Community helping Cape Coral fire victims

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- A Cape Coral family is picking up the pieces after a massive fire tore through their home Thursday. The Red Cross is paying for the family to stay in a hotel as they figure out what to do next. The Haddix family says the community has donated a lot to them.

“They’ve offered us clothing, they’ve given us monies, they’ve told us that if we need a place to stay, they you know would share their home with us, if we need a shower, if we want to wash clothes, you know…everything,” said Darren Haddix.

Their home on NW 12th Ave. went up in flames, leaving them with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Nobody was home when it happened. They were in Sarasota taking their son to rehab after a bad motorcycle accident.

“Neighbors have all so stepped up. It’s been an outpouring and it’s been awesome. All we can say is thank you,” said Haddix.

Jennifer Fischer, a local Girl Scouts leader, is helping the family get back on their feet, spearheading an effort to raise money and bring in donations for them.

“We have a member of our troop 102 who actually lives just right down the road so she was in the middle of all of it when it happened yesterday and we knew that as a troop we needed to jump in and take action,” said Fischer.

She’s already gotten checks from businesses in the area and a number of families. But perhaps the most touching gifts are coming from the Girl Scouts themselves.

“It’s all about empathy–teaching the girls empathy and the ‘what if’ how would you feel? Those types of things and it’s those questions that make a little girl break open her piggy bank and give her last five dollars,” said Fischer.

If you would like to donate to the Haddix family, a locked drop box is located at 2108 NW 24th Ave. in Cape Coral. There is also a Go-Fund-Me account in the family’s name.