A furious six-alarm fire erupted earlier this month on April 3rd in Brooklyn, New York that destroyed much of the Sunset Park apartment building, once a place called home to many families. The ferocious flames burned on past 24 hours despite the relentless efforts of more than 100 firefighters.
More than 100 Brooklyn residents were rendered displaced or homeless after the blazing flames quickly spread throughout the six-story building. Some residents barely made it out alive, and up to two dozen suffered from fire-related injuries.
To assist impacted families, the Tzu Chi Relief team provided 54 cash cards totaling $18,300 to 54 impacted families, in addition to 48 bamboo banks this past weekend during two distributions on April 13th and April 21st. Our compassionate volunteers also helped to instill hope and warmth in the hearts of survivor families through emotional support, and the provision of 55 blankets and 57 scarfs.
With a fire of this magnitude, structural damage caused the roof to collapse and made the building uninhabitable for an unforeseen timeframe. Many survivors have not only lost personal belongings and pets, but are also still unable to return to what is left of their home.
Unable to return to the charred remains of their homes, displaced residents are desperate for housing alternatives and financial means for food and clothes. As residents still struggle to regain a sense of normalcy following this disaster, the financial aid, clothing and universal love from Tzu Chi helps to ease the burden of recovery and pain from losses endured within the community.
Join hands with Tzu Chi USA to assist impacted families during this difficult time. Your generous gift will provide survivor families with optimism and assure them they are not fighting alone.
