Business owner offers house to family left homeless by fire

HOW TO HELP

A Hamilton family of 10 forced out of their Mountain bungalow after an electrical fire has found a temporary home thanks to the generosity of a local business owner.

Cindy Hart, her husband and their eight children — ranging in age from two to 21 — will move Thursday into a furnished house in Waterdown owned by Cor Vanderkruk of Connon Nurseries.

Vanderkruk offered the family one of his Waterdown homes, which he uses to house some of the nursery’s migrant workers, for free until April.

“When my family came to this country, they had nothing, with nine children,” he said, noting they arrived in the Hamilton area from the Netherlands in the early 1950s. “You think about those things.” The family was forced out of the Darlington Drive home they rent last Thursday after a fire broke out in the basement.

They rushed out of the house — some of the kids in their shorts, others in bare feet — and stood across the street while they watched the home in which they’ve lived for the last year and a half burn.

They did not have contents insurance, and did not expect they would be able to salvage much because of the smoke damage.

The Canadian Red Cross set the family up at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel until Monday. Peoples Church Hamilton, where some of Phil Johnson from Peoples Church set up a GoFundMe account for the family. Search “Family of 10 homeless after fire.” Donations of clothing, food and gift cards can be dropped off at the church, 510 Mohawk Rd. W.

the children attend youth group, moved them to Homewood Suites by Hilton until they could find a place.

Vanderkruk’s donation takes a little pressure off the family as they search for a permanent home, which was proving to be difficult because of the number of children in the family, said Phil Johnson, youth director at Peoples Church on Mohawk Road West.

“That buys them a lot more time at no cost,” he said.

Vanderkruk, who has six children, said helping out one another is the “Canadian thing to do.”

“God is good,” he said. “He has blessed me with a lot and therefore I would also like to be able to bless others.”

JOHN RENNISON, THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR Cindy Hart stands in a basement bedroom following the fire. She and her husband and eight kids have been offered temporary lodging until April.