Family Support Services continues to recover after devastating fire

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - More than two weeks after a devastating fire ruined everything at the Family Support Service facility, the non-profit is now moving into a temporary place.

“Today is the first day we’re actually moving furniture into the new place, provided by AISD. A lot of people are really busy working on it. We’ve had donations of furniture from Pratt Plumbing, Potter County, lot of different places and a lot of other places are offering to fill in where we have needs once we kind of figure out where we’re at,” said Jim Womack, CEO of Family Support Services.

Spread out across Amarillo, the counselors for FSS are being housed at a facility provided by Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch.

The Veterans Resource Center is now being ran out of the Guyon Saunders Resource Center.

Even with the tragic loss of everything, the non-profits have been doing their best to continue serving the people of Amarillo.

“We have not skipped a beat, we did not have a desk, sometimes we were doing intakes out of our cars or by phone, but we have not skipped a beat,” said Verlene Dickson, director of the Veterans Resource Center.

The resource center is looking at the fire in a positive light.

“Some people in Amarillo that have been here for several years never even knew that the VRC excited. So the fire is kind of a blessing and a curse at the same time because it brought a lot of attention to the VRC and a lot more people know where it’s at and what’s going on with it,” said Steve Shannon, volunteer at Veterans Resource Center.

Glenn Eastman is one of those people who didn’t even know the Veterans Resource Center existed prior to two weeks ago.

“There’s always hot coffee. There’s always someone to talk to. there’s always a helping hand, a suggestion. If you need a ride somewhere and there’s nothing else, they’ll stop what they’re doing and take you in their personal vehicles if they need to. Whatever you need, they’ll accomplish,” said Eastman.

“It’s like a second home, I guess you might say that they want to help you,” said Bobby Thomas, veteran.

Family Support Services says it will continue to look at places to move into during this time being while the Veterans Resource Center says if they have a choice, they don’t want to move.

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