Pepe’s Bistro steps up to help families displaced by downtown Lincoln apartment fire

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Monday’s apartment fire near 12th and G streets displaced many people, many of whom left without a home to return to.

By midday, PePe’s Bistro was ready to help.

“I saw the roof that collapsed, and I know some of those people, and all I can think is ‘Man, they lost everything.’ Then the next thing I thought was ‘Well, how can I help them?'” said PePe Fierro, owner of Pepe’s Bistro.

For the last three Sundays of January, he’ll be serving breakfast burritos and warm cookies, with proceeds benefiting the people who once lived in the Apollo Apartments.

The Lincoln restaurant provides hot meals and a warm place to sit, and Fierro said he hopes that when people come in, they feel at home.

“When they see me, they say ‘Hey, that’s uncle Pepe, he helped me out’ and then give a great big hug, you don’t even have to say anything-I can just see it in their eyes,” Fierro said.

As the families begin the long process of recovery, Fierro said he’ll keep helping in any way he can — reminding the community that even after loss, kindness still has a seat at the table.

“You might be a little embarrassed or think that it doesn’t matter, but it matters. Everything matters. No matter how small it is, do it.”