Wildfire Relief Fund Gives $5 Million to Support California Communities Impacted by 2018 Wildfires


LOS ANGELES, March 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The California Community Foundation’s (CCF) Wildfire Relief Fund announced it would give $5 million to support immediate and longer-term recovery efforts in communities impacted by the Camp, Woolsey and Hill Fires.

In November 2018, three massive wildfires broke out, devastating communities across Northern and Southern California. Butte County faced the nation’s deadliest wildfire in more than a century, the Camp Fire, which killed 86 and destroyed nearly 19,000 structures. In Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, the Hill and Woolsey fires killed three and forced hundreds of thousands of residents from their homes.

The Wildfire Relief Fund’s $5 million in support represents the second round of relief and recovery funding for communities affected by the Camp, Hill and Woolsey Fires, raising the total granted to $6.2 million.

These grants are made possible thanks to the incredible outpouring of support by people around the world who stepped up to help in the aftermath of the fires. Since November, more than 21,000 individuals, families, foundations and corporations shared their care and resources with those who have experienced loss by donating to the fund.

Determined through consultation with on-the-ground partners in affected areas, the current grants focus both on the immediate needs of vulnerable residents and on longer-term efforts like economic recovery and bolstering the local social safety net. These grants include $3.5 million in support for Northern California communities affected by the Camp Fire and $1.5 million for Southern California communities impacted by the Hill & Woolsey Fires.

Recipients include:

Northern California Relief

  • North Valley Community Foundation: serves as a disaster relief and recovery hub, supporting efforts focused on housing, health and wellness, youth, education, community development and economic recovery.
  • United Domestic Workers of America: provides food, shelter and other support for domestic and home care workers displaced by the Camp Fire.
  • 3CORE: provides small business loans and economic recovery and development planning in communities affected by the Camp Fire.

Southern California Relief

  • Ventura County Community Foundation: supports shelter and long-term housing, legal services, education, healthcare and other resources to meet immediate and long-term needs of disaster victims including undocumented immigrant and refugee families who have been affected.
  • Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE): provides financial assistance to Ventura County farmworkers who suffered from wage or job loss caused by the Hill and Woolsey Fires.
  • Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation: offers financial, rental and food assistance to low-income families in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties experiencing financial hardship as a result of the Hill and Woolsey Fires.
  • 211 LA County: provides service referrals and information to individuals and families affected by the Hill and Woolsey Fires.
  • The Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA): provides relief assistance, along with safety equipment and training, to low-wage workers affected by the Hill and Woolsey Fires.
  • Conejo Compassion Coalition: offers tailored emergency relief for individuals and families who lost their homes in the fires, with a particular focus on communities that may be overlooked by other government and private disaster relief programs.
  • The People Concern: offers housing assistance to Malibu residents experiencing homelessness in and around wildfire-affected areas.
  • Los Angeles Regional Food Bank: provides food to individuals and families impacted by the Woolsey Fire.
  • Community Career Development: offers workforce development and employment assistance to low-income individuals who are un- or under-employed as a result of the Hill and Woolsey Fires.

In addition, CCF is working with local nonprofits and other safety net providers in Butte County to gain a deeper understanding of the region’s ongoing recovery needs. The results of this study will help determine future grants focused on the longer-term recovery effort.

“It is an honor to be entrusted with the stewardship of our donors’ gifts and to join them in helping wildfire-affected communities,” said CCF President & CEO Antonia Hernández. “Their generosity is helping new futures to take root, rise above the ashes and burst into bloom.”

A complete list of Wildfire Relief Fund grants related to the Camp, Hill & Woolsey Fires, along with pictures and stories from grantee organizations, can be found on the Wildfire Relief Fund's Community Impact Page.

The California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund supports immediate and longer-term recovery efforts for major California wildfires, as well as preparedness efforts. Since 2003, the fund has granted more than $11 million to support relief and recovery efforts throughout the state. For more information, please visit calfund.org/wildfire.

The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.7 billion in assets and manages 1,700 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. For more information, please visit calfund.org.


            

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