The Ottawa community is banding together to help a single mother whose south Ottawa home was destroyed by fire this week.
Carmen Mayer and eight-year-old daughter Madison have been staying at the downtown Lord Elgin hotel since the fire Tuesday, which also killed her dog.
Since they've been there they've been getting donations from complete strangers as they try to rebuild their lives.
"I'm floored, choked," Mayer said. "This has given me hope and makes me believe in myself."
The hotel asked for donations on its Facebook page Thursday and the public has responded with cash, toys, cookwear and even an iPad.
"There are people out there that are good, good people that don't even want recognition . . . that I wish I could just hug and thank," Mayer said.
"I think it's very nice that they're pitching in to help us," Madison said.
CTV Ottawa was there when Sue Longstreet stopped by to drop off some clothes.
"I feel for her, especially at this time of the year," Longstreet said. "It's so difficult."
Madison said other children have been writing her letters along with their things.
"I'm sorry that your house burned down and I sent you some of my things and I hope you like them," read one of the letters.
The Red Cross covered the first three nights of their stay, then the hotel gave them three more free nights.
Sunday will be the last of those free nights, with Mayer currently sorting through offers of more temporary places to stay.
There is a fundraiser planned for Jan. 14 at the Royal Oak on Hunt Club Road, with donations being accepted at the Bank of Montreal.
Mayer said she didn't have the home insured because she couldn't afford it anymore.
"The insurance had to go first so that's the devastating thing about it," Mayer said.
Also devastating was the loss of her four-year-old dog Bella.
However, her cat Lexi was found alive in the home's basement after she too was feared dead.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Karen Soloman
