Chester County's Department of Community Development recently provided an update on the progress of the 45 families displaced from their apartments by the fire at Ashwood Apartments that took place on July 30 in North Coventry Township.
Twenty of the families that lived in the apartments still need to find a new home, and 10 of these families are currently living in hotels, according to Pat Bokovitz, director of the Chester County Department of Community Development. The county has been providing hotel stays for the impacted families since the beginning, to the amount of $50,000.
Open Hearth Inc. is one of the community organizations working with the county to support the needs of every family that lost its home to the fire. According to Kelly Raggazino, executive director of Open Hearth Inc., there are specific housing needs right now, including a three-bedroom home for a family, preferably in the Owen J. Roberts School District. In addition, a few one-bedroom units are needed that are handicapped-accessible and preferably are first-floor apartments.
Landlords with properties to rent in the Pottstown tri-county area are asked to contact the Housing Authority of Chester County at ashwoodapartments@haccnet.org or 610-235-4484.
Monetary donations to support the families have been collected by Pottstown-based community support nonprofit Tri County Community Network. Through community donations, each family impacted by the fire was provided with $2,000 to assist it in the transition into its new home, according to Holly Parker, executive director of Tri County Community Network.
The Community Warehouse Project of Chester County has been providing furniture to the impacted families and will continue to do so. Details of the how to make furniture donations can be found at http://communitywarehouseproject.com/donate or by calling 484-473-4360.
Chester County government acknowledges the work being done by several community organizations, which have continued to provide ongoing case management services to the impacted families. They include Branch Life Church, Open Hearth Inc., Orion Communities, Friends Association, Handi-Crafters, Home of the Sparrow, Housing Authority of Chester County, North Star and Salvation Army of Pottstown.
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