Thousands of dollars have been donated to help two fire victims in the Selma area

From the West Alabama Newsroom –

People in the Selma-Dallas County community have rallied around two families who recently lost everything they owned when their homes were destroyed in multiple house fires.

The generosity of kind-hearted people has given both families something that cannot be destroyed by fire.

“Hope! Hope, because I didn’t have that at the beginning. I didn’t have it,” said Evonne Thomas.

“I thought, ‘What are we going to do?!’ What we gonna do?!”

Thomas and her family are still living in a hotel – three weeks after a fire destroyed their home. But the room they’re all staying in now is a little bigger and has two beds – instead of just one.

“Oh, that’s a blessing. This is a blessing.”

A blessing made possible by the kindness of others.

A Go Fund Me page set up to help the family of five during this time of need has raised nearly $6,000.

“This shows us that there is a God. And that we weren’t alone in this,” said Thomas.

A Go Fund Me page set up to help another fire victim has raised over $2,600.

Savannah Tower is deaf – and her family includes ten children.

Melinda Peterson lives across the street from where they used to live.

“I just heard this explosion. And I said, “Oh my God!” That means something is burning. And then I just called 911,” Peterson said.

Local churches have also donated food, clothing, shoes and other items to both families.

“It is a devastating time for them. And we have to remember that if it were us, we would want someone to reach out to us,” Peterson said.

The Tower family’s Go Fund Me page can be found at gofund.me/64a50316.

The Thomas family’s Go Fund Me page can be found at gofundme.com/f/with-shelter-food-clothes-and-house.