A friend of the family, Heleena Walter started a Go Fund Me the day after what she referred to as a devastating fire in the Go Fund Me title and description. The family, made up of Dean, Kirsten, Josiah, Noah Double — who are twins in sixth grade — who reside at the home, along with two daughters, Bekah Morales and Maddie Morales, who graduated from Falconer and are on their own, may be displaced for a year or more.

“Each daughter has a child who also lost their safe haven, a place for the grandkids and kids to escape to for family time,” Walter said.

The fire occurred on May 21 and started in the garage, and the Double family lost the house and everything in it. Walter has been friends with Kirsten Double since 1995 when they worked together at Reachout Ministries on Spring Street with the Latchkey program. Kirsten Double works for the Safe House in Jamestown. Walter is the Kingdom Kids Director at REALiFE Church in Jamestown and Kirsten Double is a leader on her team, helping work with the Kingdom Seekers group and Kingdom Quest age group. She also helps lead worship vocally and with the keyboards on the worship team. Being a part of the church family together is part of the reason why Walter began the Go Fund Me.

“While the family is displaced they need to begin to create a norm until a new home is able to be built,” Walter said. “The Doubles are part of our church family at REALiFE where Kirsten is on the worship team along with a teacher in the Kingdom Kids program. Both boys are volunteers in various areas of the church, and I have the privilege of working with them in our Quest program.”

The Double family’s house during the fire on May 21.

The Go Fund Me is set to help with finances lost due to time off of work and other immediate needs to help the family get necessary items for day to day life. At the moment the family is in a hotel, which Walter said that in of itself gets costly, especially without their own kitchen to store and create meals.

Other fundraisers for the Doubles are planned in the future, including one on Aug 3, hosted by REALiFE church. The event is set to run from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at REALiFE Church, 556 East Second Street. The event is being hosted by Bethany Smart with the help of Walter. At this event there will be outdoor family activities, bounce houses, bands, food, Chinese Auctions, 50/50 raffles and more inside the church. More about this benefit can be found on Facebook under the “Benefit For the Double Family” event page.

To Walter, people should be interested both in donating to the Go Fund Me and attending the August benefit to help a family that has always been community-minded.

“The Double family needs help rebuilding their home both immediately and in the future,” Walter said. “This family has always loved the community, and we hope they will begin to feel the love back that we all have to give them in this very upsetting time of need.”

If unable to donate through Go Fund Me, donations can also be sent to REALiFE church, 556 East Second Street, using a check earmarked to help the Double family. Walter said the community is also welcome to come to a service on any Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. and hand a check or cash to the family in person.

The Go Fund Me can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-double-family-after-devastating-fire. No percentage of the funds through the Go Fund Me are taken by the organization and Walter said the family will get the money immediately in full, though there is a place on the website that asks for a donation to continue to help provide services, with the option to donate to or a sliding platform that is adjustable for what someone wants or does not want to donate to Go Fund Me’s platform.