Nominated by a therapist from United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), the Johnson Family is one of our extraordinary 2021 Adopted Families

UPDATE: We would like to thank our friends and colleagues who have donated and helped The Johnson family. Through the funds raised, CMM Cares has been able to relieve some of her financial burdens as they focus on creating a new routine for their family. We were able to replace some of the family’s lost necessities, provided the Johnson children with new clothes for school and we supplied an iPad to allow Zarayah Johnson to attend virtual doctor visits.

Luckily, the Johnsons were able to move out of a crowded homeless shelter and into an apartment. We furnished the apartment with a new air-conditioning unit and provided Ms. Johnson with gift cards to cover her travel expenses to the children’s school and Zarayah’s doctor appointments. Thanks to our supporters, we’ve helped Ms. Johnson and her children get back on their feet and back to making memories as a family after this tragic, unforeseen event.

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Could you have survived the COVID-19 pandemic without a home? The Johnson family was suddenly faced with this question when their home was destroyed in an electrical fire on Christmas day. Ms. Johnson and her three young children were forced to relocate to a crowded shelter mid-pandemic.

On top of feeling the devastating loss of their home, furniture, and personal belongings, Ms. Johnson struggled with helping her seven-year-old daughter, Zarayah, cope with her Cerebral Palsy symptoms. Having been suddenly uprooted and thrown into an unfamiliar living space posed a set of unique challenges for Zarayah and her siblings.

Ms. Johnson and her children now live in a one-bedroom apartment in Brentwood, but their troubles are far from gone. A single mother, she is tasked with travelling across Long Island for her children’s daycare and her daughter’s medical services. On top of this, she has been attempting to guide her children through the unexpected transition to online learning over the course of the pandemic.

How CMM Cares is Helping

While we can never replace the memories that the Johnson’s made in their family home, at CMM Cares we have pledged to devote our efforts to ease their burden. First, we want to supply them with the basic necessities that they lost. Thanks to our donors, we’ve purchased new summer clothing for the three Johnson children, a portable air conditioner for their rental home, and a new iPad to help Zarayah work with her Cerebral Palsy therapist remotely. We’ve covered the costs of bills and provided Ms. Johnson with gas gift cards to help her stay afloat. At CMM Cares, we’re hoping to get Ms. Johnson back on her feet after these traumatic events, and back to making memories with her three doting children.  

If you’re interested in helping us support the Johnson family with in-kind donations, financial support of our plans or if you know local businesses that may be interested in participating in our bringing our Wishlist plans to life, please contact Victoria at vtringone@cmmcares.org.

We would like to thank our friends and colleagues who have donated and helped our 2020 Adopted Family. With your generous support, we have helped Kyria Landry and her family begin to move forward.

Through the funds raised, CMM Cares has been able to relieve some of her financial burdens as she focuses on creating a new routine for her family. We covered costs for back to school clothing essentials, classroom supplies, and virtual learning support with Chromebooks for both girls. We’ve made sure Kyria has been able to babyproof her home for a curious toddler and preschooler and sent over care packages with everyday basics.

Kyria and Anthony both had dreams of continuing their education and earning their bachelor’s degree, and we are happy to share that amidst the turmoil of losing her fiancé, Kyria has decided to pursue her goal. She will be attending a 3-year accredited program, and with help of CMM Cares, she will have the technology she needs to succeed. Kyria will take virtual classes in addition to working and raising her children.

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Meet Kyria, Ajaleiyah, Avery, Mariah and Arlo

Here are Kyria Landry and her sweet children. On the morning of July 8th, their whole world was turned upside down. Kyria and her fiance, Anthony Edwards, had driven to Florida for the funeral of his grandfather, who had died suddenly of a heart attack. On that very day that Anthony said his final farewell to his grandfather who had raised him, Anthony was struck by a car and killed. He had just celebrated his 32nd birthday a day before.

Now, instead of celebrating their planned wedding nuptials, Kyria is facing the responsibility of raising and providing for her family as a single mother while mourning the loss of the love of her life. Anthony leaves behind Kyria, his two sons, and his two beautiful girls, though not his biological daughters, he loved them unconditionally as his own. 

This is Ajaleiyah and Avery. Ajaleiyah is a 13 year-old girly-girl who loves cheerleading, watching movies, and shopping. Avery is a sweet, soft-spoken 4-year-old who looked up to his dad. He loves superheroes, dinosaurs, and Nerf guns. 

This is Mariah and little Arlo. Mariah is turning 11 years old on Halloween. She loves karate, drawing and cooking. The youngest of the bunch is the almost 1-year-old, Arlo. Arlo is an easy-going baby who loves dinosaurs and trucks and just recently learned to explore the world around him on 2 (wobbly) feet. 

We had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Kyria and her children during a Cares planned family photoshoot at Waterdrinker Family Farm in Manorville, courtesy of Robert Frey of Mind State Media. Though it was bittersweet to be taking family pictures without Anthony, it was a wonderful experience for them. We hope these incredible photos will be a lasting reminder of the beautiful family that they’ve created. 

In getting to know Kyria, it’s clear that Anthony and Kyria brought out the best in each other. They inspired each other to be better people, believed in each other, and encouraged one another. The positive energy between them created an environment of stability and security within their relationship and their family. They were there for each other during tough times and always focused on creating a life of love and laughter.

As Kyria focuses on helping her children cope with the loss of their father, we hope that with the generous support of our friends and colleagues, CMM Cares can relieve as much financial burden on her as possible as she navigates through this tragic time.

Together, we can make a big difference for Kyria’s children. We are grateful for every person and organization that helps to give this family the future they deserve.