OXFORD – Friends and neighbors are rallying around a family left homeless after a lightning fire destroyed its barn and heavily damaged its Robinson Hill Road home Aug. 3.

Gay De Hart and Chuck Howes and their three children are staying temporarily with friends, but are seeking a place to live for the next year while they rebuild their home.

“We have lots of places to stay, but not one to live in yet,” De Hart said Monday. They need at least three bedrooms, and space for a dog and a cat. The family’s insurance company is giving them a living allowance, but no value has yet been placed on the loss.

The family lost all inventory and machinery of their business, Shaker View Furniture, in the fire.

De Hart said the family has been touched by the support of the descendants of John Pike, the former owner of the home, who have been showing up almost daily to help clean debris from the home.

“It is heartening,” she said.

The Pike family has organized a potluck supper Aug. 20 at Staples Community Hall in Oxford to raise funds to meet the family’s immediate needs. The supper will be served from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and cost $6 for adults, $3 for children.

“Of course, people are welcome to donate anything over $6 that they want to,” said Nellie Pike, whose husband, Erlon, grew up in the farmhouse.

The Pikes have also placed collection cans at local businesses to help the family.

Meanwhile, a fund has also been set up at Northeast Bank at 235 Main St. in South Paris to receive donations for the family. Checks should be made out to the Howes Family Fund.

Help has also come from the family’s church, the Norway Unitarian-Universalist Church, and EnterpriseMaine, which put out a call for help on its Web site Friday. The family is seeking a general contractor as well as a small space to lease for rebuilding the business.

Anyone able to offer help is asked to call 539-4232.