Red Cross and Davenport business help displaced residents after building collapse

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KCRG) - Less than 24 hours after the building collapsed, not only has the Red Cross set up its shelter, but the community has jumped in to help as well.

“I really did not know where I was going to go,” said Toriana Hill, a displaced resident.

The Fire Chief said they rescued seven from the building, known as “The Davenport.”

Toriana Hill lived in ‘The Davenport’ and was inside when it started falling.

“Blank really, to be honest with you, I was just worried about him. Just getting him out. It was just loud sounds. But then I started hearing my neighbors scream. So that’s when I realized it was real. So I grabbed him. He was sleeping, so I grabbed him, and then I left at the back stairwell,” said Hill.

Hill is one of fewer than ten people staying at the Red Cross shelter.

People can bring their pets, receive a meal and get support.

”We want to make sure to help both meet folks’ immediate needs, again with things like sheltering, but also providing those health and mental health services casework as needed. And so really we just want to be there for folks,” said Brian Williamsen, American Red Cross Communications Manager.

A business that had a storefront on the ground level of the building, Fourth Street Nutrition, lost everything but is trying to support those who called ‘The Davenport’ home.

”So we see those people every day in and out. So we feel like we’re obligated to help them. You know, I feel it’s devastating, you know, to lose everything and like a blink of an eye like that quick,” said Dionte McMath, Co-Owner 4th Street Nutrition.

Despite their own loss, the Fourth Street Nutrition team is meeting with people at the shelter, bringing them supplies and comfort.

Both McMath and Hill said they’ve had concerns about ‘The Davenport’ - and alerted management.

“There’s always been issues with my building, always been issues since day one, bricks falling off the back,” said Hill

”Since we’ve been there, it’s been problems, no heat. Now we have no air. These are all the things that we’ve said every day to our property manager,” said McMath.

And now they’re trying to move forward, just a day after the collapse.

”I had to fight back my tears, you know, because I’m a mom, you know, and to just, to start over like that. It’s just, it’s just like I say, it’s devastating, you know,” said McMath.

The Red Cross reiterates anybody who was affected by the building collapse can come to the shelter for help. If the public wants to help, they can sign up to be a Red Cross volunteer or drop donations off at the Davenport Salvation Army.

4th St. Nutrition said they will continue to help as needed as well.