Jeff Gilbert did not think much of the smoke alarms ringing on the night of Jan. 13. Where he lived-the Porchlight Transitional Housing Complex on North Brooks Street-they went off frequently.
"When [a Porchlight worker] banged on my door, I realized it wasn't a false alarm," he said.
Fortunately for Gilbert, the fire that forced him and the building's 100 other homeless residents to evacuate for hours left his room and possessions unharmed.
Doretha Garrett, who first saw the couch in the second floor lounge where the fire started, was not as lucky. She returned to her room next to the lounge three days later to find her possessions unsalvageable, except for the television she hasn't been able to fix.
Though shaken, Garrett is grateful for one thing: her new, albeit temporary home in the neighboring St. Francis Board House, where all sixteen of the similarly displaced and possession-less Porchlight residents have been relocated.
"I'm comfortable there," Garrett said. "I feel safe in the church."
St. Francis will eventually be disassembled as part of a contentious proposal for a student apartment building approved by the Common Council earlier this year. For now, though, the house has been repurposed for the displaced, and relief efforts have brought together community members formerly at odds over plans for the block.
LZ Ventures, the contractors behind the high-rise project, and Grace Episcopal Church, which runs the St. Francis House, have worked together to house Porchlight residents. Luther Memorial Church has supplied Porchlight with financial and clothing donations, and has urged members to continue to keep victims in their thoughts and prayers, according to Pastor Frank Wilson.
"This example illustrates that a community can still coexist and thrive despite a controversial construction project," Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, wrote in a blog post. "During a time of emergency and loss, good neighbors will forget the past and come together to help those in need."
The new clock Garrett received for Christmas may be hard to replace, but the outpouring response of the community has gone a long way to help her and others rebuild.
"We're very happy with the response, but we've now got two rooms full of clothing," said Steve Schooler, Executive Director of Porchlight. "At this point we're not accepting anymore, because we've been overwhelmed."
