For every bad seed, 'hundreds of kind-hearted people'
SEATTLE -- A generous community has come to the aid of a disabled woman who was robbed just as she was able to rise out of homelessness.
Over the weekend, a thief stole Bernida Simmon's moving van. It contained all of her possessions, including the supplies she planned to use to start her own small business.
On Tuesday, with the help of KOMO's generous viewers, the Problem Solvers made sure Simmons will get the chance to follow her dreams.
Simmons was about to move out of a shelter and into her own apartment when she was robbed Sunday. The most valuable possessions she lost were the expensive yarn and crocheting supplies she planned to use to launch her own small clothing business.
"It was my beginning, my forwardness," she said. "And to have that ripped away, just taken, it's just devastating."
Simmons' story tugged at the heartstrings of Mary Harris, who owns the Fiber Gallery Yarn Store.
"It's a sad story, and I immediately thought, 'What can I do about it?"' she said.
Harris invited Simmons to come to her store and shop for the things she needs -- about $200 of top-quality supplies -- to make a new start.
Yarn shops are just the beginning of the tremendous response to the original Problem Solvers report.
Donations flooded in from KOMO News viewers who were touched by Simmons' story. The Problem Solvers were able to present her with a check for $1,500 on Monday.
Simmons' future is now back in her own talented hands, with what the budding entrepreneur needs to succeed.
"For every one creep that would do this, there are hundreds of kind-hearted people," she said.
And the generosity continues to spread. Many more viewers, most who knit and crochet, are launching yarn collections to gather even more supplies for Simmons. Others are offering to replace her stolen clothes and household items.
Over the weekend, a thief stole Bernida Simmon's moving van. It contained all of her possessions, including the supplies she planned to use to start her own small business.
On Tuesday, with the help of KOMO's generous viewers, the Problem Solvers made sure Simmons will get the chance to follow her dreams.
Simmons was about to move out of a shelter and into her own apartment when she was robbed Sunday. The most valuable possessions she lost were the expensive yarn and crocheting supplies she planned to use to launch her own small clothing business.
"It was my beginning, my forwardness," she said. "And to have that ripped away, just taken, it's just devastating."
Simmons' story tugged at the heartstrings of Mary Harris, who owns the Fiber Gallery Yarn Store.
"It's a sad story, and I immediately thought, 'What can I do about it?"' she said.
Harris invited Simmons to come to her store and shop for the things she needs -- about $200 of top-quality supplies -- to make a new start.
Yarn shops are just the beginning of the tremendous response to the original Problem Solvers report.
Donations flooded in from KOMO News viewers who were touched by Simmons' story. The Problem Solvers were able to present her with a check for $1,500 on Monday.
Simmons' future is now back in her own talented hands, with what the budding entrepreneur needs to succeed.
"For every one creep that would do this, there are hundreds of kind-hearted people," she said.
And the generosity continues to spread. Many more viewers, most who knit and crochet, are launching yarn collections to gather even more supplies for Simmons. Others are offering to replace her stolen clothes and household items.
Let me know how I can reach her I would want few long blankets to purchase from her personally :)
I too have lots of unused yarn that I would like to donate. Is there an address where I can send it or drop it by?
Is there an address or other contact info for me to provide assistance to these 2 women? I have yarn and craft supplies that I can donate.Â
So nice to read about people helping someone out of the goodness of their hearts!Â
I have a wood length dresser (9 drawers, I believe) that I would be more than happy to donate it for storage if you need something like that.
I likely have as low opinion of the people around me as anyone. Still I have to agree that beyond all that (earned) negative opinion, I do really believe the majority are still understanding and loving. The United States is still the most generous nation on the face of the earth. We still give more than the whole rest of the world combined. Oh sorry, I forgot we were the great satin.   Â
Hang in there, Bernida, and know that you're restoring our faith in humanity as much as the community is restoring yours!Â
Meanwhile, if you need a web site and web hosting (no charge, obviously; just pay it forward when you're able) to greatly widen your potential customer base, please comment on here or have KOMO hook us up.
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It would be an honor to be a part of what you are building here, with your life, your business and your inspiring faith in the face of the azz-kickings life has thrown your way including this one.Â
Stealing a U-Haul truck is a crime too. The Police are going after this bozo, right?
Awesome story! Good luck Bernida! Just keep getting back up. :)
+100 for humanity. This is great!Â
There were people commenting on the original story and mentioning another woman had her stuff in the U-Haul van. I hope KOMO can ask Bernida if this is true and help us help her.
 @queenofthenight Yes, it is true. Dori Monson interviewed the other woman for his KIRO show this afternoon (Monday). Her name is Celeste, and KOMO should be ashamed of leaving her out of this. She has lost everything as well. Sunday night she did not even have food (her food from the food bank was in the truck). Bernida deserves this help from people, completely. But it is truly sad that one victim has been completely left out of this wave of sympathy.
