Sponsor & Partner Report
When the next Springfield fire happens, we are already there.
A sponsor and partner overview of Forged By Fire. Programs, pipeline, partners, and how to fund the work.
01. ABOUT FORGED BY FIRE
An active-duty firefighter founded this because the system was leaving Springfield families behind.
Forged By Fire is a Springfield, Massachusetts nonprofit founded by Lt. Donald Coleman Jr. We respond to residential fires through a same-day referral partnership with the Springfield Fire Department.
The first 48 hours after a fire are when families need help most, and that is the gap we close. Insurance payouts arrive in weeks. Red Cross relief is brief by design. Forged By Fire bridges what the family needs from the night of the fire through their first stable footing.
Our mission is simple. No Springfield family should have to rebuild alone.
02. THE FOUNDER
Lt. Donald Coleman Jr.
Lt. Donald Coleman Jr. has served the Springfield Fire Department since 2015. In 2022, he lost his own home to a fire while away on vacation. He spent two and a half years restoring his grandparents' Victorian. Today that home is the transitional housing unit Forged By Fire offers Springfield families.
He is a firefighter first. Forged By Fire exists because he saw, on scene and inside his own loss, that the gap between disaster and the first real help was wide enough that families fell through it.
“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
03. STRUCTURE
Three pillars. One pipeline.
Most fire-relief efforts treat emergency response, housing, and case management as three separate programs run by three separate organizations. We run them as one pipeline so families do not have to start over at every hand-off.
Emergency Resources
A $500 reloadable debit card, clothing for every family member, and essentials, delivered within 48 hours of the fire. No application gauntlet.
Transitional Housing
Furnished, case-managed transitional housing for up to three families at a time, bridging from displacement to permanent housing. Stays up to 90 days.
Resource Navigation
Coordinated case management. Insurance, Red Cross, school enrollment, prescription refills, and warm hand-offs to long-term partners.
04. PROGRAMS
Four programs. One family at the center.
Essentials Delivery
Clothing, hygiene supplies, school supplies, hot meals on the night of the fire. Sized to the actual family. Delivered, not waited for.
$500 Reloadable Emergency Card
Loaded same day. Family-controlled spend. As donations come in to that family's case, the card keeps loading.
Transitional Housing Units
Furnished, case-managed, up to 90 days. Three families at a time. The unit is the restored Coleman family home.
Case Management & Life Skills
Weekly check-ins. Financial-literacy resources. Coordinated insurance and benefit advocacy. Warm referrals to permanent supports.
05. THE PIPELINE
Fire. Outreach. Relief. Recovery.
One sponsored family equals one $500 emergency card, one duffel of essentials, one case-managed transition. The same pipeline runs for every referred fire. Predictable cost. Predictable outcome.
Fire
A residential fire occurs in Springfield. Springfield Fire Department's PIO refers the family to Forged By Fire on scene or within hours.
Outreach
Within 24 hours, our team contacts the family. We listen, we document needs with consent, and we plan the support package.
Relief
Within 48 hours, the $500 emergency card and essentials are delivered. The family begins to stabilize.
Recovery
Weekly case management. Transitional housing if needed. Coordinated hand-offs into permanent housing and long-term partners.
06. WHO WE SERVE
Springfield families most vulnerable to a fire.
Families with Children
The primary audience. Sized clothing for every kid, school continuity, transportation help.
Single Parents
Higher-priority response. The recovery curve is steepest for parents shouldering it alone.
Elderly on Fixed Income
Dignity-first support. Replacement of irreplaceable items, navigation of senior housing systems.
Renters Without Insurance
The biggest gap in fire relief. We step in first when nothing else does.
SERVICE AREA
Primary: Springfield, Massachusetts. Expansion targets as funding scales: Holyoke, Chicopee, and Greater Hampden County. Pioneer Valley referrals are reviewed case-by-case when capacity allows.
07. PARTNERS & TRUST
The Springfield Fire Department referral is the single most important asset we have.
Forged By Fire works inside the existing emergency-response ecosystem. We do not duplicate what the Red Cross or insurance liaisons do. We close the gap between them.
Springfield Fire Department
Same-day referral. Our keystone partner.
American Red Cross
Mid-term displacement coordination.
Local Shelters & Churches
Overflow and faith-based support pipelines.
Social Services
Long-term casework hand-offs.
FEMA & Insurance Liaisons
Federal aid and insurance navigation.
School Districts
Continuity for displaced students.
08. SPONSOR & SUPPORT
Six tiers. One predictable model.
100% of donations reach Springfield families. Operations are funded separately. Corporate matching, multi-year commitments, and in-kind sponsorships are welcomed.
$25
Night-of-fire essentials
Hot meals and basics for a displaced family the first night.
$50
Clothing for one family member
A complete outfit and shoes for one displaced person.
$100
Partial emergency card load
Meaningful contribution toward a family's $500 card.
$500
Full emergency card
Funds one full family's emergency relief package.
$1,000
One month of housing
One month of transitional housing for a rebuilding family.
$5,000+
Sustained program support
Multi-family impact. Corporate matching welcomed.
CORPORATE & FOUNDATION
Sponsor a year of Springfield families.
Annual sponsorships, employee match programs, and in-kind contributions. Email our team and we will send a formal sponsorship packet within one business day.
RISING FROM THE ASHES, TOGETHER
Every Springfield family deserves to know they are not rebuilding alone.
Forged By Fire is a Springfield, Massachusetts nonprofit. 501(c)(3) status pending. 100% of donated funds reach families. Operations are funded separately, with full disclosure published annually.
contact@theforgedbyfire.org · Springfield, MA · theforgedbyfire.org