Springfield Fire Department responding to a house fire at dusk
Springfield, Massachusetts

When You Lose Everything

Every Little Bit Counts

A Springfield, MA nonprofit founded by Lt. Donald Coleman Jr., a firefighter who lost everything in a 2022 house fire and turned that loss into a mission to help families rebuild.

24-hour response after a Springfield house fire
$500 emergency debit card delivered within 48 hours
Transitional housing for families rebuilding

Get Help or Get Involved

Tell us how we can support you. takes 30 seconds.

We respond within 24 hours · Emergencies first · Springfield, MA

24 hr
Response Time
$500
Emergency Debit Card
5
Family Housing Capacity
2015
Serving Springfield
OUR STORY

Lt. Donald Coleman Jr. has responded to countless house fires.In 2022, he came home to his own.

Lt. Donald Coleman Jr., Founder of Forged By Fire

Founder · Firefighter since 2015

Lt. Donald Coleman Jr.

Lt. Donald Coleman Jr. has proudly served as a firefighter since 2015, dedicating his life to protecting others in their most vulnerable moments. Through his work, he has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact that house fires have on families, not just physically, but emotionally and financially.

In 2022, that reality became deeply personal. While away on vacation, Donald's home in Springfield, Massachusetts was lost in a devastating fire. Had he been on duty, he would have been among the first responders arriving at his own address. Instead, he returned to find everything gone. The home was deemed a total loss, a lifetime of belongings reduced to ashes.

This was not the first time fire had impacted his family. Just three years earlier, his grandparents' home, where multiple generations had been raised and countless memories created. also suffered a fire. Though it had been vacant for years, it still stood as a symbol of family legacy and resilience.

Faced with homelessness and the challenge of rebuilding, Donald took action. Over the course of two and a half years, he navigated setbacks, financial strain, and the emotional weight of restoring his grandparents' home, not just a structure, but stability itself.

Through that journey, a greater purpose was born. Donald realized this home could become more than a place for himself, it could serve as a vessel for good. A place to support families who have experienced the same loss, but may not have the resources or support system to recover.

From that vision, Forged By Fire was created.

THESE AREN'T STOCK PHOTOS

This was Donald's home.

The night of the fire, 2022
Roof collapsed, sky visible through the rafters
Burned interior after the fire
Inside the home after the fire
Structural damage throughout the home

A MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER

“This is more than a project to me. This is personal. I have lived through the loss. I understand what it feels like to have everything taken in a moment. And I know how hard it is to rebuild without help. Forged By Fire was created so that others do not have to go through that journey alone.”
Lt. Donald Coleman Jr., Founder

WHAT RECOVERY LOOKS LIKE

From ashes to a home families can walk into.

Every restored home is a family's second chance. These images show what's possible when a community decides no one rebuilds alone. Your donation funds this work.

A charred exterior becomes a bright, lived-in home again.
BEFORE · AFTER

A charred exterior becomes a bright, lived-in home again.

From total loss to a family's first night back under their own roof.
BEFORE · AFTER

From total loss to a family's first night back under their own roof.

Rebuilt structure. Restored stability. A place to start over.
BEFORE · AFTER

Rebuilt structure. Restored stability. A place to start over.

Two and a half years later. a vessel for good.
BEFORE · AFTER

Two and a half years later. a vessel for good.

Read the full story of Donald's 2.5-year restoration

HOW WE HELP

Two pillars of support. One mission: no Springfield family rebuilds alone.

The first 48 hours matter most
EMERGENCY RESOURCES
Delivered in 48 hours

The first 48 hours matter most

When a Springfield family loses their home to fire, we step in within 24 hours with immediate, tangible support. no paperwork gauntlet, no waiting weeks for help.

  • $500 emergency debit card for immediate needs
  • Clothing, shoes, and essentials for every family member
  • Resource navigation and case coordination
  • Direct partnership with Springfield Fire Department
Request Emergency Support
A safe place to start over
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
5-family capacity

A safe place to start over

Our transitional housing program provides stable, supportive temporary shelter for families rebuilding after a fire, with case management, life-skills resources, and a path to permanent housing.

