On March 26 around twenty Sunstone Town homes in southeast Colorado Springs were destroyed by a three-alarm fire caused by carelessly-discarded live cigarettes. Three people were taken to the hospital, and more than 70 residents were displaced. Cathy Kissner, Adventist Community Services Director, reported about ACS’s response to the tragedy. “We are greatly saddened by the loss of the town homes in the Colorado Springs area and our team from Colorado Springs, Woodland Park, and Pueblo are working together, along with the community, to help the families re-establish normalcy,” Kissner said. “Our primary objective is to show the love of the Father to his hurting children,” she added.
A collection Distribution Center was open from 8 am – 6 pm at the nearby Springs Adventist Academy. The standard needs of the survivors were personal hygiene items, paper plates, paper cups, paper towels, plastic silverware, and new air mattresses. “As an agency, we are connecting a home-schooling family with the home-school association in Colorado Springs,” Kissner added. ACS also partnered with the Red Cross, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, and the LDS Church where each organization supported a specific need. Monetary donations are being encouraged now to support the relief efforts since many in-kind donation centers have filled up quickly.