, who has special needs, was just diagnosed with a painful, lifelong autoimmune disease. 

(Staying with Hartsdale, many of the businesses in a hamlet known for its international cuisine are closed due to devastating flooding. These include The Irish Bank Bar & Restaurant, a favorite pub, and Hunan Village II, serving some of the most superb Chinese and vegetarian dishes around. No word yet on GoFundMe efforts on these businesses. But you can contact Hunan Village II at 917-353-0535 or 646-639-9662.)

Over in Hastings-on-Hudson, Tom Braig launched a GoFundMe fundraiser on behalf of his parents, who own Ludworth Kennels, which has been family-owned and operated for 80 years since Tom’s grandfather bought the property. Braig writes, “Luckily as a family, we were able to save all of the dogs that were with us during the storm. We are grateful that no one (and no dogs/cats) got hurt, and we look forward to repairing the kennel to continue serving the community for many years to come.”

Per the fundraiser, there was no flood insurance, and the kennel needs help to make repairs. 914-478-1633, https://gf.me/v/c/ps9p/help-rebuild-ludworth-kennels

To make it easier for people who want to support those affected in the Northeast, GoFundMe has launched a centralized hub to identify all verified fundraisers related to Hurricane Ida. The hub is regularly updated as new fundraisers are verified by the Trust & Safety team and houses many fundraisers supporting the community. gofundme.com/c/act/hurricane-ida-fundraisers/northeast

Additionally, GoFundMe.org continues to direct donors to the Hurricane Relief Fund, an ongoing fund that supports urgent and long-term relief efforts for hurricane victims across the United States. This includes efforts like erecting temporary shelters, distributing food and water, providing medical care and more. You can find that fundraiser at gofundme.com/f/HurricaneRelief-Fund

This platform is backed by the GoFundMe Guarantee, which means that in the rare case that GoFundMe, law enforcement or a user finds campaigns are misused, donors are fully protected

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