ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY THE CEDAR AVENUE FIRE
A New Year's Day explosion and fire on Cedar Avenue in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, adjacent to the West Bank campus, destroyed a building that housed the Otanga Grocery store and apartments. Tragically, three residents of the building lost their lives and some remain hospitalized. Apartment tenants who survived the fire lost their homes and possessions.
You can help:
Donate to a fund created by Brian Coyle Center, part of Pillsbury United Communities! Contributions can be made online at http://www.puc-mn.org/donate, or by check to "Pillsbury United Communities," sent to Brian Coyle Center at 420 - 15th Avenue S, Minneapolis, 55454. Note "Cedar-Riverside Fire Disaster Relief" on all donations;
Donate through Confederation of Somali Community in MN at http://csc-mn.org/cedar-riverside-fire-victims-fund/, and write "Cedar-Riverside Fire Disaster Relief" in the box designating special purpose for your gift;
Attend a benefit concert for fire victims on January 24 at the Cedar Cultural Center. For more information go to http://www.thecedar.org/events/2014/01/24/cedar-ave-fire-benefit.
University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview, where some of the victims were treated, has collected clothing, cash and gift cards for survivors and continues working with community organizations to identify additional needs of the survivors.
