This touching story was forwarded to us by Debby Boyd of Project MEOW, a local cat rescue organization. This is what happened yesterday to Jadee, who adopted a cat from Project MEOW a few years ago:

“I was driving home on Lancaster Ave. in the rain when I saw this tiny furball limping his way across the busy street. He made it to the edge and got washed into a flooded gutter when I stopped (without pulling over) and jumped out (without closing my car door) and scooped him up. I laid him on my lap and drove to Baltimore Pet Shoppe to get some advice from Katie. She said that I should take the kitty to a vet right away cause it looked like a car might have hit him. I called Girard Vet to see if they’d take in an emergency appointment and thank goodness they did. They took X-Rays and said that his right thigh bone was split in two and he would need a cast.

I walked around North West Philly for hours waiting for him to finish up and decided to name him Grasshopper. I got back and found him in this huge, green cast. The poor little guy!”

Jadee needs help paying off Grasshopper’s $200 vet bill. You can donate money here. She is also looking for a good home for Grasshopper. To contact Jadee email: jadee.klinger [at] gmail.com

Update: Local 44 can’t handle any more donations. They need shoppers. Tell everyone and anyone you know who lived at Windermere to get over there now. The folks at Local 44 had to rent a U-haul already to store the stuff they inevitably will have left over.

Update: Craig wrote about another collection at IsShoes, Alice Burbage’s women’s boutique, at 120 s. 61st St. The store is collecting from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. today. Call for other times to 215-471-5555.

We know of two clothing drives for the victims of the Jan. 10 fire at Windermere Court Apartments in West Philadelphia.

Local 44 (44th and Spruce) will set up tables along Spruce Street outside of the pub to collect clothing donations from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Try to bring things that would be useful to folks now. So winter clothes would be best. Fire victims should stop by to get what they need.

A reader, Natalie, tipped us off to the clothing drive at Drexel’s Alpha Pi Lambda (33rd and Powelton). They are accepting cold weather clothing for fire victims from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The organization will accept donations of gently used hats, gloves, scarves, jackets and blankets at its house at 33rd and Powelton. Those who cannot give clothing can donate cash, which will be used to buy clothes for the drive. Those displaced by the fire who need clothing should stop by.

Several opportunities to help those made homeless by the Windermere Court Apartment fire are available around the neighborhoods. The Red Cross closed down its shelter at the Locke School yesterday after helping 132 people, including 10 children. But those folks still need help.

Many of you have passed along stories of donating clothing to the Salvation Army West Philadelphia Community Center at 5501 Market St.. That’s still an option. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. The phone number is 215-474-1010. The Red Cross is also still accepting cash donations at their website.

Here are some ways to help in the neighborhoods:

• The neighborhood pub Local 44 (44th and Spruce) is hosting a clothing drive on Monday, Jan. 17 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be tables set up in front of the pub on Spruce Street for people to drop off clothing and for those displaced by the fire to pick up stuff they need. The idea here is to get people clothing that they need right now, so leave your worn out Bermuda shorts at home and dig out a winter coat. Spread the word to anyone who might know someone from Windermere Court who needs help.

• Wake Up Yoga West is holding a vinyasa yoga class on Friday, Jan. 21 from 6-7:30 p.m. to benefit fire victims. All proceeds from the class, which will be taught by Emily Wishnick, will go to the Red Cross. No minimum donation is required and all levels of practitioners are welcome. You are also welcome to bring clothing to the class, which Wake Up will pass along to the University City District for distribution to victims. You can donate on their website (pay for the class) here.

• Mariposa Co-op (4726 Baltimore Avenue) is collecting food and warm clothing for victims today and tomorrow. Their hours are 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

• City Kitties has set up an emergency fund to help care for pets affected by the fire. Many people took their pets with them and they now need shelter, food and health care. City Kitties is helping provide that and the West Philly-based organization is also trying to reunite pets with their owners. To donate go to their website here.

• The University City District is collecting clothing , coats, shoes and personal hygiene items at its offices at 3940-42 Chestnut St. from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The district will pass them along to the Salvation Army.

This is what we have so far. We will add more ways to help to this as we hear about them. If you know of other events or ways to help, please put them in a comment below.

12:25 p.m.: We just stopped by the Salvation Army center at 5501 Market St. and confirmed that they are accepting donations of clothing and other household items. The entrance to the center is on Arch St. They are open until 4 p.m. today and open at 9 a.m.

11:03 a.m.: We just heard that the Salvation Army center at 5501 Market St. is accepting donations of anything accept furniture. We are trying to confirm that. Their phone number is 215-474-1010.

10:35 a.m.: We just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The Red Cross, again, suggested making donations at their website and urged people NOT to bring cash to the shelter at the Locke School at 46th and Haverford. The Salvation Army will issue vouchers to victims to shop for clothing at the Salvation Army Thrift Store (likely the one at 2140 Market). The person at the Salvation Army headquarters suggested dropping off clothes there. We’re now told that the best place to drop off donations is at the Salvation Army Center at 5501 Market St.

9:10 a.m.: We just returned from the fire scene. Firefighters are still spraying the northeast corner of the building. A firefighter we talked to said it would probably be “a couple of days” before residents will be allowed back in their homes to retrieve belongings. The heaviest damage seems to be the northwest corner of the building, where at least two floors are destroyed. That’s where the fire was heaviest when we arrived yesterday about 3:45 p.m. It spread east from there.

Just a reminder that West Philadelphia High School and Henry C. Lea Elementary are both closed today in the aftermath of the fire yesterday at the Windermere Court Apartments complex at 48th and Walnut Streets. Also, SEPTA has rerouted the 21, 31 and 64 buses around the scene. We’re still trying to track down the exact detour route and we will post here when the routes are restored.

Many victims of the fire, which displaced folks from 89 apartments, are staying at an emergency shelter set up at the Locke School at 46th and Haverford. Red Cross workers will provide counseling and services there this morning, including the passing out of emergency debit cards. Red Cross Philly has asked those who want to help to donate money at its website.

Given what has happened in the past here with big fires, though, we suspect there might be some help organized in the neighborhood. Please let us know in the “comments”  if you hear of anything.

We will continue to update this story as details come in so check back and send us any info you want to share with neighbors to editor – at – westphillylocal.com.

Here’s a banner running at the Red Cross website (click to enlarge):