Catholic Charities, Islamic Relief USA join forces

Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese partnered with Islamic Relief USA to distribute $15,000 in cash cards last Friday to residents affected by a fire that destroyed multiple houses in Albany last month.

Catholic Charities is a member of Capital Region Organizations Active in Disasters (CROAD). CROAD is a coalition of local community organizations that assist survivors after man-made or natural disasters. The goal of this network is to work alongside local emergency response organizations to create a regionally-coordinated, long-term recovery plan.

As the disaster case management provider, Catholic Charities was approached by Islamic Relief USA to help facilitate the cash-card program. Catholic Charities then contacted individuals affected by the fire, and coordinated the distribution.

“Catholic Charities is honored to play a part in helping these fire survivors and we are grateful to community partners such as Islamic Relief USA that take an active role in the recovery efforts,” said Vincent W. Colonno, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany.

Each family affected by the May 19 fire on Bradford Street that displaced over 40 people will receive a $500 gift card to help purchase necessities. The apartments were home to resettled refugees, immigrants, and limited-income residents.

Kara Kern, 23, was one resident affected by the fire. Waking up early in the morning to her daughter screaming, Kern recalls not knowing where the fire was coming from. She burned her hand trying to open her front door and soon recognized that flames were on the other side of the door. Kern, with 8-month-old baby Jayla Hernandez in her arms, told her oldest daughter, Avianna Kern, 5, to go to her room where the fire escape was. In the smoke, however, she couldn’t find her son, Avery Hernandez, 3. After being ordered to get out of the house, Kern and her baby made it across the street.

According to Kern, after five agonizing minutes, firefighters found Avery and brought him to safety.  “I literally thought I was going to lose my son that day,” Kern said. Although Kern burnt her fingers when she initially tried to open her door and again when she opened her window to use the fire escape, a trip to the hospital assured her children weren’t injured.

“If it wasn’t for these programs we’d still have nothing.” Kern said. 

“The objective here is to provide financial support to the individuals and family members whose personal belongings were destroyed as a result of this large fire,” said Syed M. Hassan, public affairs specialist for IRUSA. “We hope this program will help in the recovery, providing some comfort and assistance during a very difficult period.”

Among the other recipients included James Holt and 15-year-old Jashawn Venable, who said they were the first ones in their building to smell smoke and alert the others. After looking out his back window to see smoke billowing up, Holt ran downstairs and began knocking on the door of his neighbor. When he returned, the entire backside of the building was engulfed in flames.  Venable made a point to mention he ran back inside to get his new sneakers before knocking on the doors of other tenants with his grandmother. 

“Nobody even noticed, surprisingly,” Venable said, “and it was a really strong smell, it was harsh.” Both Holt and Venable note how assistance from Catholic Charities and the Red Cross has given them what they need to move into their new apartment. 

“Materialistic things can be replaced but people's lives can’t,” Venable said.