In Wake Of Oswego Fire, Help Arrives For 24 Families

OSWEGO, IL — Relief efforts are well underway after 24 families were displaced by an apartment complex fire in Oswego Monday morning. The incident at 1500 Light Road left many without a place to stay for the night until help arrived. According to a press release from the Oswego Fire Protection District, some families need more help than others.

“We were getting a lot of calls from people asking how they could help,” says Deputy Chief of Oswego Fire Protection District Josh Flanders. “We need the landlord there to make sure it all goes to the right people.”

They’re accepting only gift cards, gift certificates and monetary donations, which will be used to purchase necessities like clothing, food and toiletries. He says they're keeping close track of how those donations are distributed to make sure it all goes directly to the victims of the fire.

The American Red Cross provided assistance in the immediate aftermath by opening a resource center that day so families affected could get information. There, Red Cross representatives got to know the families and their situations.

"We make sure they have a place to stay that night and a few nights afterword," says Catherine Rabenstine, spokesperson for the American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois. "We teamed up with St. Vincent de Paul, which provided vouchers for people to replace clothing, and Kendall County Community Food Pantry offered food support."

Things like medication, shoes and prescription glasses are a priority for the Red Cross. In the long-term, the Red Cross can connect families with resources available outside the Red Cross, including mental health services.

A staff member with the apartment complex did not have any further comments. A crowdfunding page has been set up with a goal of $24,000.

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