Lawrence Familias Rebuild Lives
Donation protected
On Thursday, September 13th, the city of Lawrence MA was devastated by a series of gas explosions and over 70 separate fires. Dozens were injured and 18-year-old Leonel Rondon passed away. Homes erupted in flames across the city and in the neighboring towns of Andover and North Andover. Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency, as the city resembled Armageddon. Now it's time for Lawrence families affected by the fires to rebuild their lives.
The Lesley University (Cambridge, MA) Office for Multicultural Affairs and Student Inclusion (MASI) is organizing this fundraiser to support the victims of the explosions and fires. In the last few months, the progress has been slow and many families are still displaced, living in trailer homes, or are without heat/electricity. The goal is to build off the success of the fundraiser a fews months ago (that raise $4400) and work to fundraise to $10,000. Any funds raised will be used to purchase gift cards that will go directly to families in need. These gift cards will not go through any particular relief agency or local organization, but instead will be given to Lawrence Public School administrators and guidance counselors so they can distribute them directly to families with children in the district who are most in need.
Here is the specific 5-step plan:
1. When we have reached our goal or close to it, Tatiana Cruz (Professor of History) and Jennifer Castor (Director of MASI) will personally withdraw the funds from the campaign and use them to purchase $100 gift cards that can be used anywhere.
2. MASI affiliates will put together packages for each student and their family. Each family will receive an envelope with $100 - $200 worth of gift cards and a personalized note (to be determined by the final amount raised). The goal is to help between 20 - 40 families, providing them with a minimum of two gift cards each ($100 value total, but hopefully more like $150 or $200).
3. MASI will update all donors with photos of these cards/ gift cards packages.
4. Then, we will give these pre-packaged cards to Lawrence Public School administrators (principals/ assistant principals) and guidance counselors. We will begin at Lawrence High School since it is the largest school in the district and is in the heart of South Lawrence where the explosions/ fires had the biggest impact. These school officials work directly with the students impacted and know which families have been displaced and need the most help. They will be charged with identifying which families should receive the donations. Should there be any cards leftover (which seems unlikely since there are so many students in need at LHS), we will move to give them to administrators/counselors at the other elementary/middle schools located in South Lawrence.
5. LHS administrators and counselors will directly distribute the donations. Once they are received, Lawrence families can use the gift cards however they please. There are no restrictions. They will likely use them to purchase what they lost in the fire and what they need most: food, clothing, small hot plates, diapers/formula, school supplies etc.
Please consider donating. Any bit helps. We hope you can all contribute and help rebuild the great city of Lawrence.
For more info on this historic disaster and what has happened in the months since, see the Eagle Tribune, the city's local newspaper: http://www.eagletribune.com/
Questions about this fundraiser? Please contact Jennifer Castro at [email redacted] or Tatiana Cruz at [email redacted].
The Lesley University (Cambridge, MA) Office for Multicultural Affairs and Student Inclusion (MASI) is organizing this fundraiser to support the victims of the explosions and fires. In the last few months, the progress has been slow and many families are still displaced, living in trailer homes, or are without heat/electricity. The goal is to build off the success of the fundraiser a fews months ago (that raise $4400) and work to fundraise to $10,000. Any funds raised will be used to purchase gift cards that will go directly to families in need. These gift cards will not go through any particular relief agency or local organization, but instead will be given to Lawrence Public School administrators and guidance counselors so they can distribute them directly to families with children in the district who are most in need.
Here is the specific 5-step plan:
1. When we have reached our goal or close to it, Tatiana Cruz (Professor of History) and Jennifer Castor (Director of MASI) will personally withdraw the funds from the campaign and use them to purchase $100 gift cards that can be used anywhere.
2. MASI affiliates will put together packages for each student and their family. Each family will receive an envelope with $100 - $200 worth of gift cards and a personalized note (to be determined by the final amount raised). The goal is to help between 20 - 40 families, providing them with a minimum of two gift cards each ($100 value total, but hopefully more like $150 or $200).
3. MASI will update all donors with photos of these cards/ gift cards packages.
4. Then, we will give these pre-packaged cards to Lawrence Public School administrators (principals/ assistant principals) and guidance counselors. We will begin at Lawrence High School since it is the largest school in the district and is in the heart of South Lawrence where the explosions/ fires had the biggest impact. These school officials work directly with the students impacted and know which families have been displaced and need the most help. They will be charged with identifying which families should receive the donations. Should there be any cards leftover (which seems unlikely since there are so many students in need at LHS), we will move to give them to administrators/counselors at the other elementary/middle schools located in South Lawrence.
5. LHS administrators and counselors will directly distribute the donations. Once they are received, Lawrence families can use the gift cards however they please. There are no restrictions. They will likely use them to purchase what they lost in the fire and what they need most: food, clothing, small hot plates, diapers/formula, school supplies etc.
Please consider donating. Any bit helps. We hope you can all contribute and help rebuild the great city of Lawrence.
For more info on this historic disaster and what has happened in the months since, see the Eagle Tribune, the city's local newspaper: http://www.eagletribune.com/
Questions about this fundraiser? Please contact Jennifer Castro at [email redacted] or Tatiana Cruz at [email redacted].
Organizer
Tatiana M. F. Cruz
Organizer
Cambridge, MA
