8 men on the road to recovery after losing home, sober living facility in a fire
Eight men who were rebuilding their lives in sobriety have embarked on another journey, recovering after their home was destroyed in a fire.
The fire occurred at a sober living facility on 11th Street near the Carpenter Avenue intersection, where the Des Moines Fire Department responded.
All three people inside at the time of the fire escaped unharmed. However, the home suffered severe damage, with the front porch and exterior burned and smoke damage visible throughout. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but the impact on the residents is clear.
“They lost everything — personal belongings, items of value. This was their home,” said the director of sober living at the Kingdom Living program, Jimmie Bridges.
Bridges said the facility is one of 10 homes Kingdom living operates throughout Des Moines. He and the co-founder of the Kingdom Living program, Jesse Goodwin, said each home serves a critical role in the residents' recovery journey. Losing one is a hit to the program, but the pair is working to make sure it's not the reason any of their tenants relapse.
“They’re in the most vulnerable spot in their lives, trying to get their life back together. So absolutely, it’s going to be a hard road for them," Goodwin said. "A conversation that we've had with all the men is stay sober, stay productive, go to work, you're going to be fine."
Despite the hardship, the story has inspired an outpouring of support from the community. Goodwin and Bridges have secured alternative housing for all eight men. The at 3120 SW Ninth St. is collecting donations to help the men replace their lost belongings.
The highest priority items are as follows:
- Undergarments & socks (new only)
- Towels & washcloths
- Backpacks or duffel bags
- Work clothes & steel-toe boots
- Light jackets or hoodies
- Everyday clothing
Clothing items and shoes are best in the following sizes:
- 38x32 pants, 2x shirts, 10 1/2 shoes
- 9 1/2 shoes, pants 32x30
- Medium shirts, socks, boxers
- 10.5 shoes and 40x34 pants
- 2x or 3x in shirts and a 40x34 pants
- 5x shirts, 50x30 pants, 11 boots
You can also make a monetary donation to Kingdom Living at .
Goodwin and Bridges urge the public to ONLY donate through the link above, the official , or the official page. They are aware of fraudulent donation pages created by people pretending to be victims of the fire.
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