Testimonials

My family and I are so thankful for Lemon Aide Program for helping us in a time of need. We lost our home in a devastating fire in 2020 in a small town of Happy Camp ca. We lost everything including animals. With their help I could buy my kids (5,6,7,19) school clothes, shoe's and put money towards a rental. Thank you Lemon Aide Program for making this happen.

I'm so very grateful to this organization, my children and I have been through so much. They kept their word and came through so quickly. Please keep donating and helping families like mine! Trying to survive after a fire and losing everything you have is not something anyone should ever have to go through. The Lemon Aide foundation gives 100% to the families 👪

“Mariposa Safe Families, Inc. is deeply grateful for our partnership with The Lemon Aide Project. From the moment we reached out to them regarding bringing the Narcan Host Box to Mariposa County, the process was smooth and their team is compassionate, committed, and truly a joy to work with. Through their generosity, the Narcan Host boxes were placed at our Mariposa Safe Families locations and have already made a meaningful difference offering life-saving resources, hope, and support when our community needs it most. Together, we are creating a safer, stronger Mariposa, one act of care at a time. We are truly grateful to the Team at the Lemon Aide Project."

My son and I just lost EVERYTHING in the Dixie fire. 

I'm at the end of my rope and I'm certain many are. Why do bad things happen to good people. My belief is to bring the good ones together. I feel like a dandelion seed blowing in the wind. I am forever thankful for the help given by Lemon Aide Project, it felt like winning the lottery when they came to save us. 

“Lemon Aide Project saved our Christmas this year. I just recently lost my job and had no idea how we were going to do this, but my community and Lemon Aide Project gave that to my son. His heart and soul were filled with joy and laughter. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate everyone who took the time to read my story and to my community that took the time to be selfless and give joy to my family. Thank you and I hope you receive 100X more blessings.”

“My name is Dinah Marie Sulipeck, and on September 8, 2020, the world as I knew it was to be no longer. Sure it started like any other day; I had house projects to finish and errands to run. My friend Lisa West had asked me to take her to Home Depot, and I couldn’t have been more excited about doing so; it was autumn after all, and the anticipation of seeing all those fall colors on the redwood highway delighted me. At 7:30 am, we climbed into my 1990 Dodge pickup and headed over Greyback Hwy as it was the shortest and most scenic route to the Home Depot. We hadn’t been there long when our phones started sounding the information alert. People were being evacuated, and the fire was moving incredibly fast. I had barely time to start my truck when my phone began ringing, all concerned neighbors checking to make sure I was out of my house because the fire was less than a quarter-mile away from where I lived in Indian creek. And then, Six minutes later, another phone call, this one so much more accurate, so much more devastating. This call was about my property, about my house and my barn it was to tell me Everything was gone. One can only imagine unless they too have gone thru such an ordeal . My mind raced as my heart broke on my rush back to Happy Camp and my little plot up Indian creek. How could it be gone, just yesterday I was doing the gardening and waving to neighbors as they passed to and from town. The weight of events began to take hold of me. I was numb and almost comatose. I began moving as if in a fog.

The process of gathering and filling without paperwork soon became over whelming especially when I found that the home owners insurance policy I had just purchased one month earlier was fraudulent and would not cover any of my losses. A year later and now what? Hopeless now and in dire straights at a loss of what to do next. I am 76 years old rebuilding will prove a challenge fortunately for myself and many others the help of the Lemon Aide Project and the aid they have given will help meet in my endeavor. I am grateful to the organization for the compassion and help they have given to me. It’s a satisfying reminder that if you have been given lemons make yourself some lemonade and move your life forward.

Give many thanks to the lemon Aide project may they continue to brighten dark situations for a better tomorrow. “

Sincerely,

Dinah Sulipeck slater’s fire survivor

"On that terrifying night, just after midnight, everything changed in an instant. I’d just gotten out of the shower after work and exercise, and everyone else in the house was asleep. We were all barefoot, in shorts or boxers, completely unprepared but when I stepped out of the bathroom, I heard screaming, pounding on doors, and the unmistakable crackling of fire.

Within moments, I saw the orange glow through our doorway. The heat was so intense we could feel it through our walls. My mom, my brothers, even our pets we all scrambled to escape. My mom grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried her best. My brothers did everything they could, even carrying our boa snake in a box. Smoke filled the stairwell. The fire spread fast. My brothers crawled through thick, black smoke, trying desperately to grab money we had stored  but visibility was nearly zero.When the firefighters finally arrived, they risked their lives to get us out. They stayed through the night, working tirelessly to prevent the fire from relighting. In the morning, they handed us back some charred bills a powerful reminder of what we almost lost.

We were left with almost nothing  no shoes, jackets, or pants —just our cars, our pets, and each other. Emotionally, we were raw. Physically, we were exhausted. Mentally, we felt broken.

That's when Lemon Aide Project stepped in and became our lifeline.

