Dealing with a home fire is not how Chris Henely and his family planned to spend the few days following Christmas, but the American Red Cross was there to help.

Red Cross disaster workers arrived at the family’s Grundy Center, Iowa home on December 27, 2016, with comfort kits and blankets.

“The volunteers just wanted to help,” Chris said. “Their compassion brought our family a great deal of comfort.”

The Henelys were able to buy some new clothes with the money they received from the Red Cross. The family also received an outpouring of community support, and was very appreciative of the donations, but said it was nice to have clothing that fit properly during their tough time.

The Henely family have moved into a rental house while they work to get their home cleaned and repaired.

“I believe we were able to get back to normal more quickly because of the help from the Red Cross,” Chris said. “The recovery process would have been longer without the Red Cross and I’m thankful for the assistance they offered.”