CLEVELAND — A house on Cleveland’s East Side that went up in flames over the 4th of July was more than just a house to India Gardner—it is the future headquarters of her nonprofit.
She is the CEO of Hart House, a nonprofit under the umbrella of the Daughters of Hadassah House.
“Hart House is a nonprofit organization that caters to young adults aging out of foster care,” she said.
The organization provides support, shelter, supplies and anything at-risk youth need.
“If we don’t give these babies the opportunities to be successful, then where will they be and what will they have? That was the purpose of Hart House,” said Gardner.
Eight months ago Gardner was presented with an opportunity to take Hart House to the next level, she was donated a home on East 71st Street in Cleveland.
“I don’t think there’s a word in the vocabulary that can explain how we felt when we received this property. It’s a beautiful, 6-bedroom home,” she said. “We were prepared to receive this home and see the faces of the youth, to see how they would feel coming through the door.”
Her group has been renovating the property to become a home for young men, aged 16-21, who have aged out of foster care.
“If they have a safe place and structure in their life, then they are more willing or they have a greater opportunity to be successful in their life,” she said.
It’s a vision that Cleveland Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer was ready to see come to life.
“We actually took a photo together on the inside and we said, 'Once you renovate this house and you open it, we are going to want some kind of memory about what it was like when you started,'” said Maurer.
The goal was to open the home next summer.
But Cleveland Fire investigators said it appears that kids with fireworks caused a massive house fire at the home on the 4th of July.
“I was very heartbroken when I saw it first on News 5,” said Gardner. “I cried for awhile and I’m still kind of teary eyed at the thought of this, because I was so ready for it.”
All that’s left of the home is soot, debris and rubble.
“It has set back an opportunity in our neighborhood that I know we will keep pursuing and there is so much vision here and so much love and so much support but this is such a set back for our community,” said Maurer.
Gardner said she will rebuild and start again, but said it’s only possible if she receives the community’s help.
“With some community support I know that this will be a beautiful home for at risk youth,” she said. “We’re not doing it for ourselves. When you’re starting a nonprofit it isn’t for the gratification of the individual, it is to serve a population or a group of individuals that are in need.”
If you’d like to help Hart House rebuild, you can donate to the GoFundMe page or on the group’s website, here.
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