more on Larissa
UPDATE: If you would like to PayPal money for Larissa, you can send to this email: paypaldonations AT alisonkent.com and all funds will be used to purchase cash cards for her.
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Guys - I’m in tears. I just spoke with Larissa again. It looks like they lost everything. Her area in Mississippi (Gulfport) took a direct hit. She’s just devastated and overwhelmed, hearing reports that her house is totally submerged.
Alison, Emma and I have been batting around a few ideas as to what we can do to help Larissa and her family, and we’d like to get things started right away.
For the next two - four weeks she and her family will be in flux, split between states so her son can start school with his grandparents while she salvages what she can once she can get back in, and her husband will be doing search and rescue (he’s Coast Guard, for those of you who aren’t familiar with Larissa and her family). She’s not going to be in any one particular physical place to store things, and won’t be for a while. We’re thinking that what she needs right now is immediate help in the way of necessities until any emergency money or insurance kicks in. Visa/Amex cash cards would be the best, along with gas or WalMart/Target cards. Those would cover groceries and clothes and school supplies and pet food. Thinking ahead, Home Depot cards would also work as well.
Since she’s going to have spotty internet service, if any at all, physical gift cards, rather than emailed ones would work best.
Anything you can do to help would be appreciated. You can use the address below, and we’ll forward anything that comes in to her as a next-day / priority kind of thing, so we make sure nothing gets lost in transit as she moves around and regroups.
Access Romance
Larissa Ione
1795 N. Fry Rd. #263
Katy, TX 77449-3347
Any questions, please feel free to contact me or Alison or Emma.
Steph T.
August 30th, 2005 at 3:59 pm
I am so so sorry to hear that. I just can’t imagine.
August 30th, 2005 at 4:18 pm
Steph thanks so much for putting this together and keeping us updated on Larissa.
August 30th, 2005 at 4:49 pm
Glad to hear she and family are okay. but the loss/damage to her home, is just heartbreaking. Thanks for keeping us informed.
August 30th, 2005 at 5:56 pm
Aw Steph I’m just sick for her!!!!!!!
August 30th, 2005 at 6:36 pm
Oh, this is truly awful. How devastating. Thanks for the information on how to help. We’ll do what we can to pull folks together!
August 30th, 2005 at 7:10 pm
Absolutely heart wrenching! How devastating. I will get something out to her this week! Thanks for the info!
August 30th, 2005 at 7:49 pm
Thanks for the update, Steph.
August 30th, 2005 at 8:02 pm
I can’t even imagine, just heart wrenching!!
August 30th, 2005 at 9:27 pm
She must be a total wreck. Poor thing. Please tell her we’re all thinking of her, and I’ll send something. I have to go by Wal-Mart tomorrow anyway.
Just in case she hasn’t gotten it, the FEMA application for relief can be done here: Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or here: https://www1.disasteraid.fema.gov/IAC/displayPage.do?forward=home&
August 30th, 2005 at 11:48 pm
Thanks so much for all the thoughts and prayers and offers of help!
And Carol, thanks for that info. I’ll pass it all onto her tomorrow when I call her…
August 30th, 2005 at 11:56 pm
Thank you for letting us know they’re okay, although they must be devasted at their losses. And thank you for letting us know how we can help her and her family.
August 31st, 2005 at 1:44 am
Thanks so much for the updates on Larissa. Next time you talk to her, please let her know she’s in our thoughts and prayers.
August 31st, 2005 at 10:02 am
I’m so sorry to hear this news about Larissa! How frightening!
August 31st, 2005 at 3:12 pm
Let Larissa know that she’s in our thoughts. How great of you guys to be figuring out such practical ways to help her.