How to Help Victims of the Fire/Explosion at Flower Branch Apartments

[mahatmakanejeeves]

[font color=red]I've learned to be wary of forwarded emails. This one came from someone pretty reliable. Always verify before giving anything.[/font]

Information on How to Help Victims of the Fire/Explosion at Flower Branch Apartments
For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 11, 2016 MontgomeryCountyMD.GOV
Please see the listing below for ways the public can help the victims of last night’s (8/10/16) fire/explosion at the Flower Branch Apartments in Silver Spring.

Donations for Piney Branch Apartment Explosion Victims

MAIL (via check) FINANCIAL DONATION
Mail it to:
Montgomery Housing Partnership
(Attn: Long Branch Fire)
12200 Tech Road, Suite 250
Silver Spring, MD 20904
{*} Write LONG BRANCH FIRE in check memo
Please note that 100% of your donation will go to the victims, there are no service fees.

ON-LINE FINANCIAL DONATION
(Easiest - and preferred!)
{1} Go to: www.MHPartners.org
{2} Click on "Give Direct" (on right side of your screen)
{3} Input amount and credit card number
{*} Make sure you indicate LONG BRANCH FIRE in the 'comment' box:
Donations of Goods
There is an immediate need for baby formula and diapers, which can be taken directly to the CASA Welcome Center at 734 E. University Blvd.
Toiletries, canned food and clothing can be donated to:
· CASA Welcome Center at 734 E. University Blvd;
·
A Wider Circle at 9151 Brookeville Rd., Silver Spring 20910 (also accepts furniture); 301-608-3504
Call for pick-up, drop-off furniture 7 days a week
·
· Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington at 501 Sligo Ave. (also accepts cash and check donations)
Phone #: [phone]
Address: 501 Sligo Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Make donations:
Cash Donations - Checks can be sent to ACSGW at 501 Sligo Avenue,
Silver Spring, MD 20910 (Make checks payable to ACSGW) Emergency Fund.
On-line and pay via PayPal and mark it “Other” or Emergency Fund @ www.acsgw.org
Clothing, houseware items, toiletries, blankets, sheets, etc. --- No furniture

ACSGW will be open for calls and services at the following days and times during this weekend:
Friday – 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Saturday – 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
Sunday – 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

Spanish speaking Case Manager at ACSGW for any help or questions.

[elleng]

1. Thanks

[JonathanRackham]

2. One could always call the local Red Cross.

My former brother in law is a local volunteer disaster coordinator. Cash if it's long distance and material goods if you can transport them locally. People have no idea how much material goods mean to a family that was just burnt out. There's short term and long term needs. Everything helps.

[nitpicker]

3. Update from WaPo (third body found) and link to donation sites ((CASA also too many goods))

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/search-for-missing-continues-after-silver-spring-explosion-kills-2-leaves-dozens-injured/2016/08/12/1858ad9a-606d-11e6-8e45-477372e89d78_story.html

Authorities: Third victim’s body found after massive Silver Spring explosion

August 12 at 10:01 PM 

(snip)

In addition to the three known deaths, 34 people were injured in the explosion, which was so powerful that it blew doors and debris hundreds of feet into the air and nearly leveled the building. Dozens of families in the working-class and primarily Spanish-speaking complex lost everything.

Still want to help victims of the Silver Spring apartment explosion? Here’s how

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/still-want-to-help-victims-of-the-silver-spring-apartment-explosion-heres-how/2016/08/12/a0400536-60e1-11e6-9d2f-b1a3564181a1_story.html?tid=a_inl

((MoCo website list: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=16282 ))

Representatives from local nonprofit groups, faith groups and county agencies began coordinating a response Friday, aided by government officials from Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala.
(snip)

Twenty-four units were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, according to the county. But many of those units housed more than one family, so there are up to 60 households in need of shelter.

Mary Anderson, spokeswoman for Montgomery’s Department of Health and Human Services, said officials are identifying the size of each household so they can match it with an appropriate apartment. (snip) Uma Ahluwalia, the agency’s director, urged sympathizers to send cash donations or gift cards, saying officials had already received more in-kind gifts than they can handle. “We do not need any goods,” she said. “No food, no water, no diapers at this time. We will need them later.”
(snip)

Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford (R) will visit the scene of the fire Saturday morning and meet with Leggett, said a spokesman for Gov. Larry Hogan (R). Hogan offered condolences to the families displaced by the fire.
(snip)