Loosing it all

I got a phone call in reference to a rental house I listed on Craigslist; a lady whose house just burned down the day or two before, family of 4, kids 5 & 11. Electrical fire, they lost everything.

"Kids 5 & 11? Do I know your kid?" Sure enough, in Molly's class last year, a very nice boy.

Well, about now my heart is breaking. Everyone was physically ok but they were in shock, depressed, dazed. I thought of my own kids going through this. How sad and vulnerable they must feel.

I just felt like I had to do something.

I had heard about how Vashon swings into action when there is a tragedy like this. I started making phone calls and talking to some island folk and was led to a gracious older woman who was a depository of information; food vouchers, furniture, Granny's chits, rental assistance.

Between the Redcross, local churches through their "Interfaith Council on Homelessness" Vashon Youth and Family Services, The Food bank and other groups. they are able to create a web of assistance, something to cushion the initial blow but almost more importantly longer support to pull your life together again.

It was pretty amazing to see and help start that ball rolling.

I have been thinking about home fires lately. A really fun blog I visit all the time is The Quirk Factor: Resistance is futile.

Her house burned down too. I felt the same heartbreak when I read her post. Everybody was ok physically but they lost it all too.

In my mind, I visualize a person like me who started calling so that her family could get connected to this web of assistance that is out there in all our communities.

We should all support it when we don't need it because it is there for us if we do.