Our coworker lost her home in the recent San Diego fires. They are living out of a hotel room right now (Her husband, 2 kids, and 2 cats..)
We want to give her something useful that she can use now and in the future..any ideas?
2007-11-14 06:09:41 · 38 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
Well, apparently they will be getting a new house at some point but are dealing with the insurance companies for now.
2007-11-14 06:13:37 · update #1
how about a house
2007-11-14 06:12:30 · answer #1 · answered by TAP 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Oh, I'm really sorry. I live in San Diego too but thankfully my parents house and my place were fine. This is a difficult one. Obviously, I'd say, "A new house" but that's not feasible (unless you're loaded and we don't know about it :o) ...Maybe you know a friend or relative that could help them rent for a while? Just to get their bearings? This sounds kind of crass, but maybe they would feel better if they all had new clothes and it would be like a "New Start". Buy some gift cards from Nordstroms or Home Depot and even Toys R Us and they could choose whatever they wanted....I know this isn't *useful* for the future...but maybe you could send them to Orlando to Disneyland or something; a fun vacation to somehow recover and lift their spirits? I wish I had a better idea. A huge pine tree crashed onto my balcony and my parents were evacuated but I wasn't. Thank God. But I didn't know where my parents WERE for three agonizing days. Finally I found out and picked them up. They are in their 80's and were totally shaken up. I wish I could think up something better.
2007-11-14 06:21:01 · answer #2 · answered by PURR GIRL TORI 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
A lot of prayers to start, and maybe you could take their cats in for awhile while they are ina Hotel. What if you and some of their friends could go in together on a bunch of new items for the new home. Linens , beds and bedding, gift cards for clothes and food, kitchen stuff.. I know it would be a lot of $$ if you did it on your own. You could check into the Cheapcycles or freecycles on line in your area and see what people would be willing to donate or sale for a good price.
YOu would be surprised what people give away. I am hoping this helps. Maybe you could keep some of the stuff stored at your home until they get their home situated. Just being a good friend right would probably be the most beneficial. Maybe you could take them to a nice dinner to get their mind off of the hard time they are facing.
I pray they'll be on their feet soon.
Jeanna
2007-11-14 06:42:13 · answer #3 · answered by beanhead1972((14HIM)) 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Gift cards for just about anything. Or an invitation to your house for a meal since they probably do not have cooking facilities in the hotel they are living in. Maybe a gift certificate for a room service meal at their hotel.
2007-11-14 06:20:41 · answer #4 · answered by MikesMom 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It might be a nice thing to have the coworker a "shower" at your work. Get her to go to various stores and sign up like she's a newlywed to specify what she needs and then you and your coworkers could pick up a few necessities from this list. Then just have coffee/soft drinks and cookies and get together to give her these things. I lost my house to fire about 20 years ago and I know that it takes years to get over it even when you have insurance to cover it.
2007-11-14 06:23:19 · answer #5 · answered by Jane F 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
As somebody who has lost everything to a fire myself, I would not recommend giving $$$ straight out. It was really hard accepting money from my friends. I would say that a gift card at a department or discount store would be nice.
Or better yet offer to watch her kids while she does all the necessary errands that will have to be done. It will be really hard for her to find the time to do everything that needs to be done.
2007-11-14 06:21:02 · answer #6 · answered by She's Back 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Daughter is just like me, except a year older :) Anyways for the daughter maybe if you were able to get her a small laptop for writing. Figure out her favorite books, stuff like that, and give them for her. Maybe books she would like. Justin Bieber or One Direction's autograph? Son: Spiderman blanket, stuff like that. Look online for lego kits, maybe a nintendo ds (the older kind.) with some games. Batman pillow cases, I think anything they would be grateful for. Wife: Try getting her some scrapbook (Empty, of course.) with a few disposable camera's, and some cooking stuff. Like baking pans, spoons, a new knife set. Husband: CSI? Maybe a complete set of DVD's of his favorite show series, it really varies. Maybe since the entire family so far seems to like reading you could get a bookcase for them as the entire families gift.. Thank you for what you're doing, you are extremely lovely and kind to do this. :)
2016-05-23 03:51:48 · answer #7 · answered by georgina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why don't you get her a gift card from a local store? I'm sure she needs clothes for the entire family. She could buy dog/cat food or even a little toy for her kids to make their loss a little easier to take!!!!
I think she'd appreciate that more. She could do what she wanted to with it.
2007-11-14 06:22:30 · answer #8 · answered by the snail 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Gift cards to home improvement stores, local restaurants, Target/WalMart, Pet Supplies Plus (or arrange for cats to be boarded at her vet if it wasn't also affected)... and I'm touched by your caring for your coworker! It was sickening to watch all of that on TV, I can't imagine what it was really like.
2007-11-14 06:20:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The absolute sweetest thing I saw somebody do in that case was to offer their house... they were going away to europe for a month and let the family house sit.
Its aweful not to have a place that's your own. a hotel is fun for a little while but its one room. Offer dinner out at your house to add a little more space to their world.
2007-11-14 06:16:42 · answer #10 · answered by Ronatnyu 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
How about some gift cards to Toys r us for the kids? As a parent, seeing your kids happy is what matters most. You can also get them a gift card to Walmart or Target so they can buy what they need now (i.e. clothes, toiletries, etc).
2007-11-14 06:27:12 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