Reprint from the Progress Times - December 7, 2007
©Progress Times 2007 - All Rights Reserved

Fire destroys local family’s home

Thanksgiving was difficult for Nancy Ramirez and her four children this year. They lost their modest mobile home to a fire on November 4. The fire completely destroyed the structure, located near 6 1/2 Mile N. Bentsen Palm Rd., and all their belongings. Only the floor and undergirdings remain.

As the breadwinner for her family, Ramirez makes a meager living cleaning homes and performing odd jobs. Her children are ages 4, 14, 15 and 18.

When members of a St. Paul’s Catholic Church were delivering canned goods and other items to people in the area at Thanksgiving, a neighbor alerted them to the plight of the Ramirez family. Members of the church, led by Joe Vela, youth minister, have organized an effort to gather clothing, appliances, furniture and building materials to help the family rebuild their home and their lives. Vela is working with the family while coordinating the donations.

"We’ve got a stove, a little building material and some clothes," said Vela. "But what we’d really like to do is help with rebuilding their home."

Volunteers who normally work with the Mission Service Project rebuilding homes for needy families in Mission area colonias have offered to assist with the labor of reconstructing the home.

Since all the family’s belongings were lost in the fire, an assortment of items are needed, but the biggest need is to rebuild the home itself. Donations of clothing, furnishings and building materials are now being accepted by St. Paul’s. Monetary donations should be made payable to St. Paul’s Catholic Church at 1119 Francisco Ave., Mission, Texas 78572. The parish secretary will keep track of all funds received and donors may specify how the money is to be used.

For more information, contact Joe Vela at 240-3930.