Paying it forward: East Meadow woman helps family devastated by house fire

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Jessica Schiavone of East Meadow has been collecting donations for the past month to help a neighbor who lost their home in a fire in June. "The family has nothing. Everything is gone," says Schiavone. Officials say the blaze broke out on June 26 at a home on Arleigh Road at around 3:30 p.m. Nassau police say the house was fully engulfed in flames. Multiple fire departments responded to the scene. Police say three adults and two children, including a newborn baby and a dog, were evacuated safely. Schiavone has collected multiple donations for the family. Schiavone also lost her home in a fire in 2015. She says the donation drive is a way to pay it forward. "I just want to help them the way my community helped me when I lived in Bethpage, so this is my way of giving back." explained Schiavone. "