News & Events

Leominster MA fire Resource Recovery Center

Description: The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) requested Hope participation at the state Resource Recovery Center set up in the Leominster, MA City Hall auditorium to provide recovery services to over 55 adults and 8 children (including one severely disabled) whose apartment building was destroyed by fire. Fortunately no one was injured. MEMA very specifically requested the Hope dogs because of their performance as “stars” (their words) in previous events including a failed bomb builder who prematurely blew up his apartment building (and himself). Almost all of the displaced families visited the center. Many of them repeatedly, delightedly visited with the dogs, as did most of the service providers. Representatives from many state agencies participated. Departments of Disaster Recovery, Transitional Assistance, Children and Families, Mental Health, Transportation, Insurance, Community Development all had tables. Other voluntary organizations besides Hope included ARC, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, New England Disaster Chaplains Association, Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Child Life Disaster Services, and the Central MA Disaster Animal Response Team. As usual, the Hope dogs provided much comfort to the participating organization representatives, the Mayor and the local police, as well as the victims.