 @queenofthenight her friend (Mary Moody) did not have any belongings in the truck - she helped Bernida load HER belongings into the truck
 @A friend  @queenofthenight It isn't Mary Moody they meant. It is another unnamed woman.
Saw the original story yesterday - how heartless can anyone be to do that to her, whether they knew of her plight or not? I am so glad she is being taken care of; thanks for the update!
Wow Seattle..Good job. The rest of us here in Washington are proud of you. Good hearts abound.
@DTMD Nothing says we have to be in Seattle to help so all of Washington can chip in.
who is the other person and what did they lose
 @None I don't feel comfortable giving their name without permission, which I haven't gotten yet, but she lost much of her clothing and all her paper supplies for handmade greeting cards, which she was using to start a business too.
 @JK  @None She spoke out publicly on Dori Monson's show, so I guess she is OK with being identified now. Her name is Celeste Tanner. She lost clothing, food, her craft supplies, and probably a few other things.
 @Wendi Dunlap  @JK  @None Glad some folks are looking out for Celeste. She too could use a bit of a lift in getting closer to where she was when all her belongings also disappeared in that truck.
I am SHOCKED that the follow up story STILL does not include information on Celeste, and her loss.....
 @Wendi Dunlap I'm glad to hear this. I hadn't spoken to her when I first posted, so didn't have her permission to identify her.
 @JK Please pass on that the web site/hosting offer applies to both women.Â
 @MargeGunderson  @JK MargeGunderson, that is incredibly kind of you. I can pass the info on to Celeste (and she can pass it on to Bernida) if you like. I think you can find contact info for me -- or at least, my Facebook account where you can message me -- via the External Profile link on my KOMO profile here.Â
What about the other person's items that were also in the truck? Is anyone doing anything for them?
@JK If you read the last sentence in the article it says people are offering to replace her clothing and household items.
 @JatokI know that. That doesn't change the fact that the other woman isn't being helped because she didn't want her name on the news, like many in a women's shelter feel.
@A Nony Mouse @Wendi Dunlap @JK There are far to many people out there that need help and just don't get it. If you know this person do everything you can to assist her in getting what she needs.
 @Wendi Dunlap  @JK  @Jatok It is not that she doesn't want her name out there. No One ASKED her to participate in this article, and now she feels more invisible than ever.... :( and yes I am very sad for her.
@JK Well, I don't think there's really anything that can be done if she chose not to give her name for the news. Maybe she has a good reason and that should be respected.
 @Wendi Dunlap Yes, i was mistaken about that. I just assumed it was the reason.
 @JK  @Jatok From speaking with her, I don't think that is the issue. At first, I thought it was, but at the time we spoke she was OK with giving out the name. I posted her name and the Jubilee House address in a few places for people to contribute craft supplies. (I posted Bernida's too, but it sounds as if she is getting help.)
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If I'm wrong I hope she lets me know!
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 @jk:Â
I just read the original story - her friend (Mary Moody) did not have any belongings in the truck - she helped Bernida load HER belongings into the truck.
 @LocalLady  @jk: Mary didn't have anything in the truck. another woman from the shelter was doing like Bernida, moving out to housing found for her because she too is disabled.  Bernida had been kind enough to offer to share the truck, and the driver (Mary) had also helped with Celestes things....then the truck with all of Celeste things was taken with Bernida's and despite a CALL TO KOMO, they have never corrected this oversight.
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 @LocalLady  @jk: Mary Moody is not the second woman whose things were stolen.Â
 @LocalLady  @jk: There was also some clothes and crafting supplies for a greeting card "business" from another resident in the truck too. I don't know if KOMO got the facts wrong, or are ignoring it because she didn't want to be identified on tv.
 @JK  @LocalLady  @jk: Apparently it's not that she didn't want to be identified. There was some sort of mixup and no one told her that the TV folks were there, or something like that (she told me this yesterday, but I'm a bit fuzzy on the details). It's possible the KOMO folks didn't realize she was left out. But my understanding is that she was very sad that she was "invisible", and since she lost so much in that truck too, she has every right to be.
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As I mentioned above, she went on the radio this morning, so she at least didn't mind giving her name for broadcast.
 @JK Too bad KOMO hasn't mentioned them at all.
 @katiemcc  @JK look back through these notes, you will find her ways to help her too.
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 @katiemcc  @JK Katie, you're right. I don't understand it myself.
 @JK I didn't hear about what was missing pf the other person's...any info on that?
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 @Lorrie  @JK The other person is Celeste. She lost all of her paper crafting supplies and her clothes and even the food she had gotten from the food bank to take to her new home.  It is great that folks have helped Bernida, who was helping Celeste by sharing the truck and driver with her. It would be amazing if people would donate to Celeste through the people helper link or through the shelter as they have done for Bernida. Being homeless is hard enough continuing to be invisible is Heinous
.