A partnership between Starkville Fire Department and Starkville Housing Authority is expected to provide a temporary home for families displaced by structure fire this summer.
SFD Chief Charles Yarbrough announced the upcoming project to aldermen Tuesday, saying his department is working with the public housing commission to use one of its Pecan Acres units for families in their time of need.
Firefighters will prepare the unit for its temporary role with minor projects, like painting and a shower installation, Yarbrough said. In turn, SHA will allow the now-vacant building to serve as a place those affected by disaster can use in transition before insurance and other assistance take effect.
Yarbrough said he hopes the temporary housing is ready to receive families by early June.
“My thought is that I don’t want anyone going through such a tragedy to have to worry about the basic necessities — where you’ll stay, what you’ll eat and what clothes you’ll wear,” Yarbrough said. “Insurance kicks in at some point, but you still have to worry about that first day or night. Imagine if it’s you and your children in this situation.”
SFD will also solicit donations for the project — renovation materials and furnishings — and ask restaurants to provide vouchers for families to use for meals.
“We’ll take lumber, paint, beds — anything, really,” he said. “This is something great that the community can easily provide, and it feels amazing to be able to give back to the community.”
Yarbrough based the project off a similar initiative in Columbus. A transitional home, he said, will take pressure off of local charity groups, including the Red Cross and Oktibbeha-Starkville Emergency Response Volunteer Services, allowing them to transition funds from hotel bookings to providing needed supplies.
Mayor Parker Wiseman authorized the initiative Tuesday after aldermen applauded the two entities for their efforts.
“It’s a nice collaboration between the fire department and housing authority to meet a need that both groups deal with on a regular basis,” Wiseman said. “It doesn’t meet the needs of a long-term shelter, but it will at least provide a convenient, short-term solution that will help displaced families.”
For more information on how to donate materials or supplies toward the project, call Fire Station No. 1 at 662-323-1277.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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