Newport house fire that spread across the block relief - the Orchard settlement

The house fire that spread across the block hit the Orchard settlement on 24 August. My home was one of 56 damaged, and 6 families are still in temporary shelter at a borrowed warehouse. The first few days we shared what little we had. Now the cleanup has started, but we've no money for materials and winter or the rainy season is coming. Schools in the area have been closed, and the clinic lost its cold storage for vaccines. We're a small community of working families who have never asked for help before. We have formed a volunteer committee, and I'm the treasurer, so I'll post receipts for everything we buy. We buy supplies locally and in bulk, so the money goes further. Receipts and photos will be posted in updates. Where the $3,800 goes: • Clean water and purification supplies: $710 • Bedding, blankets and mattresses: $1,000 • Roofing sheets and timber: $2,090 Glad we found this place. - Madeline