Moncton group Big Hearts Small City expands to Fredericton

A community group called Big Hearts Small City, based in Moncton, has stepped in to help a 70-year-old woman who lost her Fredericton apartment and all of her belongings in a fire on Union Street on Friday.

Jason Surette, the founder of the organization, works closely with the Red Cross, which provides three days of lodging to people in emergency situations.

"Part of our task is to try to help someone find a place to go after that three-day period and that's what we did over the weekend."

Surette says he started Big Hearts Small City after noticing there was a lot of community support for people who lost their homes to fire as far as donating clothing and furniture, but if they didn't have insurance and weren't receiving social assistance they were often homeless.

"When it comes to a place to stay people don't think of that. Youcan donate them all the stuff in the world but if they don't have a place to put it, it's not going to be any good for them."

Suretteexpanded his services to Fredericton in Januaryand says so far he is working with Killam Properties, although he would welcome other property management partners.

He says KillamProperties was "very generous" and willing to help the elderly woman who had no insuranceand no where to go.

"It was such an elderly lady that it did take a little bit of extra time to find her a place within her budget and to meet her physical requirements so they've agreed to put her up in a fully furnished apartment until they can find a place for her to go within the Killam Properties network."

Surette says the 70-year-old woman was very grateful after such a terrifying experience.

"All she got out of her apartmentwhen thefire happened was she grabbed her jacket, she had a nightie on and her winter boots and that's all she got out of her house."

The century-old home that had two apartments was so badly damaged by the fire it was immediatelytorn down.

Members of the Fredericton Fire Department did go back into the home with family members before the home was demolished and retrieved a few documents and family heirlooms.

Surette says the woman is very grateful and plans to work with the Fredericton Anti-Poverty Organization to collect whatever items she needs when she does find a permanent home.

"She really thought she was going to have nowhere to go and when she found out it was a furnished apartment she said, 'Do I have to bring pots and pans with me?' and I'm like, 'No you just have to bring yourself and a little bit of food with you, everything is in the building, in the apartment for you.'"

Surette says since he started Big Hearts Small City he estimates he has helped about 100 fire victims.