HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (WAFF) – A fundraiser is underway to help some elderly residents get through a tough time after being evicted from their homes.

More than 80 residents of the Gateway Place Apartments had to leave their homes after a water pipe burst.

This is all thanks to a woman whose mother is one of the residents who became homeless.

On Sunday, WAFF reported that it helped ensure that every tenant received a full meal.

On Wednesday, WAFF learned that it had opened a donations account to cover any additional needs.

It has been nearly two weeks since residents were relocated to hotels while the pipe is repaired.

The housing authority has covered these costs, but Michelle Shaw knows that older people need more help.

She set up this donation account at Redstone Federal Credit Union in hopes it will provide a way for others who want to help to do so.

Shaw doesn’t want to take credit for what she does.

However, she wants to alleviate the fears residents may have because they don’t know what will happen next.

“We’re going to need more meals and more help, and the more help we get, the better off these people are going to be,” she said. Even if it’s just a simple ‘I can take you to the doctor,’ sometimes that goes a long way.”

Many of these tenants are on fixed incomes, may rely on medications, or may not be able to cook for themselves in their hotel room, so this is just the latest step Shaw has taken to help them.

She also said residents would be informed next Friday about when they could return to their homes.

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