After a Thanksgiving night fire, a local family was left without any items or a place to live, but the community has bound together to raise funds and donate items for the family to begin anew.
– Photos courtesy of Lititia Collins (Tish Bishop)
According to the family, they have recently found a place to reside, but they are still in need of items to replace those lost in the fire. Lititia Collins organized a fundraiser for the cause, stating that her family lost everything in the fire, including three dogs and a cat, and they needed help to rebuild and have an unforgettable Christmas with each other during the difficult time.
Local community member Tiffany Fuel announced on Sunday that a donation box for the family was placed in the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office lobby to help community members easily donate items for the family.
“The family’s lives were totally changed on Thanksgiving Day, they lost everything due to (the) house fire,” Fuel wrote. “Nothing can ever bring back their losses, but as a community, let’s help make it a little brighter.”
Fuel provided an update on Monday that a donation box was also set up in the entryway of Old Stoney at 301 E. Clinton St. in Frankfort. The front doors are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the doors will be opened to the public outside of normal office hours in the evening when public meetings are held. The City requested for all donated items to fit inside the boxes rather than placed next to the boxes, and donations of furniture or large items should be cleared through Tiffany Fuel or Lititia Collins for pick-up.
Collins thanked the community members that have already donated to the cause, stating that the help has been tremendous from the community during the trying time.
“Thank you everyone that has helped,” Collins wrote. “I have all of the furniture and beds and pots and pans and dishes we need.”
According to the latest update, the family is still in need of various items, and furniture is no longer a need as of Monday. The items needed are as follows:
- Toiletries
- Towels/Washcloths for bath and kitchen
- Curtains
- Food Cards for local restaurants as the family awaits a new refrigerator and new stove
- Laundry Supplies
- Hangers to hang up clothes
- Clothes for a female, such as XL shirts, XL leggings, 12’s jeans and 10 and 8 shoe sizes
Fuel reported that the family has received donations of dishes, pots and pans already, and she encouraged community members looking to donate to donate “whatever you can think of that would be needed to complete a home.”
– Photo courtesy of The City of Frankfort
Fuel thanked American Rental for its support by providing the box for the donations. For more information, contact Tiffany Fuel or Lititia Collins (Tish Bishop) on Facebook or visit the family’s GoFundMe campaign, where 61 donations have already been received for a total of $4,055 as of Thursday.