  • Capacity for up to 5 families at a time
  • Case management and support services
  • Life-skills and financial-literacy resources
  • Structured transition into permanent housing
Apply for Housing Support

OUR COMMITMENT

No family rebuilds alone in Springfield

Most fire-relief programs show up days or weeks after the fire. We believe the first 48 hours, when families are still in shock, still wearing the same clothes they evacuated in, are when support matters most. That's the gap we close.

Fuel the Mission

THE PROCESS

From the moment of disaster to the path forward

Four steps, built around what families actually need in the first week after a fire. No red tape. No waiting.

01

Fire Department Referral

The Springfield Fire Department Public Information Officer asks affected families if they'd like support from Forged By Fire. No self-application needed in the chaos.

Same-day referral
02

We Reach Out: Within 24 Hours

Our team contacts the family within 24 hours of the fire to listen, understand their specific situation, and identify what they need most urgently.

Within 24 hours
03

Immediate Support Delivered

A $500 emergency debit card and resource package are delivered within 48 hours. Clothing, essentials, and direct help, with nothing to fill out, no waiting.

Within 48 hours
04

Ongoing Care & Housing

We follow up weekly, connect families with transitional housing if needed, and stay in their corner as they rebuild, for as long as it takes.

For as long as it takes
Request Support for a Family

YOUR IMPACT

Every dollar goes directly to Springfield families.

See the exact support your donation delivers. Slide to explore the impact at any amount.

$100
$10$5,000
Donate $100

YOUR $100 PROVIDES

Partial emergency card

Contributes toward a family's $500 emergency debit card

Every little bit counts. 100% of donations go to families in need. Operations are covered separately.

WHO WE HELP

Every Springfield family hit by fire deserves a path forward.

We serve families most vulnerable to the financial and emotional toll of losing a home. and we partner with the organizations that know them.

Families with Children
Primary focus

Families with Children

Emergency support packages built around family needs, clothes for every child, essentials, stability.

Single Parents
Higher-priority response

Single Parents

Families led by a single parent face the steepest recovery curve. We make sure they aren't doing it alone.

Elderly & Fixed Income
Dignity-first support

Elderly & Fixed Income

Seniors displaced by fire often lose irreplaceable memories and face housing barriers. We help them rebuild with dignity.

Renters Without Insurance
Most common gap

Renters Without Insurance

Many Springfield renters have no renters insurance. When fire hits, they're the most vulnerable. We step in first.

Springfield Fire Department
Direct partnership

Springfield Fire Department

We work directly with the SFD Public Information Officer to get referrals in the first hours after a fire.

Community Partners
Coordinated referrals

Community Partners

Local shelters, churches, and social-service agencies that refer affected families to us for emergency support.

Learn more about the families we serve

WHY FORGED BY FIRE

We don't just respond to fires.
We've lived through one.

Forged By Fire is a Springfield, MA nonprofit built on a single idea: no family should have to rebuild alone. We exist because our founder lived through the exact moment we help families navigate, and knows how fragile those first 48 hours are.

Our partnership with the Springfield Fire Department means we get a direct, same-day referral. Your donation, or your time, lets us close the gap between disaster and the first real help.

“When you lose everything: all your clothes, your sneakers, your socks. Anything you can get is a blessing. Every little bit counts.”

Lt. Donald Coleman Jr., Founder

Fuel a Family's Recovery

Firefighter-founded

Lt. Donald Coleman Jr. has served the Springfield community as a firefighter since 2015. He's also a fire survivor. No one understands the gap between disaster and recovery better.

Within 48 hours, not weeks

Most relief programs require applications, verification, and waiting. We deliver emergency support within 48 hours of the fire because that's when it matters most.

100% to families

Every dollar donated goes directly to the families we serve. Operations are covered separately. Every little bit counts, and every little bit actually reaches someone in crisis.

GET IN TOUCH

How can we help you. or how can you help us?

Whatever brought you here, there's a path forward. Choose the one that fits and we'll take it from there.

I Need Help After a Fire

If you or someone you know in Springfield lost a home to fire, we respond within 24 hours, same-day for active emergencies.

I Want to Donate

Financial gifts or item donations. 100% of donations go directly to supporting families, every little bit counts.

I Want to Volunteer or Partner

Sort donations, deliver support packages, share our story, or partner as an organization. We need you.

Phone. Coming Soon

Direct line launching with our formal nonprofit setup

Response

Within 24 hours · Emergencies same-day