Organising a donation drive by Northeastern University students for their classmates who were affected by an apartment fire at 104 and 108 Hemenway St. in Boston. A lot of students lost much of their belongings in the fire blaze. The university came forward and immediately provided students affected by the fire with housing, toiletries, dining hall entry, rental laptops, and replacement course materials, as well as services to recover documents and comb through renter’s insurance policies. It was a student-led effort, students volunteered to collect items for the affected students such as bedding backpacks, toiletries, academic supplies, shoes, and clothing, with specific emphasis on winter gear, deodorant, menstrual products, classroom supplies beyond pens and notebooks, and backpacks.
A three-day collection drive was conducted by the students. Students not only lost their stuff in the fire but also a lot of personal stuff like home décor, journals, and clothes. One of the major problems caused due to fire is the loss of a home. The initial step was to find alternative housing for them. There needed to be enough capacity to cater to all the needs of the students.
This effort was carried by Karin Firoza and Yusuf Abdelkader, they were the ones who initiated the idea of organizing a donation drive. The initiative started as a small step by ten students but it grew to about a hundred students who participated in the volunteer program. Not just the students but the professors gathered necessities for the cause and put in donations for the ones who suffered a loss.
Witnessing your classmates go through such an event is a horrifying moment. To one day wake up in your home and one day lose it to fire. It is what comes next, which you aren’t prepared for. The destruction caused by a fire isn’t just a financial loss but also a personal loss. It could cause trauma and pain for the person who experienced a fire in their homes.
Soumya Pandey
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