Florence nonprofit home being rebuilt by the community after it burned down one year ago

FLORENCE, Ala. (WAFF) - Almost a year after the Attention Homes of Northwest Alabama burned down, crews have rebuilt the girls’ home.

Attention Homes of Northwest Alabama serves more than 100 children a year. The group gives those kids a temporary place to live when times are tough. The workers assist the children by making sure they attend school, doctor’s appointment and different group events.

The old girls’ home burned down in September of last year. It was due to a freak accident with the electricity meter, but what is important is that everyone made it out of the fire in one piece.

“We have worked through a lot with insurance and fire investigators things like that. The blessing is that no one was hurt,” Robertson said. “Oh goodness, that was such a big deal. Girls were at school and it was the middle of the day.”

For the past several months, the organization has rented a place in Muscle Shoals to keep serving its mission. But now, this new permanent home is almost ready. The Shoals Habitat for Humanity helped build the original home back in 2010. Executive Director of that organization Lisa Parker said it takes the whole community coming together for a project as special as this.

“You know as a nonprofit in the Shoals, we all work together,” Parker said. “And it’s such a wonderful cause. Because Habitat was involved in the beginning of this house, we wanted to show our support.”

The outside of the house is all put together. All the volunteers have left is fixing up the indoors.

“We’re getting there,” Robertson promised. “We’re getting there.”

The organization is hoping to have an official reopening of the home in November.

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