Community organizations come together to help families devastated by apartment fire
Teaina London had just put her four children to bed, then fallen asleep herself when she woke, struggling to breath, unable to see clearly. She got out of bed and opened the one door that was her way out, and saw flames.
The apartment fire in the James Avenue Apartments on November 29 left London and six other families displaced. The fire, which remains under investigation, destroyed nearly everything residents had and left several of them still frightened.
Teaina London and her one year old daughter talk with Janise Hurley of Davidson Medical Ministries Tuesday during a delivery of items to help London and other families get back on their feet after losing everything in a house fire.
Elisabeth Strillacci
London said she knew that she had no choice but to push or carry her children through the flames - it was the only escape route. But her 12 year old daughter is still struggling with the thought that “mom pushed me into the fire. She doesn’t yet understand it was the only way to save her life.” The one year old was the only one to sustain injuries, receiving a second-degree burn on her wrist, but London worries about the emotional effects on the other children.
“I’m constantly asking them if they are okay,” she said.
One of the ways the community has come together to help make sure the families are okay is through the joint effort of a number of organizations, under the guidance of DC Connect, an umbrella group that knows what the local non-profits do best, and who to call on for what.
“I believe the first communication came from the Salvation Army,” said the Director of Home Solutions of Davidson County, Toby Prince. “But the goal was to reach DC Connect, because they have all the information on which groups can do what, and I believe there are about 45 organizations all together that they work with.”
Miriam Matias, volunteer coordinator trainer for DC Connect, made initial contact with each family to determine what they need to start again, and the list included everything from kitchen items to beds and linens to clothing and hygiene products.
Through connections with Princess House, Prince said they were able to secure donations of four full boxes of new kitchen items for every single family, including items like blenders and mixers along with china and pots and pans.
Janise Hurley, Prince, Matias and other volunteers gathered for a second time on Tuesday to distribute items to each of the families. Most have been relocated by the Thomasville Housing Authority which operates the James Apartments. Hurley is the interim director of Davidson Medical Ministries and she had the master list of what each family was getting. In one case, that included a king sized bed. The Baptist Children’s Home of NC made arrangements for donations of mattresses for all who needed them, even helping get them delivered.
“These are people who are working just to keep things together,” said Prince. “They don’t have the time or the resources to rent a moving truck and take time off to go pick the beds up, so this was a tremendous gift.”
Tyra, 27, was another mother who lost her home to the fire, which happened on her 5-year-old son’s birthday.
Toby Prince, director of Home Solutions of Davidson County, takes over the hauling of a brand new mattress from Tyra, left, one of 20 people displaced in an apartment fire in November, and another volunteer.
Elisabeth Strillacci
“I’m just glad no one was hurt, and I want to thank the community for helping,” she said. “We lost pretty much everything - I was able to get my bed frame out, and that was about it.”
London said she is beyond grateful as well, and as more boxes and packages were brought in to her home, she was surprised by the number of items.
“Oh my gosh there’s more stuff?” she said incredulously. “We are going to be okay. With this kind of help, how can we not be?” She moved into the apartment seven years ago, and had built a life there with her children, but said “nothing is more important than our lives. I’ve cried enough.”
But not everyone is as far along in the healing process.
Tymmisha and her new baby, one and a half months old, had just moved in to their new apartment. Tymmisha was “just getting out on my own for the first time” when the fire happened. She had been visiting her family not five minutes before the fire broke out, so was not in the apartment at the time of the fire. She came home to see her home in flames. She lost everything, including all the gifts from a baby shower, including a bassinet. She is the one person who has chosen to return to family for now.
“They found an apartment for me, but I just can’t go back there,” she said, “I’m just too nervous.” She does want to find a place of her own, but said until they find the cause, she just does not feel safe.
A daycare teacher, Tymmisha says she will continue to look for a place of her own again, and was grateful for the help delivered to her on Tuesday. One gift that has come from the fire is a new bond with another mother who is expecting and who lost her home as well.
“There is that silver lining,” she said. “I would tell anyone affected by something like this to stay motivated, and to always pray about things. It helps.”
Hurley and Matias still have a list of a few more items the families need, and if anyone is interested in making a donation, they can contact DC Connect offices at (336) 243-3222.
