United Way says $67,200 distributed to Ferry Street fire victims

• The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley has announced that more than $67,200 has been raised and distributed for victims of the Ferry Street Fire in Easton
• More than 200 individuals and organizations contributed to the Ferry Street Fire Fund
• Nearly half the funds were sent directly to affected families, with the rest going toward housing efforts for those families

EASTON, Pa. — Hundreds of contributors have amassed more than $67,200 to help the families affected by the fire which destroyed 10 homes on Ferry Street in Easton this summer.

According to a release from the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, which established the Ferry Street Fire Fund with the Greater Easton Development Partnership, more than 200 people, companies and organizations contributed to the fire victims.

It said 100% of those contributions directly aiding those affected by the blaze.

“This outpouring of support in a time of crisis truly speaks to the caring power of the Easton community,” United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley President David Lewis said.

“Through this partnership with trusted and effective partners in the Easton community, donors can take comfort in knowing that their funds are properly managed and used only for those affected by the fire.”

The fire, which struck the 900 block of Ferry Street on May 29, 2023, destroyed or significantly damaged 16 homes, displacing 32 residents — including nine younger than 18 and two senior citizens.

Ten of those homes will need to be demolished.

'A great example'

Investigations into the cause of the fire have yielded little in the way of explanations, which Easton Fire Department Chief Henry Hennings said was not out of the ordinary considering the age of the block and the massive damage dealt to the buildings, many of which were out of code.

“Basically, with a fire like that, you're basing a lot of your investigation around putting together different stories — what people see, what we experienced when we showed up, what callers experienced, things like that, and then trying to find any evidence that's remaining,” Hennings said in a July interview.

Greater Easton Development Partnership Executive Director Jared Mast said the union of both local and regional organizations proved pivotal in providing the needed aid to the fire victims in a timely manner.

“Given the scale of the fire, it was important to partner with a regional organization like United Way to bring more visibility to the issue and, ultimately, more funds to help the households impacted by the fire," Mast said.

"This is a great example of local organizations doing work on the ground with the support of the Greater Lehigh Valley philanthropic community being motivated to help the cause by the influence and reach of United Way," he said.

Funds quickly distributed

Within days of the fire, the United Way and GEDP began distributing funds.

About $31,000 went directly to the residents who were affected, and $36,000 going to Third Street Alliance for Women & Children to provide stable housing for nine of the families who could not return home.

“The generosity of donors to the Ferry Street Fire Fund allowed us to mobilize and offer housing search assistance, security deposits and rental assistance to rapidly re-house households impacted by the fire," Executive Director of Third Street Alliance for Women & Children Alisa Baratta said.

"This initiative was successful due to the partnership organized by United Way and fueled by donors, community leaders and local landlords. It is a hallmark of what makes Easton, and the greater Lehigh Valley, such a wonderful place to live.”

In all, more than 200 people and organizations donated to the Ferry Street Fire Fund, including BSI Corporate Benefits, C.F. Martin & Co. Inc., Crayola, the F.M. Kirby Foundation and Human Active Technology.

Additionally, organizations such as St. John’s Lutheran Church contributed to the fund with donations collected from community members.

“As an Easton resident and current chair of the United Way campaign with my wife Adrienne, I was so amazed but not surprised to see United Way, Greater Easton Development Partnership along with many other leaders and partners immediately come together to take care of our neighbors," BSI Corporate Benefits Chief Executive Officer Tony DaRe said.

"I’m proud that our team at BSI Corporate Benefits could quickly contribute $10,000 to the fund to provide the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter for all of the displaced people and children.”

All of the collected funds were raised and distributed between May 31 and Aug. 23.

The future

The future of the land the intended-to-be demolished properties sit on remains in question. Redevelopment Authority Director John Kingsley stating the city may invest in the area to build affordable housing.

For the past few months, Kingsley has been in touch with the community, gauging interest in the idea of a city-sponsored program, though he still advises victims to be cautious of any third-party groups offering to buy their property or offer any other services.

“We are getting some interest, but it's not as though they're all saying ‘Yes, we want to sell to you,’" Kingsley said.

"They're coming in saying, ‘We're weighing different options.’ And clearly a couple of the property owners have been approached and whatever those offers, they're considering those offers."