u/whonnocksociety

I wanted to share something happening right here in the Maple Ridge area.

Florence Thomas is 82 years old and the eldest Matriarch of the Whonnock People. She's currently living in a roughly 40-year-old trailer on her ancestral land in Whonnock. The trailer has no running water, isn't properly insulated, has unreliable power, and has become increasingly difficult to live in.

The good news is that a replacement trailer has been donated.

Now the community is working to get that trailer onto her land. The remaining costs include moving the trailer, site preparation, permits, and connecting essential utilities.

Florence's story was recently featured in a local news interview, and it really brought home how difficult her current living situation is.

We're trying to raise $32,000 to get the project completed. Even if you can't donate, sharing the story with other people in Maple Ridge would mean a lot.

Here's the feature if anyone wants to hear Florence speak about her situation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP3PKhzTSLA

And for anyone who would like to help with the project, the fundraiser is here:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/help-bring-florence-home-campaign

I'm happy to answer questions about the project in the comments.

Hi everyone,

Our community is coming together to help bring Florence home.

Florence has been generously gifted a trailer, but it still needs to be safely transported and placed on her land. We’re fundraising to cover the relocation costs so she can have a safe and stable place to call home.

Every donation, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to making that happen. If you’re able to contribute or even share the campaign with others, it would mean so much.

Thank you for taking the time to read Florence’s story and for supporting community-led efforts like this.

Donation link:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/help-bring-florence-home-campaign