Social Development Ministry helps Sea Lots fire victims

A Sea Lots family left in ruins after a fire destroyed their home has received some much-needed assistance from the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services.

The ministry issued a statement on Monday.

Ray Roger Fortune's home, where he lived with his common-law wife and five children, burned down on Saturday.

The release said just hours after the fire,staff from to the ministry’s National Social Development Programme (NSDP) went to assess the need for disaster relief grants offered at the ministry.

Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox met with Fortune at the ministry where he was presented with two food cards and a wheelchair for his son Roger, who has cerebral palsy.

The release said the family also received disability assistance and public assistance grants and all members of the family have been assessed by the ministry’s National Family Services Dvision for counselling and psychosocial support.

The ministry said the assistance could help restore the family to some level of normality.

The release said Fortune said he was grateful for the support, particularly the wheelchair for his son.

Cox said the ministry will continue to provide assistance to Fortune and all other families in distress caused by natural and other man-made disasters