The Corpus Christi Firefighters Relief and Outreach Fund is something victims of tragedies may not be aware exists.
There is a group of volunteers who are there when the time arises.
When tragedy strikes, first responders are there. The men and women of the Corpus Christi Fire Department are life savers.
"We would go to fires and we'd always want to have an opportunity to continue helping the families afterward," said Aber Lopez, a member of the Firefighters Outreach and Relief Fund.
With that thought in mind, a group of them came up with a way to do just that.
"What we did is set up a nonprofit organization back in 2013," Lopez said. "Since then we have donated over $60,000 to families that have been displaced from residential fires."
One recent fire on Virginia Street is an example of how the organization is helping.
"On June 18 of this year, in the middle of the night at 1 a.m., Mrs. Juarez and her family were woken up due to a residential fire," Lopez said. "Our units responded and a couple of days after that our R&O fund was able to make a donation to her and her family."
But the organization also takes its philanthropic efforts a step further, helping firefighters who have been injured and their families.
"The fund was started by firefighters. We're very limited in what we can do and raise our money. We depend on donations from the community," Lopez said.
Organizers hold a variety of fundraising events throughout the year. However the need far outweighs what the organization has in its coffers.
"We don't have enough donations to help everybody," said Johnny Stobbs, President of the Firefighters Association.
If you want to help this group out, visit www.corpuschristifirefightersoutreach.com.