By Sara Beth Williams–
Several residents displaced by a recent fire at the Antelope Hills Townhomes complex in Citrus Heights on Father’s Day have begun community fundraising efforts as they work to rebuild their lives after losing nearly everything in the blaze.
As of this week, four separate GoFundMe fundraising pages have been shared with The Sentinel by four families impacted by the fire on Father’s Day.
All families say donations will go directly toward funding a new place to live, along with clothes and other essential belongings.
Sara Scott Fundraiser by China Anderson: Rebuilding After the Citrus Heights Fire – $0 raised
The Kent Family: Fundraiser by Miranda Kent: Support for Miranda’s Family After House Fire, $100 raised
Fayth Sherbert: Fundraiser by Morgan Sherbert : Support Fayth and Her Kids After the Fire $3,457 raised
Cameron Johnson: Fundraiser by Cameron Johnson: Help Us Rebuild After House Fire $15,110 raised
A total of 12 households were impacted by the fire. The homes not damaged by fire were damaged by smoke and water, Sacramento Metro Fire District officials said. No lives were lost.
At the time of publication, the Kent family has raised $100. Sherbert and Johnson have raised $3,445 and $15,000, respectively. China Anderson’s good friend Sara has not received donations yet. Another family The Sentinel spoke with said they did not set up a GoFundMe page.
Miranda Kent and her family have two children and said they have lost almost all of their belongings. On Wednesday, Miranda’s husband was packing up the last of what they could salvage and said management at the townhome complex had asked everyone to finish cleaning out their units by 12 p.m. that day.
The American Red Cross did provide some money for the Kent family for temporary housing, her husband said.
On her fundraising page, Anderson wrote that her friend was taking a shower when her friend’s son burst in, alerting her to a fire next door.
“Within seconds, their lives were turned upside down,” Anderson said, adding that her friend is exhausted and traumatized. Both spent the days following the fire salvaging what they could.
Sherbert, 22, is a nursing assistant and single mother of two young children. Sherbert is also a Type 1 diabetic and has lost all of her medical supplies in the fire. Her fundraising page has raised almost $3,500 this week.
Johnson, 27, is a kindergarten teacher and single mother whose home was among those damaged in the fire. Johnson said her daughter grew up in the home and knew no other.
For Sherbert, the loss came just months after moving into the townhome.
“I am at a loss for words,” Sherbert said over the phone Monday, describing the aftermath of the fire.
Now staying with family members while searching for permanent housing, Sherbert said the outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming, and while she appreciates the compassion, monetary donations through the GoFundMe campaign will help provide stability as her family works to secure housing first, Sherbert said.
Sherbert was at work when the fire broke out. Her children’s father was watching the children. They were all just lying down to take a nap together when fire broke out outside.
According to Sherbert, her daughter noticed flames outside the sliding glass door of her upstairs bedroom.
“He opened the screen door, and the fire was already in his face,” Sherbert said, adding that the children’s dad called her immediately as he worked to get the kids to safety. “After that he ran downstairs and across the street.”
She said he attempted to return inside the home but found the fire had already spread rapidly through the building.
“It was in a matter of minutes,” she said. “It had already engulfed my room.”
Sherbert said she rushed home from work, and by the time she arrived, the flames were huge.
The families The Sentinel spoke to expressed gratitude regarding their personal safety, but all were devastated by the loss of memories and personal belongings.
While grateful that her children escaped unharmed, Sherbert said most of her belongings were destroyed, including all of her medical supplies.
Metro Fire and the American Red Cross have helped her obtain emergency prescriptions for her insulin, but she still needs other specific medical supplies and is working on obtaining those.
“Though yes, it is a very difficult time, we’re both grateful lives were not lost,” Anderson said on behalf of Scott. “Thankfully, material things can always be replaced, slowly but surely.”
On the day of the fire, Johnson had just returned home mid-morning to find the fire occurring and was able to go inside and save the family’s cat.
“We are heartbroken, but grateful that we made it out safely together,” she wrote on her GoFundMe fundraising page.
Anyone interested in donating can visit the GoFundMe donation pages for each family below. Amounts raised were noted at the time of publication and will fluctuate.
Sara Scott: Fundraiser by China Anderson: Rebuilding After the Citrus Heights Fire – $0 raised
The Kent Family: Fundraiser by Miranda Kent: Support for Miranda’s Family After House Fire, $100 raised
Fayth Sherbert: Fundraiser by Morgan Sherbert: Support Fayth and Her Kids After the Fire, $3,457 was raised.
Cameron Johnson: Fundraiser by Cameron Johnson: Help Us Rebuild After House Fire $15,110 raised
*Donation links are provided only as a community resource. The Sentinel is not involved in the collection or distribution of funds and cannot guarantee the outcome of any fundraising effort.
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