Benefit Party Raises More Than $5,300 for Fire Victims

Four women who lost everything in a fire can begin restoring their lives thanks to some generous members of the Hoboken community. More than 75 people attended a benefit party at nightclub Room 84 on Friday night for the .

“There is no way to say thank you,” Margaret Pauta, one of the victims said. “This is overwhelming. I'm so grateful.”

Pauta attended the party with her roommate, Catherine Kim, as well as Anna Misiur and her roommate Nadia Nunez, who lived in the other apartment in the building.

Guests to the party were asked to donate money in the amount of their choosing at the door. They also had the option of entering several raffles and bid on silent auction items that included merchandise from local stores, jewelry from Tiffany's and signed sports memorabilia.

Local clothier Rory Chadwick of the boutique led the organizing for the party. Within one day of the fire Chadwick was able to get the support of Room 84 as a venue, local businesses to donate auction items and Hobokenites interested in attending.

“So far I'm really happy,” Chadwick said as the party began. “I just saw someone give a hundred dollars at the door.”

Later Chadwick said the benefit party raised $5,325, and with donations given before the party the total known amount raised for the women tops $6,200. He added that there are still cash jars in stores waiting to be collected and counted.

In addition to the money, the victims are expected to move into new apartments this week through the Hoboken Housing Authority. For the past few weeks the women have been staying with relatives and friends.

Executive Director of the HHA Carmelo Garcia said that although the victims still had to meet the requirements for gaining admission into an Authority housing unit, such as a background check and an income threshold test, their applications were expedited. According to Garcia, fire victims are moved to the top of the application list due to the sudden circumstances of their displacement.

Garcia, who as a child was himself left homeless because of a fire, said he felt a personal connection to the women, and that together with Mayor Dawn Zimmer he helped the victims navigate the application process.

“My heart went out to these victims,” Garcia said. “For me it was the right thing to do.”

The victims said they had been smelling a gas leak in the days before the fire.

Pauta said she went from the shock of seeing the fire to realizing she needed to escape immediately with only the clothes she was wearing.

“I didn't think it would be as drastic as it was,” Pauta said. “It went crazy fast.”

The women lost all of their possessions, including their wardrobe, furniture and household items, plus anything with sentimental value. As recent European immigrants, Misiur said she and her roommate Nadia had to spend almost $1,000 just to refile the paperwork they need to stay in the country.

Now that they are able to begin restoring their lives thanks to the donations of their neighbors, Pauta said she and her fellow victims are inspired to help during the next community crisis.

“I feel so blessed to be a part of this community,” she said. “We can't wait to give back to it.”