We lost everything in the house fire that spread across the block: help the Marketplace neighborhood start over

The house fire that spread across the block hit the Marketplace neighborhood on 26 August. My home was one of 46 damaged, and 8 families are still in temporary shelter at the local school gym. 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. Funds go to building materials, water purification supplies, bedding, and food for families still in shelters. Where the $500 goes: • Bedding, blankets and mattresses: $100 • Tools and labor for repairs: $130 • Roofing sheets and timber: $270 If you're reading this, thank you. - Alka