Community Rallies for Neighbors After Raging Fire Destroys Multi-Tenant Home

A few weeks ago, we were contacted by a Nextdoor member, Erin Lubien, about a large fire that consumed a multi-tenant home in her neighborhood outside of Boston. The fire displaced nine residents, destroyed multiple vehicles, and damaged homes on either side of the building. Thankfully, no one was injured. The neighborhood immediately rallied around the nine tenants to help begin their recovery process.

We are inspired and proud to hear that their main tool for organizing help for the families was Nextdoor.

According to Erin, who is the chair of the Belmont Corner Neighborhood Association, Nextdoor has changed the neighborhood’s perception of community.

“I used Nextdoor the night of the fire to send out urgent alerts,” says Erin, who is one of the Leads of Nextdoor Belmont Corner. “I told my neighbors that anyone who needed to spend the night at my home were welcome to do so. That was just the start of how we’ve used Nextdoor to help our neighbors get back on their feet.”

Within just one week, Belmont Corner used Nextdoor to organize and coordinate a fundraising campaign, quickly raising over $6,000 for five of the misplaced tenants. At the same time, neighbors planned a neighborhood-wide yard sale, with all proceeds donated directly into the fund. The misplaced tenants were invited to come and shop the neighborhood-wide sale to replace the items they had lost– for free. All told, the neighborhood raised over $12,000 for their neighbors.

“There are so many beautiful stories of how our community came together with the help of Nextdoor to support these five men and women,” says Erin. “It really showcases the amazing generosity of our neighbors and how much we care for our truly unique neighborhood.”

Donations to the Belmont Corner fund can be made payable to the “58 Marlboro St Belmont Fire Fund” and mailed or brought to:

ATTN: Lillian Ayala
Belmont Savings Bank
2 Leonard Street
Belmont, MA 02478

As reported by ABC Boston, the Boston Globe, and the Belmontonian. Belmont Corner fire photo courtesy of photojournalist Rick Nohl.

Have your own story about how you’ve used Nextdoor? Tell us about it.