BRIDGPEORT--All 120 residents of what was a 36-unit condominium complex on Bridgeport's Charles Street were displaced by a New Year’ Eve morning fire. None were injured, but all are hurting.
Many families packed the Social Services office in Bridgeport Monday, where it was an all-hands-on-deck approach to helping these residents in need.
“Lacie Malcolm is a realtor and she just saw everything that was happening and she just came by because she just wanted to help out,” said Jose Leon, who is among those that were left without a home.
Malcolm, a Westport realtor, volunteered her services.
“She's trying to find everyone a home and, if she can't find everyone a home herself, she's even going on Craigslist and looking,” said an appreciative Leon.
He and his wife had an appointment to meet with a landlord this afternoon. The parents of two children, ages 2 and 1, also have a small dog. Pets can often be deal-breakers for landlords.
After meetings with social service personnel, the displaced residents were brought to a long hallway, where they could choose food and clothing if they were in need.
Over the weekend, Stratford EMS helped gather three ambulances and one car full of items to donate to the families.
One woman taking advantage of this opportunity was Vanessa Padilla, a mother of three sons, who Sunday experienced Christmas morning all over again.
A local Dunkin' Donuts franchisee, for whom Padilla and her family have long worked, felt the need to help.
“They gave them (her sons) all back their Christmas gifts,” said Padilla. “Everything that was under our tree, they gave it back to them.”
“I asked her what did the kids lose and we wanted to replace exactly what they lost, which included an Xbox One, a PlayStation 4,” said Nicole Ball, of the D’Andrea Group, which owns 13 Dunkin' Donuts in southern Connecticut.
Padilla’s 16-year-old son Khary, who works for one of the D’Andrea-operated Dunkin Donuts, was shocked with his surprise second Christmas.
“He lost a MacBook Pro,” noted Ball. “He's interested in video editing. So, for him, he was devastated because he had just gotten his computer.” A computer which a bunch of family members had chipped in to purchase.
The youngest of Padilla’s boys, 7-year-old Tony, was all smiles too. He got his Elf on the Shelf, Spike, back.
“The Bridgeport Fire Department was able to dig him out of the rubble and deliver him to Santa and Santa brought him to Tony yesterday,” said Ball, with a wink and a nod.
And Tony could soon have a new shelf to put the elf on. His mother says there is a good chance their family of four will be moving in to a new apartment this week. Even without any furniture, they can’t wait.