Dunback Store owners Keith and Philippa Casey and their five children were left with nowhere to live after fire destroyed the 150-year-old store, which was attached to the family's home.
However, residents have today set up a trust fund to help the family get back on their feet.
Dunback resident Denise Laney said she had known the family for about seven years.
She said they were ''good community people'' and everyone in the community was rallying behind them.
''It's all very community-based. Obviously, the fire happened on Saturday and everyone was just standing around unfortunately watching the fire and feeling very hopeless and wondering what on Earth we could do to help them.
"So some of us have got together to organise a trust fund so people can make monetary donations, if they like.''
She said kitchenware, furniture and general household goods that could be of use to the family would be collected at the Dunback Hall from today.
Any goods that were surplus to requirements would be sold at a garage sale. The money raised would be added to the trust fund.
Firefighters described the blaze, which reduced the store to ashes in less than an hour, as the worst in in the area in about 20 years.
An excavator was used to demolish a tottering chimney stack and what little was left of the standing structure to ensure it could not damage neighbouring properties or reignite.
Mrs Laney said the community was determined to help the family ''get back on track''.
''It's a family of five children, so it's quite devastating. Plus, it's the local store gone, of course.
''We are trying to find them a home at the moment.''
Mrs Laney said donations of household goods could be taken to Dunback Hall and money could be given to the Dunback Store Fire Fund through the BNZ bank.
The fund's account number was 02-0912-0304162-00.
Palmerston Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Gary Johnston said the cause of the fire had not been established, but ''best estimates'' suggested the fire started directly above Mr Casey's bedroom, in the building's rear living quarters.
