THUNDER BAY – A fundraising campaign to help victims of Wednesday’s Government Road fire has already collected more than $8,250 of its $25,000 goal.
The home, which was destroyed in the fire, housed the Thrive program, an offshoot of the Urban Abbey that provided housing and other services for vulnerable women and their infants to help them through their addictions and on a path to recovery and hope over the course of 18 months.
“The participants are currently being housed in a church basement, so their journey to healing can continue,” writes Kimberley Morrison, who started the GoFundMe page.
“Some were homeless before entering the program. One staff member has returned to family. A second staff member is sharing an apartment with another Urban Abbey staff members,” Morrison said.
All six women lost just about everything they owned, Morrison said.
The program is one-of-a-kind, she added, noting they’ve already had to turn away one family seeking a place for their daughter and her infant.
“There is no other program or housing that can support her unique recovery,” Morrison said.
“Thrive is in desperate need of funds. We do not receive government funding. We are a totally private, independent ministry that provides for the needs of these women. We receive only a $600 monthly fee for participants.
The money falls far short of the cost for 24-hour daily supervision and other programming costs.
“All of our staff raise their own funding,” Morrison said.
The organization says it needs immediate help to continue to offer the program over the next six months, to house its four current participants, which they estimate will cost about $10,000 more than they have in their budget.
They also seek $8,000 to replace staff and participant computer equipment lost in the blaze, and $1,000 per woman for basic supplies. Furniture is another $4,000.
“Thanks for helping us restore these women to a safe environment they can call home,” Morrison said.
