Request for help and signal boost
Yesterday, there was a major fire in West Philadelphia. A very large apartment building was completely gutted as the fire spread through the walls, burning for five hours. It was so bad that the fire department had to call a retreat from the building for the safety of the firefighters.
While there were only a couple of minor injuries to humans, approximately 100 people lost everything they own: clothing, furniture, pots and pans, etc. Imagine if you were suddenly homeless and owned nothing more than donated clothes.
One of the people so devastated is an editorial assistant at my employer. Everyone knows the publishing industry doesn't pay its assistants very much, and a non-profit is even tighter.
I'm asking if people can help by donating and by signal-boosting. Julia has no family nearby, and she needs to come up with everything from shoes and clothes to a deposit on a new place to live and some furniture. One of my other coworkers has set up an earmarked Paypal account for donations.
If by some miracle we raise more than what's needed to get Julia back on her feet, we'll donate the excess to the American Red Cross. Thank you for any help you can offer.