Moving Forward After a House Fire
Donation protected
GENERAL UPDATE
Hope, Debbie, and Hannah have moved! On their fifth move (from house to hotel to a series of temporary stays), they are now in a rental apartment where they are continuing to work with the insurance company, the company that will complete the tear down of their house, and the many details of life that have changed in just the last month. What has helped is the generosity of those who have donated. A very very big thank you goes to the friends, friends of friends, and even strangers who have helped along the way. A large thank you to Norwood schools and first responders who have continued to help the family. Another large thank you to the Navy friends of Dirk Pierson (Class of '65) who have rallied in support of their friend's family.
The Piersons are looking forward to settling in while hoping to find a new permanent home. One big hurdle is getting their old house torn down and settling finances on that location. As noted before, this campaign fund has now been earmarked for that tear down which is not specifically covered by insurance. We have a final cost: $22,000 to tear down the house and the damaged garage as required by the city.
We are hopeful to meet and perhaps even exceed this goal, so if you have already donated, please continue to share this website with others.
THE HISTORY
I'm posting this on behalf of my friend Hope Pierson, her daughter Debbie, and her granddaughter who have lost all of their combined possessions in a devastating fire (early Tuesday morning, April 19). The furniture, clothing, and mementos belonging to all three; paintings representing the work created by my friend; and special toys, books, and lovies of the granddaughter were lost. Irrevocable losses included one cat belonging to my friend and three belonging to her daughter and granddaughter.
My friend had searched the Greater Cincinnati area for a special place where she could live with her daughter and granddaughter. Even while being a tireless advocate and friend of the Pendleton Art Center, New Thought Unity Center, and neighborhood schools where she volunteered, she and her family worked hard to clean, paint, and decorate this old Victorian to make it a loving home for the three of them.
Settled in for under a year, and just getting plants that Hope and Debbie were going to use to decorate for the upcoming spring, they were traumatized just this week by a sudden blazing fire in the middle of the night that forced them out with nothing but the clothes on their backs. WLWT coverage of the fire can be seen here: http://www.wlwt.com/news/norwood-house-fire-under-investigation/39098522
The days since the fire have been spent trying to understand the enormity of what lies ahead. It starts with the "small" things that take an emotional, physical, and financial toll. Working with the fire department and insurance adjusters, deciding which items might be restored, getting new keys for the car (costing over $400 alone), replacing basic toiletries and simple clothes, getting eye exams to replace glasses, and realizing as they inventory just how many things are gone and irreplaceable.
My friend and her family have appreciated the kindness and help of the Norwood Fire and Police Department; their neighbor who helped to warn them of the fire; the parents, students, and teachers at Williams Avenue Elementary School; and others whom they have encountered. But there is so much that cannot be accounted for in rebuilding three lives.
Please help in any way you can. Friends have offered immediate shelter, but they will have to find longer-term temporary shelter and a new place live. They will incur all the costs--and more--that they spent such a short time ago.
We appreciate all that you can do to help them move ahead. Other items that friends can offer to Debbie or Hope (if you know me, I will collect and turn these over to family members, or check in with friends at the Pendleton Arts Center or New Thought Unity Center) include checks, cash, or gift cards (groceries, general retail stores, restaurants, etc.).
Any and all help is very much appreciated!
Arna--one of the two very sleepy and somewhat traumatized cats who survived!
Hope, Debbie, and Hannah have moved! On their fifth move (from house to hotel to a series of temporary stays), they are now in a rental apartment where they are continuing to work with the insurance company, the company that will complete the tear down of their house, and the many details of life that have changed in just the last month. What has helped is the generosity of those who have donated. A very very big thank you goes to the friends, friends of friends, and even strangers who have helped along the way. A large thank you to Norwood schools and first responders who have continued to help the family. Another large thank you to the Navy friends of Dirk Pierson (Class of '65) who have rallied in support of their friend's family.
The Piersons are looking forward to settling in while hoping to find a new permanent home. One big hurdle is getting their old house torn down and settling finances on that location. As noted before, this campaign fund has now been earmarked for that tear down which is not specifically covered by insurance. We have a final cost: $22,000 to tear down the house and the damaged garage as required by the city.
We are hopeful to meet and perhaps even exceed this goal, so if you have already donated, please continue to share this website with others.
THE HISTORY
I'm posting this on behalf of my friend Hope Pierson, her daughter Debbie, and her granddaughter who have lost all of their combined possessions in a devastating fire (early Tuesday morning, April 19). The furniture, clothing, and mementos belonging to all three; paintings representing the work created by my friend; and special toys, books, and lovies of the granddaughter were lost. Irrevocable losses included one cat belonging to my friend and three belonging to her daughter and granddaughter.
My friend had searched the Greater Cincinnati area for a special place where she could live with her daughter and granddaughter. Even while being a tireless advocate and friend of the Pendleton Art Center, New Thought Unity Center, and neighborhood schools where she volunteered, she and her family worked hard to clean, paint, and decorate this old Victorian to make it a loving home for the three of them.
Settled in for under a year, and just getting plants that Hope and Debbie were going to use to decorate for the upcoming spring, they were traumatized just this week by a sudden blazing fire in the middle of the night that forced them out with nothing but the clothes on their backs. WLWT coverage of the fire can be seen here: http://www.wlwt.com/news/norwood-house-fire-under-investigation/39098522
The days since the fire have been spent trying to understand the enormity of what lies ahead. It starts with the "small" things that take an emotional, physical, and financial toll. Working with the fire department and insurance adjusters, deciding which items might be restored, getting new keys for the car (costing over $400 alone), replacing basic toiletries and simple clothes, getting eye exams to replace glasses, and realizing as they inventory just how many things are gone and irreplaceable.
My friend and her family have appreciated the kindness and help of the Norwood Fire and Police Department; their neighbor who helped to warn them of the fire; the parents, students, and teachers at Williams Avenue Elementary School; and others whom they have encountered. But there is so much that cannot be accounted for in rebuilding three lives.
Please help in any way you can. Friends have offered immediate shelter, but they will have to find longer-term temporary shelter and a new place live. They will incur all the costs--and more--that they spent such a short time ago.
We appreciate all that you can do to help them move ahead. Other items that friends can offer to Debbie or Hope (if you know me, I will collect and turn these over to family members, or check in with friends at the Pendleton Arts Center or New Thought Unity Center) include checks, cash, or gift cards (groceries, general retail stores, restaurants, etc.).
Any and all help is very much appreciated!
Arna--one of the two very sleepy and somewhat traumatized cats who survived!
Organizer and beneficiary
Cynthia Ris
Organizer
Cincinnati, OH
Hope Pierson
Beneficiary