Test Post Submission Page

In the early morning hours of Thursday, August 24, Lastenia woke up to the smell of smoke. She immediately began coughing and soon realized that the apartment complex where they lived was on fire. Waking up her husband and gathering their two sons, the family escaped, but the fire soon claimed their home and everything in it. “It was frightening – I saw the flames and the smoke, and I couldn’t breathe or think,” Lastenia said. “We gathered in the parking lot and watched the firefighters and the police, and as we realized what was happening, it started to become reality.” The fire at the Sonora Apartments destroyed 12 of the 16 units at the complex, including Lastenia’s. The remaining four units suffered severe water and smoke damage. More than 50 people lost their homes and nearly everything in them within a matter of hours.  ADRN responded immediately to support the American Red Cross in the hours that followed. That Saturday, ADRN volunteers opened a Survivor Intake Center at our headquarters, meeting with 14 of the 16 families who lost their homes. Through the generosity of our donors and the skills of our volunteers, ADRN distributed nearly $9,000 in emergency funds and Hope Family Thrift Store vouchers; 43 Survivor Care Kits including pillows, blankets, and hygiene essentials; and more than a dozen Bibles. Two Bibles went to a family who said they were the first copies of the Scriptures that they had ever owned. Each family had an opportunity to tell their story, begin to process what they had endured, pray with trained volunteers, and find glimpses of hope in crisis. “I don’t have enough words to explain how grateful I am for all the help that we’ve received,” said Lastenia. Eleven families from the Sonora Apartments have asked for long-term support through ADRN’s Disaster Relief Shepherd Program. We are working with our network of churches and others in the community to get them the emotional and spiritual support they need for their long road to recovery. ADRN’s Shepherd Support staff will also continue to work with these families as they navigate the many challenges they face, and we’ll offer additional help as needs arise and resources are available. An early morning fire on Thursday, August 24 destroyed 12 of 16 units at the Sonora Apartments in North Austin. I don’t have enough words to explain how grateful I am for all the help that we’ve received. Lastenia Lopez

“I need you to grab whatever you can and get out because YOUR BUILDING IS ON FIRE.” Hildo Garcia was awakened by shouting outside of his apartment on February 1. When he looked out his window, he thought he saw flames. As he started down the steps of his building to investigate, he was met by a police officer who told him, “I need you to grab whatever you can and get out because your building is on fire.”  If you’ve never been faced with a situation like that—and I pray you never will be—the urgency makes it very difficult to think clearly. Survivors often tell us how helpless and afraid they felt in those moments.  Heeding the officer’s advice, Hildo rushed back upstairs to grab a suitcase that still had some clothes packed inside. Once he was back outside, he could see smoke across the roofline of his apartment.  Later that morning, after the fire was fully extinguished, Hildo was allowed back into his apartment, but nearly every single thing was lost to smoke, fire, or water damage.  When starting over after a fire, it can take months to get your mind accustomed to the fact that everything you once owned was lost in an instant. You reach for your watch . . . your favorite frying pan . . . your best set of bed sheets . . . but they’re all gone. Of course, precious photos, and family mementos can’t be replaced, but with the help of friends like you, ADRN can assist survivors with the basics to get them on their feet again.  When we met with Hildo, he told us that the Red Cross assisted him in replacing the medications he lost in the fire and put him in touch with ADRN. He told us how hard it was to see all the devastation and loss as he picked through the rubble in his apartment trying to find anything that was salvageable.  “The thought of how I was going to get through this did cross my mind,” he said. “But looking at the people that were helping me at that time, I thought, this gives me hope. There is still humanity out there that brings communities together when you have a disaster. I can’t thank you guys enough for everything that you have done.” He adds, “We prayed…and [you] provided a Bible because I lost mine in the fire. You provided some gift cards to the grocery store and thrift store, which was very helpful in getting the other things that I needed.” There’s no words to express the gratitude that I feel for everything that’s been done. I thank you [ADRN] for your organization, and for what you stand for, and for everything that you all do. Hermingildo “Hildo” Garcia