An apartment building at Shawnee Apartments, 212 Shawnee Lane, caught fire early Sunday morning. The fire displaced eight households in the complex. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
“Three of the households have children,” said Heather Flynn, executive director of the Bedford Men’s Warming Shelter on its Facebook page. “The remaining other eight apartments in the building have smoke damage. The fire victims are all staying with families, so everyone has a place to stay right now.”
The local chapter of the Red Cross provided gift cards to the people who lost their homes. Community members and agencies stepped up to donate clothing, hygiene items, school supplies, gift cards, toys and other children’s items, Flynn said.
The focus, Flynn said, is now on rehousing. “As we learn each family’s specific needs, we’ll share requests for donations.”
The local Red Cross chapter had a meeting at the Men’s Warming Shelter at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, to connect with the families who lost their homes, as well as the families in the smoke-damaged apartments. People at the meeting could communicate what they need most in terms of setting up a new household.
In an email response to the Times-Mail, Flynn stated, “All we can say about our community is — Wow! This is a city of people who truly love their neighbors. We (Men’s Warming Shelter) began receiving calls early Sunday morning from people asking how they could help, offering everything from clothes to food to money.
“We opened the shelter to anyone affected to come in, and people began bringing in donations of clothes, hygiene items, toys, school supplies and gift cards. Pretty soon we had so many clothes and other items that we had to ask for a halt for the time being.”
Flynn said as the people affected recover, agencies will start focusing on finding housing for the people. “As soon as we know where and when people will be moving into new housing, we will put out new donation lists of furniture, household goods, and specific needs.”
Flynn suggested people keep praying for those in need, drop off a note of encouragement (to the Men’s Warming Shelter), also, consider a gift card for pizza or fast food.
Email to hflynn.stonecityalliance@gmail.com to find out what specific items are needed.
Anyone with household items, extra chairs, beds, dressers, kitchen items or other household necessities, can save them for when the families begin moving into their new apartments. Flynn said they will let the community know when those items will be needed.
Local churches are being asked to “adopt a family,” allowing a church or group to walk alongside each family, providing ongoing support, and helping meet that families specific needs as they rebuild. Sunday school classes or small groups can provide medicine cabinet kits or fill laundry baskets with laundry soap and towels.
For updates, check out the Men’s Warming Shelter of Bedford Facebook page.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Mail: Fire at Shawnee Apartments in Bedford leaves 8 households homeless
Reporting by The Times-Mail / The Times-Mail
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By The Times-Mail | USA TODAY Network