Their kindness and swift action made it possible for us to take our first shaky steps toward rebuilding.

Because Lemon Aide, we weren’t alone in our darkest hour. Their support gave us hope, grounding, and a real path forward when it felt like we had nothing left. We will always be profoundly grateful."

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support my son and I have received from the Lemon Aide Project. Their compassion and generosity have made a tremendous difference in our lives during a time when we truly needed help.
The Lemon Aide Project has supported us in more ways than I ever expected. From providing food and clothing to offering financial assistance, their kindness has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. Because of their help and the support of this amazing community my rent was paid, and my son and I had the food and essentials we needed to get through a difficult period. Knowing that people cared enough to step in and support us gave me hope and strength when I felt overwhelmed.
I want to give a special thank you to  everyone involved with the Lemon Aide Project. Your dedication to helping families like mine is inspiring, and the impact you’ve had on our lives is something I will never forget. I am incredibly grateful for everything you have done for us.
I look forward to the day I am able to pay this kindness forward and help someone else the way you have helped me.
Sincerely,
Tim R

"I'm so sad for for everyone going through this it's absolutely heartbreaking. The way I found you was searching for information to share on the Greenville strong private group for the fire victims and California strong Page that My friend set up because her happy camp strong Page helped All of us after the Slater fire. Thank you for helping My family and I And thank you so very much for helping All the fire victims you can!"

"I was the campground host at Bridal Veil Picnic Area and Group Campground within the Eldorado National Forest. On Sunday, August 15, 2021, one of the guests informed me there was a fire not too far from where we were. I grew up in Northern California and seen many a fire, so I wasn't too worried but I kept an eye on Twitter and listened to the scanner app to make sure it didn't get much closer than the 12 miles it started out at. Monday night I looked over the topography maps, the weather forecast, and Googled the average rate that fire travels. When I saw that fires can travel 6 mph in forests and the fire was only 8 miles from me and traveling my direction, I decided to evacuate. I was fortunate that I was staying in an RV and started packing up my boxes from the onsite storage shed. I ended up parking near a BBQ place in Placerville around 4 am. 

The day I evacuated I found out the forest had been closed and my job was over. I'd expected the job to go another month and hadn't made plans for my next move. I found a good Samaritan offering their land and electric not too far from Placerville. I stayed there about a week until a veteran's organization connected me with a room to rent in Sacramento. The landlord did not disclose to me a pest problem, so after being there about a week I found a farm to move onto in Shingle Springs in exchange for work. Because of the pest issue, I wasn't able to work my regular job at DoorDash until I made sure my car was pest free. I had also been counting on the campground job to pay off my storage unit and get new brakes. At this point I had zero income. I applied for unemployment but never heard anything, and because I lost my ID I couldn't pick up the Caldor Relief Funds. 

I hadn't really gotten a good night's sleep since I left Placerville weeks before. I couldn't sleep in the RV because of pests and I didn't have a sleeping mat or cushion for the tent a church gave me, or my car. I was half delirious from the sleep deprivation, stress, trauma, constant moving, financial strain, and intense pain from spinal stenosis. I joined a virtual meeting from my bed in the back of my car and cried my heart out. The person hosting the meeting, Katelyn, instantly befriended me and starting texting with me with comforting messages and ideas. Then she said I should email the Lemon Aide Project. Shannon Parkhurst returned my email right away and got me enough money that day to get a good night's rest at an AirBnb, pay some of my bills, and fix my brakes. 

With the housing shortage and so many displaced people I'm still working to find somewhere I can afford to live, but at least I'm well rested enough to have full mental capacity/executive function necessary to plan. Sometimes all it takes is a little help to make a big difference. I appreciate the lack of judgement I encountered during my interactions with Shannon. The help was more than financial, it gave me empowerment to keep moving forward and improving my life."

"-This is why i appreciate lemon aide project you guys respond and seem to be understanding and realize when people are truly in need. I can never thank you enough for your help. When i remembered about your organization i hesitated to contact because its such a personal problem but it was one of the best things i could have done. If there is anything else i can let you know ask awayill do my best to answer. Also it wasnt until after I gave birth we noticed our babies umbilical cord was in a super tight knot-."

We'd like to give a huge THANK YOU to Lemon Aide Project for providing our family of 6 with financial assistance during these hard times we are going through. Due to the pandemic, both my husband and I were laid off and we were  having a hard time paying our rent. Unfortunately, we don't qualify for unemployment benefits or the stimulus checks being sent out. We were lucky enough my son saw the Lemon Aid Project page on Facebook and convinced us to apply for assistance. We will forever be thankful for the financial support they provided, and for making this process go by smooth. Thanks to the Lemon Aid Project, I was able to pay off my landlord on the rent I was behind. When times get better for my family, we will definetly pay it forward and donate to this organization. Thank you!!!! 

-The Lopez family