A month after a Montgomery County, Maryland, women’s shelter caught fire, the Interfaith Works Women鈥檚 Center on Crabbs Branch Way reopened Wednesday, welcoming 37 women back home.
鈥淲e did not foresee 鈥� that something like this would happen,鈥� said N鈥橨eri Henry, Interfaith Works deputy director of emergency shelters. 鈥淲e actually were really excited about having some volunteers to come over to provide some barbecue meals, for the spirit of Fourth of July. However, I got a phone call around 10:30 informing me that, yeah, there’s been a fire.鈥�
Henry said once she saw the damage, she was worried about the women who would need a place to stay and receive meals. Immediately, several county agencies and the Red Cross stepped in to help move the women to a temporary space. But there鈥檚 nothing like their Derwood, Maryland, home.
鈥淚 know this is, like, the worst thing that could possibly happen,” Henry recounted conversations with some of the residents. But she also reminded them that, “although it’s bad right now, things will smooth out as time goes on, right? And to not just fixate on where we’re currently at right now. We have a plan in motion.鈥�
Little did Henry know just how much the community would come together to get them back on their feet. With a lot of restoration and cleanup that needed to be done, the staff didn鈥檛 know how long it would take to reopen the facility. But with the help of more than 300 donors and $80,000, which was raised in just a month, the shelter is back in action, featuring new additions such as more furniture.
There’s little trace of the damage caused by the fire.
鈥淚t doesn’t smell like smoke. It’s nice and fresh and airy,” Henry said. “Flooring has been taken care of. 鈥� The roofing has been changed out.鈥�
However, Henry said it鈥檚 things such as meals, toiletry items and heartwarming messages from the community that reminds the nonprofit and the women they鈥檙e not alone.
鈥淵ou often hear individuals say the world has changed. People are not really caring for other people,” Henry said. “And that’s so untrue, because we witnessed it personally. The support from the community 鈥� we didn’t even foresee that the support would be as much as it was, but we’re so thankful for it. And it was really great for our ladies to see that.”
Interfaith Works also invites people to spend their time volunteering, donating food and learning more about their agency.
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