By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
Love Inc. Executive Director Bill Schoessling announced Thursday that his agency and Talmer Bank are partnering to set up an account to help victims of Wednesday night’s fire at Echo Lake Foods.
Schoessling said an account is set up at Talmer Bank. People can send checks to either Love Inc. or Talmer Bank, and on the check, write “Fire Account.” Money will go to help employees pay for everyday living expenses.
Schoessling got a call around around 8 p.m. Wednesday night about the fire, and essentially was up all night waiting for people to come looking for help. He and the agency didn’t start seeing families come through until Thursday morning, but Schoessling knows people will be looking for help.
He said his biggest concern is what will happen when immediate relief agencies like the American Red Cross pull up stakes and leave. The account is designed to help employees from Echo Lake Produce with immediate food help, but also with rent as bills come due for families who no longer have jobs.
“We’re probably looking at at least 250 families,” Schoessling said. “Some of the families had both parents working there. We think we think we can acquire the funds through this (the Talmer account) and disaster funds.
“If there’s 250 families that need help, we intend to make sure none of them go hungry, and we’ll do our best to help them with their other bills,” he added.
For more information, contact Schoessling at Love Inc. at (262) 763-6226.
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I am more than willing to send some $, But Will this be a Loan or another Freebie?
Where I came from, when we had Fund Raisers like these, it was set up to be on a Loan Basis with a Bank and paid back over a Period of 1-2 yrs and thus that $ would be there for the Next Emergency to help the Next Victums.
after 5 yrs? The Emergency Fund account had More than Enough $ to help in most Future Situations and No More Fund Raising was needed..
of course ot everyone repaid , but the vast majority did during that time , while others Left it in their Wills to Repay from their Estates..
Just a Thought
OK, so, a major business in Burlington burns down. Hundreds of people who HELP MAKE OUR LOCAL ECONOMY WORK – because, y’know, they spend money here – need help, and you’re saying, “oh, let’s make it a loan,” rather than just reaching into our pockets and helping?
No one’s forcing you to help, Retired, and you’re welcome to go back to where you came from. I’m so tired of people like you whining about “freebees” when people legitimately need help. Let’s see you lose all YOUR income and then whine that help is being GIVEN, not charged for.
Are you serious – totally agree with you I think the loan idea is so incredibly rude and inconsiderate. Certainly not a comment anyone would expect when 300 people suddenly lost their jobs due to a natural disaster. If retired ever came across hard times, I’d only hope the community would be there to help if he/she needed it. Freebie? Most certainly not.
LOTS of people lose their jobs. We had educators lose their jobs due to declining enrollment and lack of funds in Burlington (totally out of the control of the teachers). These people will collect unemployment like anybody else in the economy who lost their jobs have to. Let’s keep in mind that we should do what it takes to help ALL people who have lost their jobs in this economy.
I’m sooo sorry but I’m just really hurt & very upset over this whole situation!! Please don’t get me wrong, my heart & prayers go out to all involved in this disaster, but my husband lost his job that he loved dearly on November 1st. We went for 2 months with no income. The trucking company he worked for just closed their doors & sold out one day with barely a day or 2 notice. Completely unexpected & beyond his control as this situation is. But yet not one person has offered to help him or our family in any way whatsoever!! We have less than $1.00 to our name & not a penny to pay our rent due yesterday or any of our other bills etc. I’m busting my butt daily to try my hardest to find help out there with not a bit of luck at all… Meanwhile we will be evicted from our home within less than a week now cz not anybody can help our family sue to my husband losing his job as these people just did!! Our twin 3 yr old baby girls have been extremely sick for almost 2 weeks now & we don’t even have a couple dollars to buy them any meducine or anything. I’m sorry but I’m really just hurt & wonder why these unfortunate people will be helped with food, bills, rent money, etc .. but yet in all reality, their loss is absolutely no different than our families loss & I’m in tears every single day because nobody can seem to help another family in desperate need nowadays, as ours is. Unless its something major as this.. its very sad!! 🙁 May God bless you all <3
Deanna Marie, I’m truly sorry for you and yours, but just because one group of people is suffering is no reason for people to reach out and help others.
Also, Love Inc. is a service agency that has been out there helping families as the economy has tanked. Have you thought about asking them for help?
Deanna Marie, go to LOVE inc. Whenever I can, I give to LOVE to help out any local family get through the very situation that you have right now. Yes, there is a wide variety of suffering in the area and I am willing to lend a hand to whomever I can. Go to LOVE inc. and people of Burlington, GO TO LOVE AND DONATE. It is local, so even salaries go back into the local economy. There is no big CEO or manager drawing a million dollar salary. So, your donation really does make a big difference.