Peekskill Mayor Establishes Fund for Fire Victims
Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina has raised $3,000 as of Wednesday afternoon for four families left homeless by a fire on South Division Street on March 4.
Catalina, whose law firm donated $500, set up a Fire Relief Fund to ensure all money collected would be dispersed directly to the Ortiz, Bergara, Pacheco and LoJano families. Fourteen people, including five children, were displaced by the three-alarm blaze, which started in a second floor apartment and has been preliminary ruled accidental.
“We have been contacted by the families who desperately need help and assistance,” Catalina said. “Since the city has no direct avenue to place these families, we have directed them to the appropriate social services agencies to secure new homes, but they will need financial assistance beyond that available through those agencies.”
The families were given temporary shelter by the American Red Cross but after three days they were homeless again, relying on the goodwill and generosity of private citizens and Assumption Church.
The Peekskill School District is collecting clothing for the children affected by the fire, but Catalina noted a massive community appeal for clothing in 2013 following a fire that destroyed several apartments on Lakeview Drive resulted in the Peekskill Elks Club collecting a lot of clothing that wasn’t useable by the victims at that time.
“We do not want to replicate that well-intentioned but misplaced response,” Catalina said. “The most direct way to help these families will be through financial contributions.”
Catalina has assigned his daughter, Andrea N. Catalina, also a lawyer, to oversee the funds. Checks for the families should be made payable to: Andrea N. Catalina, Esq., Fire Relief Fund and mailed to 1013 Brown Street, Peekskill, NY 10566 or dropped off at that address or at City Hall in the Mayor’s Office.
For further information, contact Mayor Catalina at (914) 760-1570.
“It won’t be held for any length of time. It will be dispersed quickly,” he said.
Ramon Fernandez, a city taxi driver who offered his services to the families free of charge during Monday night’s Common Council meeting, said it was uplifting to see the support shown to the families in need.
“I feel very proud for the great community that we have here,” he said. “You feel in your heart when you have kids of your own. They are really needing everything right now.”
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