Online benefit nets thousands for family

As the construction equipment hums at the fire-ravaged apartment house at 64 Rutland Street, one family displaced by the fire is on a path to rebuilding their lives with the help of the neighbors. A colleague of Sharon Male, who lost everything in her family's third floor apartment in the November 16 fire at 64 Rutland Street, set up a Gofundme site for the family that has netted over 100 donations and almost $7,000 since November 17. Shalisa Lamb, assistant director of early childhood education at United South End Settlements (USES), where Male is a substitute teacher, established the fundraising page the day after the fire. "It was my pleasure to do it. I would do it for any family here who had a fire," Lamb said. Lamb set the initial goal of the Gofundme page at $3,000, not realizing the extent of the family's loss. "I didn't know she lost everything so I figured $3,000 would help her to buy her a bed and some furniture," Lamb explained. The Boston Firefighters Local 718 is also pitching in to help Male to provide Christmas gifts for her daughter Kiany, 5 and son Kiariel, 1.

According to Lamb, "They lost everything." One particularly valuable items is the computer that Male was using to complete her on-line studies through Kaplan University with the goal of becoming a teacher. "Sharon is missing her laptop because she doesn't have a computer so her school is working with her. They are holding her classes for her and they aren't charging her," Lamb said. Male and her children were relocated to a hotel room by the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) immediately following the fire, and BHA has already found a new home for the family. While Male had hoped to stay in the South End, as she is fond of the neighborhood and her daughter is enrolled in the USES early childhood education program, she is happy to have a new home so quickly. Lamb reported, "She just found out she is getting an apartment in Jamaica Plain, so hopefully she will be moving this week. She is just excited to have a place again for herself and her kids and it's not too far. She said 'It's easy to get to JP. I just take a bus or a train and I'm here'." Among the destroyed belongings, one particularly valuable item that was lost is the laptop computer that Male was using to complete her on-line studies through Kaplan University to become a teacher. According to Lamb, "Her school is working with her. They are holding her classes for her and they aren't charging her."

As of press time, the page has raised $7,345 from 108 donors, to the grateful surprise of both Lamb and Male. According to BFD media contact Steve MacDonald, the Firefighters Union Local 718 is giving the Male family $2,500 from its children's fund, which helps families with children who suffer fires in November and December so that the children can have Christmas presents. Describing her friend's reaction to the public's generosity, Lamb said, "She's just speechless. She doesn't know what to say. She didn't expect so many people to help her out by donating money and clothes. I sent out an e-mail within the office asking for clothing donations, for her and mostly for the children. She gives me hugs every day."

To make an on-line donation, please visit the Male family crowd-funding site at http://www.gofundme.com/heb11o