How To Help Students Impacted by the Shrewsbury Fire

Late Monday evening, a fire tore through an apartment building in Shrewsbury. Out of the 30 people displaced by the fire, 18 are current Webster students. Thankfully, all of them safely evacuated the building without injury.

Student Affairs staff met with the impacted students Tuesday to identify needs and formulate a response plan. It was instantly clear that some students had lost everything and only escaped the blaze with the clothes on their backs. Top priorities identified by staff included ensuring all students had a safe temporary space to stay and providing them with assistance to get them through the next few weeks. 

A meeting with Student Affairs staff and representatives of the Red Cross with the students was held in Marletto’s Wednesday morning. The Red Cross provided the students with emergency financial aid and care packages with supplies such as toothpaste, soap, deodorant, and other items. All the students have since found temporary housing. The University is working with them to find more long-term solutions.

How Can You Help?

Webster is asking for the community’s help in providing the students with further assistance. The Gorloks Now! Crowdfunding campaign, which was started to meet emergency needs during the pandemic, is being restructured for this crisis. Donations can be made directly to the fund.

A Clothing & Essentials Collection Drive for the students will be held on Monday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at West Hall, 240 Edgar Road (entrance is off Garden Avenue). Items specifically needed are:

• Small, Medium, and Large FEMALE clothing items (shirts, pants, undergarments, socks, hoodies, jackets/coats)
• Medium and Large MALE clothing (shirts, pants, undergarments, socks, hoodies, jackets/coats)
• Female shoes in size 5, 6.5, 7, 8, 8.5 – especially closed toe shoes, sneakers, or boots
• Male shoes in size 7-12
• Luggage, backpacks, or bags (16 needed)
• Twin size bedding, throw blankets
• Pillows and pillowcases
• Cleaning supplies, laundry detergent (must be new with seals)
• Shower curtains (new)
• Cooking items (pans, pots, utensils, plates, bowls, baking sheets, Tupperware)
  Please note – toiletries are not needed

Webster University has a long and proud tradition of serving the needs of students who come from under resourced neighborhoods and from homes that make less than the average national income. Any donations made that are not used for this emergency will be banked for the future needs of other students who find themselves in similar emergencies. 

Working together and watching out for each other makes us a stronger and better community.