All-In Monterey County and a local moving company rally to help former residents of Casanova Plaza.

After a three-alarm fire devastated the Casanova Plaza apartment complex in Monterey on Monday, March 9, the displaced residents, many elderly and disabled, had been unable to reenter their old apartments and reunite with their possessions, such as family heirlooms and important documents.

That is until the week of Monday, Oct. 5, when the Housing Authority of Monterey County, the building's owner, finally allowed the former residents to enter the premises by appointment and at their own risk. 

“We’ve been helping them from the very beginning,” says All-In Monterey County President Tonya Kosta in front of the charred complex, where workers with Mod Movers, in white coveralls and safety respirators, helped former residents move their belongings.

“And this is day one of people being allowed in to get their stuff. It has been tearful," she says.

Since the Casanova Plaza residents were displaced in early March, All-In, which operates exclusively on donations, has been helping the former Casanova residents with food, clothing, toiletries, supplies and items like mattresses and furniture for a total cost of roughly $300,000, alongside moral support and lots of hugs. 

“I have volunteers here who are here specifically to hug people and hold their hands,” says Kosta. “And certain people can’t make it here because they are homebound so we are packing up their places for them.” 

The nonprofit also helped pay for the moving company, Mod Movers, which gave All-In a discounted rate to help the elderly and disabled residents move out their possessions in the brief timeframes allotted to them. 

“We’re basically doing the job free of charge,” says Marlene Corpus, co-owner of Mod Movers with her husband, Jesse Corpus. “We were really hoping the Housing Authority could step up and provide All-In some additional funds so we’re not out here working for free but we’re not going to walk away from them one way or another because they need our help. I’m a certified senior move manager and my passion is helping seniors.”

In addition to helping to coordinate and pay for the movers, Kosta and All-In continue to host monthly luncheons with the displaced residents and are still on hand to help them with everyday tasks and technical guidance like how to order groceries online and learn the bus system at their new homes. 

“It’s been hard. We are 100% volunteers and run on donations,” says Kosta. “But what we do is important.”