Neighbors Raise Almost $10K After Fire Leaves Family Displaced

RONKONKOMA, NY — After a fire destroyed the Falabella family home in Ronkonkoma on Monday, the family of four had to figure out new living arrangements in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Neighbors, friends and classmates in the Connetquot school districted rallied around parents Lindsey and Brian and their two children Brendan and Julianna. Less than a week later a GoFundMe page had raised almost $10K.

Karen Hillary, a friend to the family, told Patch that she kept raising the GoFundMe goal amount as donations poured in. The money raised will go toward replacing the Falabella's furniture and toward future living arrangements, she said.

The Falabella family was able to temporarily move in to a home of a family friend who was staying in Florida because of the COVID-19 crisis. The owner of the rental house that burned said the Falabellas could return in eight to nine months, but because of the coronavirus Hillery says their future plans are still uncertain.

"Those whom know Lindsey, Brian, Brendan and Julianna, know how helpful, friendly and great they are. They are displaced and lost all of their belongings. This is truly a huge loss for them. The difficulty is compounded even more having to navigate all of this during this COVID-19 pandemic. Please keep them in your prayers and help them with a donation to rebuild their lives," Hillary wrote.

The community has been generously asking to donate clothes, Hillary said, but because of health concerns due to the virus, and because the family has nowhere to store donated items, they can't accept them.