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Pilsen Rallies To Help Families, Whittier Kids Displaced By 7 Fires

By  Stephanie Lulay and Kelly Bauer | September 16, 2016 6:34pm | Updated on September 19, 2016 8:38am

 A garage at 2274 S. Blue Island Ave. was destroyed by one of the seven fires set in Pilsen early Friday.
A garage at 2274 S. Blue Island Ave. was destroyed by one of the seven fires set in Pilsen early Friday.
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DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay

PILSEN — Three donation drives aim to help the 25 people displaced by the seven devastating arsons in Pilsen early Friday. 

Five of the families displaced by the Friday fires have children that attend Whittier Elementary School in Pilsen, according to Allison Manasse, a counselor at the school. Some families lost everything in the fire, she said. 

To help the families in their time of need, Manasse has launched a GoFundMe campaign online. The campaign aims to raise $60,000 for the affected families. 

Donations can also be dropped off at Whittier Elementary, 1900 W. 23rd St., from 8:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m. Monday-Wednesday. 

Around 3 a.m. Friday, nearly 100 firefighters and police responded to calls of separate fires around the neighborhood. The seven blazes left one man dead and 25 people displaced in Pilsen. 

Officials believe the seven fires were set intentionally because of the fire pattern, proximity and times, according to Chicago Fire spokesman Larry Langford. 

Manasse said many of the school's families are already facing steep economic struggles, and the fires will greatly impact their ability to support their family. 

"These are really loving and supportive families where their priority is helping their children get back to normalcy," she said. 

The GoFundMe campaign will stay up for at least a month, or until the families are taken care of "the right way," Manasse said. 

"We’ll stick with it until the end because we’ve known these families for many years and they’re important community members so we want to make sure we do right by them," she said. 

After Manuel Beltran, father of one of the affected families from Whittier, secured his own family's safety, Beltran instinctively darted back into the fire to rescue people that were still trapped in the basement, saving them. 

Pilsen Unidos drive 

Pilsen Unidos, Pilsen Alliance, Pilsen Neighborhood, the Chicago Socialist Party and Rauner YMCA will collect supplies and donations for the affected families at the Rauner YMCA, 2700 S. Western Ave., from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

Items needed include toiletries, pantry foods, gift cards, and clothing. More information on the specific needs of each family is online. 

American Legion drive  

The American Legion Post 547 is also collecting supplies for those affected by the Friday fires. 

Supplies can be dropped off at the American Legion Dorman Dunn Post 547, 2129 W. Cermak Road until 7 p.m. Friday, Noon-3 p.m. Saturday and Noon-2 p.m. Sunday. 

For more information, contact Alex Acevedo at 312-339-7689. 

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