Community reaches out after fire

An outreach program has helped an Orangeburg family that escaped a fire at their apartment.

Fire erupted at the family’s Corona Drive apartment on Aug. 23, damaging the family’s home and possessions.

Word of their need spread by word of mouth, and a program by the name of Neighbors Helping Neighbors (N.H.N) came to provide help.

“We just have a love and a heart for all people. So anywhere there’s a need and we can provide help to others, we do. That’s just what we do, we go all over the place,” said Laverna Knox of Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

The group donated pots, pans, furniture and other items to the family.

The kitchen area of the family’s home caught fire on the morning of Aug. 23.

Daniel Cheatham, 14, woke his 16-year-old sister Audrey and together they were able to save their 3-year-old brother, Isaiah.

The duo of Knox and Cornelia Mayfield became aware of the family’s situation through social media.

As word went around, Neighbors Helping Neighbors gathered donations from people in their area in Horry County, then set out for Orangeburg.

The family’s need after the fire touched the group’s heart, Knox said.

“We’ve got to help this family,” Knox said.

“It’ll create a great relationship, a long-lasting one, and then later they may be in a position to help somebody else,” Mayfield said.

Monica Miller, the mother of the children, is thankful for the help that she’s been receiving from Neighbors Helping Neighbors and others.

“I’m over-excited. I don’t know what to say. I’m speechless,” Miller said.

“I could not believe that this is actually happening, to know that there’s really help out there, but Neighbors Helping Neighbors has been a blessing,” Miller said.

“I’ve had neighbors coming out who have done things and donate some of what they’ve had. They’ve opened up their doors, so our community is working and continues to work with each other as families. That’s awesome, because that shows that we do have a community,” Miller said.

Another person to lend a helping hand was Orangeburg County Councilwoman Janie Cooper-Smith.

“It shows that people have big hearts and they care. It shows that people really care,” Cooper-Smith said.

“You don’t even know how much it means to have that support from people that you don’t even know,” Cooper-Smith said.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors is wanting to bring another load to the residence.

“We do mission work, not only just to bring that one-time supply to people. We want to stay in touch with them, because later on down the line, they are going to need more than what we brought,” Knox said.