Malachi’s Message Hope Warrior Gala, 2023.
Hope (noun)
“a : desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment”
On December 16, 2023, one hundred and thirty people gathered at the Four Seasons in Austin, Texas for the 2023 Malachi’s Message Hope Warrior Gala. We all had just one goal in mind; to bring HOPE to families and individuals impacted by mold.
Malachi’s Message is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission it is to raise awareness and provide education and financial support to people impacted by mold. I’m so proud to volunteer and serve as the Vice President and on the board of directors of this incredible organization.
Why is awareness needed?
I can tell you first-hand that mold does not discriminate. People, like myself, can unknowingly live in outwardly beautiful homes with hidden toxic mold for years even after doing all the “right” things, like inspections and outsourcing regular system maintenance. My young children, husband, myself and our pets all deteriorated before my eyes, but we never thought to make the connection to our environment. We were told that sometimes kids just regress into autism unexpectedly. I heard that lots of working moms lose their hair, have constant headaches, have postpartum anxiety, and we all feel a little rage-y sometimes. Some people just have brain fog, trouble sleeping, digestive issues, adult acne, severe eczema, unexplained liver disease, and everyone is depressed these days. Lots of pets get cancer.
I vividly recall rocking my baby when she woke up in blood curdling screams nearly every night (from what we now know was brain inflammation) and telling her she was safe. Except she wasn’t safe and her tiny body was telling us that. I didn’t know how to listen to these symptoms back then, but I know now, and I will never again allow her to live in an unhealthy environment due to my lack of awareness of how our built environment can be the source of our health issues.
This is my “why” behind Conscious Healthy Home.
Why is education needed?
Every single individual needs to know that high-levels of mold are not normal in your built environment. It may be common to see some mold, but common it is NOT the same thing as normal, and it can be an indication that your building is not functioning as it should. All industries, all people, need this information in order to invest better, build better, live better, and make informed risk-based decisions for your home and your health—whether you’re a mold susceptible individual or not, you need to know that mold breaks down bodies and most building materials—some faster than others. But you also need to know that there are science-backed, best building-industry practices that actively mitigate this issue by consciously and intentionally managing water and air, like Passive Building methodologies. Being an educated and informed consumer ready to value better building practices and take on learning how your home is meant to function and your role in proactively maintaining it is your very best protection. When you know how buildings sometimes fail, you can manage these risks (with your dollars, your choices, and your teams).
Why is financial assistance needed? Doesn’t insurance cover this?
Unfortunately, no. Oftentimes, mold can be self-originating and/or hidden and not timely discoverable. Under the right conditions, mold can be growing inside wall cavities, HVAC systems, and other hidden areas of the home where condensation and dew point are uncontrolled or plumbing leaks are undiscoverable. Under most people’s home insurance policies, these are generally not covered losses, which means costly remediation falls solely on the homeowner and is an unexpected out-of-pocket expense. Additionally, doctors who are knowledgeable in mold illness and specialize in removing mold from the body generally do not take insurance. When people are sick due to mold, a risk-based approach must be taken with respect to cleaning and salvaging or throwing away possessions in the home that are likely contaminated with mycotoxins and cannot reliably be cleaned, like furniture, mattresses, toys, books, pictures, blankets, clothing, sentimental belongings, the list goes on. This leaves individuals with an incredible amount of unplanned expenses that many cannot afford all at once, if at all. It is not unusual to hear stories where people have to choose between safe housing, medical care, or medical care only for the most symptomatic individual in the household.
Emily Rachal and Elizabeth Cripe, Co-founders of Malachi’s Message with corporate and event sponsors - Kristina Baehr, Founder of Just Well Law and Keynote Speaker, Monica and Morgan Gilliam, Owners of Restore and Renew Remediation, and Josh Rachal, Owner of Texas Mold Inspectors ; Event Sponsors not pictured: Four Seasons Austin, Texas; Well Built Tiny Homes
So, just how did we bring hope on Saturday night?
We all gathered with open hearts, eyes, and minds to acknowledge and hold space for the hardships, and celebrate the victories of a community of warriors who have been in the dark places but have risen or are rising through it. Those of us who had stories to tell shared, and those who have not experienced mold first-hand, listened and held space.
We all shared incredible food, drinks and dessert, participated in a fun silent and live auction and a variety of other donation opportunities, danced to great music, had WAY too much fun with the 360 photo booth, and shared an abundance of community, connection, and appreciation for each and every attendee and friend of Malachi’s Message.
I’ve long said that our testimony is the prophecy for others.
When and if we’re called, it’s important that we share the trials of what we’ve been through so people know they’re not alone. But, it’s equally, if not more, important to share the lessons we’ve learned and our victories so that others are expanded into the possibilities for their future; their own potential for healing, their innate ability to be restored, and most importantly the variety of solutions each warrior has found in making their way through their respective journeys in finding, building, or curating a healthy and safe place to heal.
While everyone’s journey is different, those that have walked the path before you know that solutions exist (and we also know that there is no one-size-fits-all solution). We also know that the friends, supporters, and volunteers working with or alongside Malachi’s Message are each a important part of the equation.
Every single attendee elevated the cause on Saturday night by contributing, believing, and/or supporting people like me and my family and so many of the attendees who have also experienced mold or mold illness.
You can also help.
If you’re able and called:
Contribute to the cause by making a onetime or monthly donation, here <Individual Donations> or become a corporate sponsor, here <Corporate Donations>;
Believe people who have been through this and offer empathy and support; and
Use your voice to spread the word and help save other people’s lives by making them aware of the problem AND of the solutions.
Do you want to be part of Malachi’s Message’s mission? Shoot me an email (cristina@conscioushealthyhome.com) or connect with me on Instagram (@conscioushealthyhome) and let me know.
Stay conscious and curious, my friends.
♥️C
