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Start-up fund for Silvia: reopening a roadside café after a fire in the building

Silvia has run a roadside café for nine years; a fire in the building destroyed the equipment, and $1,650 will put it back on its feet.

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Silvia K. Díaz
Email verifiedPhoto verified
Austin
For nine years I have run a roadside café in Austin. In February, a fire in the building took an espresso machine and grinder. I have no insurance, and the bank won't lend to me. Before that, my customers came every Saturday, and I employed 1 people from the neighborhood. I have been out of business for 10 weeks. This business pays my children's school fees and rent. I have already started working from home in small ways, but I can't meet orders without proper equipment. Every contribution brings me closer to reopening, and I promise to post photos as I buy each item. I'll buy equipment from local suppliers and post photos and receipts as I go. Where the $1,650 goes: • Initial stock: coffee and pastries: $540 • Shop repairs and licensing: $510 • Working capital for the first month: $600 Every share and every dollar helps.

Updates from Silvia

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  • Arun N. Kamath 🇮🇳 · $10
  • Melanie D. Patel 🇺🇸 · $5

    “From my family to yours. Hope this covers a bit of it. - Houston”

  • Angeliki Marina Nikolaidis 🇬🇷 · $25
  • Megan E. Lambert 🇬🇧 · $64

    “Happy to help. Thought of Silvia all day after reading this. - Manchester”

  • Usman Kelechi Williams 🇳🇬 · $100

    “From my family to yours. Shared with friends too. - Bonny”

  • Omer Kamran Tarar 🇵🇰 · $25

    “Hope things get better. Hope the May deadline works out. - Karachi”

  • Miles A. Martin 🇺🇸 · $50

    “Best of luck. Been where you're, it gets better. - Dallas”

  • Chebet Adhiambo Athumani 🇹🇿 · $20
  • Akinyi Mercy Kato 🇰🇪 · $10
  • Sergio C. Contreras 🇪🇸 · $10
  • Marcelo Rodrigo Ferreira 🇧🇷 · $25
  • Pongsak Manit Suksawat 🇹🇭 · $25

    “Happy to help. Thought of Silvia all day after reading this. - Nakhon Ratchasima”

  • Mason R. Washington 🇬🇧 · $229

    “From my family to yours. Only $229 but hope it helps.”

  • Phương Huyền Kieu 🇻🇳 · $30

    “Hope things get better. Small amount but sent with love. - Cần Thơ”

  • Guadalupe A. Escobar 🇺🇸 · $20
  • Lincoln E. Franklin 🇬🇧 · $75
  • Anonymous 🇬🇧 · $75

    “Wishing you the best. Hope the May deadline works out. - Leeds”

  • Ashok Roshan Shrestha 🇳🇵 · $15

    “Hope it all works out! - Kathmandu”

  • Anonymous 🇩🇪 · $10
  • Maria A. Castro 🇵🇭 · $10

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  • Best of luck. Shared this with my family. Read this on the bus and kept thinking about it all day. Love from Setagaya.

    • Sending strength, Silvia. Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. Put this on a community board in Cartagena this morning. Love from Cartagena.

      • Take care. Shared this with my family. My cousin had a similar thing happen so this one hit home. All the best

        • Wishing you peace, Silvia. This could happen to any of us. We lost years of savings to something like this so I get it. All the best.

          • Can I help in a way that isn't money? I'm near Austin

            • Silvia K. DíazOwnerAnswerPhoto verified

              Thank you. If you're in Austin I'll say if something practical comes up. For now sharing this is great. Fair thing to want to know.

          • Hang in there. Hope the shop reopens soon

            • Keep going, Silvia. Hope this works out for you. Blessings.

              • Hope you get there. Thinking of Austin.

                • Praying for you, Silvia. Shared it with a few friends. Take care.

                  • Sending love, Silvia. Gave what I could, wish it was more. God bless.

                    • You're not alone. This could happen to any of us. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust. Thinking of Austin.

                      • So sorry you're going through this, Silvia. Hope you get there. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust. God bless.

                        • Hope things get better soon. Your post was clear and honest. Don't give up. Blessings.

                          • This could happen to any of us. Don't be hard on yourself for asking. Greetings from Seoul

                            • small businesses are the heart of Austin. Hope you're open again soon. Greetings from Los Angeles.

                              • You're not alone, Silvia. Small businesses are the heart of Austin. Hope you're open again soon. Take care

                                $853 raised of $1,650

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