COHOES, N.Y. — As the American Red Cross continues to assist the 26 people displaced by the Cohoes fire, the community is beginning to raise money for those affected.

Cohoes resident Mike Ryan was driving through the city when he learned the magnitude of Thursday's fire. One of Ryan's friends was displaced by the fire.

"He has a 6-year-old stepson and his girlfriend and then his two dogs and then they lost a cat. But they got out," Ryan said.

Knowing so many people were affected by this fire, Ryan wanted to help. So just one day after the fire damaged 31 buildings, Ryan began organizing a benefit at the Black Cat Ale House for December 10 to help the fire victims.

"We're accepting donations all day long," Ryan said. "We're going to have a couple DJs, we're going to have a live band."

Just up the road at the Cohoes Bowling arena, owner Dan Walsh has partnered with Awards By Walsh to hold a fundraiser for the fire victims as well.

Each participant will donate $20 and receive two games of bowling and a Cohoes Strong t-shirt. On the back of those shirts, any business that donates $100 will have its name printed on it.

"We've just gotten going and we're already over $2,000 plus right now and it was basically through Facebook and word of mouth," said Steve Pesta, Awards By Walsh president.

The bowling fundraiser will run December 16 and 17. Anyone who would like to be a part of the fundraising event can send an email to agonzalez@awardsbywalsh.com for more information.