Jun 11, 2015 2 min read

With a history that stretches back almost 75 years, it will take more than a kitchen fire to diminish the work of City Mission in Washington and the critical role it plays in offering shelter, food and other forms of assistance to individuals and families who have fallen on hard times.

But the fire that broke out at City Mission’s West Wheeling Street headquarters in the small hours of Tuesday dealt a more grievous blow than many initially believed. It was thought that 58 homeless men who were displaced from the mission would be able to return within the month; now, it appears the damage from the fire was so extensive six to eight months worth of rebuilding will be required before the men will be able to return to the dormitories they called home. As we noted in a story in Thursday’s edition, the men are sleeping on cots in the mission’s Samaritan Care Center, but that is not a solution that can be sustained for the long term.

If there’s good news to be had, the fire at City Mission and its aftermath has been the catalyst for an outflowing of support from the Washington County community and beyond. Local businesses chipped in with meals throughout the week, and a disaster relief drive is set for today at the Cricket Wireless store on North Main Street, where donations of bottled water, clothes and cash are being sought.

Many other organizations made valuable contributions over the last couple of days, with the Southpointe-based software company ANSYS chipping in $10,000 to help, and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce serving as a conduit for businesses that want to lend a hand.

Donations can be sent to the City Mission at 382 W. Chestnut St. in Washington, or can be made through the organization’s website, www.citymission.org.

Events like the City Mission fire are hardly joyous, but they do carry the silver lining of demonstrating a community’s compassion and humanity.