There are now two ways the community can help the survivors of a tragic South Bend house fire Saturday.
1st Source Bank has set up a Community Fund. Donations can be made at any branch. And a friend and neighbor has started a GoFundMe.
The fire killed five children: Demitis Smith, 10; Davida Smith, 9; Deontay Smith, 5; D'Angelo Smith, 4; and Faith Smith, 17 months. 11-year-old Angel Smith is in critical condition at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
Their friend and neighbor is Elijah Luciano. He says people are asked to give to either fund. Both will go to the same place, helping the father, David Smith, and Angel recover and find new housing.
"We want to get David a decent car so he can get back and forth from South Bend to Indianapolis," Luciano said. "You know, they lost everything. Besides losing his children, which is the most valuable thing, but everything else that he had in this world went down with the ship as well.
"He doesn't have shoes, he don't have boots, he don't have socks, he don't have underwear, he don't have shirts, jackets, he doesn't have anything. Neither does this child, she doesn't have anything. So we want to prepare for her to come home. We want to put a roof over his head and we want to make sure that when she walks in that room she's got a bed, and sheets and pillows and blankets. She has clothes and some things to occupy her since she lost all her siblings."
