By the time most people had sat down for their Thanksgiving meal, Bogalusa’s Ashley McMillan was out looking for a place to live after her home burned to the ground that morning.

The old house trailer at 12170 Choctaw Road was a total loss. McMillan and her 2-year-old daughter were staying with a friend at the time of the fire.

Another family friend, Sharon Holden, is rallying support for McMillan and her daughter by requesting donations. Donations can be dropped off at Milltown Flea Market in Bogalusa, located at 308 Sullivan Dr.

“A friend and I are looking for houses to rent, but the ones we’ve looked at are either too expensive or don’t have enough room,” McMillan said. ‘They want $600 for a one-bedroom. Right now, people want to donate furniture and appliances, but we don’t have a place to put them right now.”

Needed items to be donated include clothes, shoes and jackets for a toddler, including size 6 diapers. McMillan wears a size-6 shoe and pants size 22 to 24.

McMillan is on a fixed income and receives $600 per month. If money is donated, it is requested to put it in a cashier’s check and drop it off at The Flea Market with McMillan’s name on the envelope.

“It’s kind of difficult to find something affordable,” McMillan said. “My sister, Erica McMillan, is going to live with me if we can find a place.

“The most pressing thing right now is having a place to live. I can replace clothes. Until I have a place to store these things, I can worry about those big things later.”