Wildfire Relief Fund - Community Partners Making An Impact

2020 Wildfire Relief Fund Grants

Northern California: Kincade Fire ($650,000)
The relief and recovery efforts for the Kincade Fire are ongoing. While the destruction is not as severe as the 2017 Northern California firestorm and the majority of homes affected this year were in an affluent area, the community continues to face the long-term effects. Low-income individuals and families that live and work in the area continue to struggle to return to normal. Farm workers are an especially vulnerable population in the area given the agricultural economy.

The following grantmaking recommendations focus on support for institutions providing long-term recovery support, financial support for undocumented and mixed-status families, assistance for those who lost wages due to the fire, capacity support for local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and case management for unmet needs of fire victims.

• $250,000 – Sonoma County Community Foundation’s Sonoma County Resilience Fund for long-term recovery work in Sonoma County for those affected by the Kincade Fire, focused on housing, healing from trauma, and financial support for individuals.
• $250,000 – Latino Community Foundation’s NorCal Wildfire Relief Fund for long-term recovery support for Latino communities affected by the Kincade Fire. Funding will provide culturally grounded healing clinics for fire survivors, capacity support to help coordinate relief efforts across Latino service providers throughout the region, and financial support and resource referrals through partner agencies for those affected by the recent wildfires.
• $50,000 – UndocuFund for direct assistance to immigrant and mixed-status families who lost homes, possessions, and earnings in the Kincade Fire.
• $50,000 – Corazón Healdsburg for ongoing case management for those affected by the Kincade Fire. Funds will also support rapid re-housing, rental assistance, childcare, and financial aid. Financial literacy classes will be provided alongside financial aid as a means of resiliency planning for the region.
• $50,000 – Sonoma COAD for capacity support to facilitate communication, collaboration, cooperation, and coordination among organizations working on disaster preparedness, response and recovery in Sonoma County.

Southern California: Tick, Saddleridge, Getty, and Sandalwood ($1,242,556)
The Tick, Saddleridge, and Getty Fire needs assessment did not highlight many needs from wildfire victims given the affluent nature of the areas affected. The intensity, and frequency, of these disasters greatly affected the first responders working tirelessly in these areas. These first responders experience exhaustion, injuries, and prolonged exposure to toxic materials resulting in higher rates of cancer and other diseases. Additionally, prolonged exposure to high stress situations causes higher rates of mental and behavioral health issues for first responders. The recommendations for the LA fires are focused on providing firefighters with updated equipment and communications tools to improve their working conditions, building the capacity of the local VOAD, and case management support to victims.

The Sandalwood Fire needs assessment revealed ongoing unmet needs. The majority of those affected lived in a mobile home park, Villa Calimesa, and were either underinsured or uninsured. The following recommendations for grantmaking focus on support for institutions providing assistance with navigating complex insurance claims with professional specialization on working with mobile home owners and renters, disaster case management for those affected by the 2019 fires, support for workforce development assistance for low-income individuals who lost employment or wages due to wildfires, and additional support for the unmet long-term needs of wildfire victims.

• $248,556 – Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation for essential equipment upgrades for firefighters and paramedics involved in containing the Tick, Getty, and Saddleridge Fires.
• $200,000 – Salvation Army for case management, rental assistance, and other rebuilding support for those affected by the Getty, Tick, Saddleridge, and Sandalwood Fires.
• $200,000 – Inland Empire Community Foundation for Inland Empire Disaster Relief Fund to support the long-term recovery efforts for the Sandalwood Fire.
• $100,000 over two years – United Policyholders for the Roadmap to Recovery program which orients and guides overwhelmed disaster survivors in order to improve the flow of insurance funds to finance their recovery.
• $100,000 over two years – Emergency Network Los Angeles for support to build ENLA’s infrastructure for strengthened communications and response during disasters.
• $100,000 – Community Career Development for workforce development assistance for low-income individuals who are unemployed or underemployed as a result of fires.
• $100,000 – LA Region Community Recovery Organization for their continued work on long-term unmet needs for wildfire victims.
• $94,000 – Entertainment Industry Foundation for large commercial-grade washers that remove carcinogens and particulates from firefighters’ gear in order to protect firefighters from cancer-causing materials.
• $50,000 – Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation for their work providing immediate relief and assistance in the disaster recovery centers for the Getty, Tick, and Saddleridge Fires.
• $50,000 – Center for Disaster Philanthropy for their 2019 California Wildfires Recovery Fund to support ongoing mid- and long-term recovery needs for vulnerable populations.

Organizations that have received recovery grants include:

Northern California (Camp Fire)

• 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 Way of Northern California: connects disaster victims to interim housing and provides residents with emergency cash assistance to make up for lost work wages, cover transportation and meet other immediate needs.
• American Red Cross Gold Country Region: operates emergency shelters for evacuees of the Camp Fire and is providing meals as well as health and mental health services for individuals and families who have been affected.
• Salvation Army: supports disaster victims and first responders by providing vital social services including meals, essential items and emotional care.
• Northern Valley Catholic Social Services: deploys volunteers to assist affected communities with the recovery process, including providing emergency aid resources for immigrant and low-income communities.
• North Valley Animal Disaster Group: conducts rescue, recovery, and reunification efforts for animals affected by the Camp fire.
• 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.
• Rebuild Paradise Foundation for capacity to support long-term rebuild efforts in Paradise.
• The Camp Fire Long-Term Recovery Group for operational expenses to cover the group’s resource center and program support for direct services (case management, financial support, etc.) for Camp Fire survivors.
• The Butte County Office of Education for the Center for Learning and Resilience, a permanent Center offering the full continuum of services to respond to childhood trauma and adversity.
• California Vocations Inc. for capacity support and operational expenses associated with providing 24/7 supportive services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Chico Housing Action Team (CHAT) for the Camp Fire Housing Access Model Program (CHAMP) which allows CHAT to assist qualifying households seeking subsidized housing.
• Alliance for Workforce Development, Inc. to hire a new case manager to assist clients with barriers to gaining or retaining employment. Funds will also go to financial assistance for clients.
• North Valley Housing Trust for financing for the creation of units of affordable housing.
• Boys and Girls Club North Valley to expand their Chico Club, enhance transportation services, and maintain a Case Manager to support youth and families affected by the Camp Fire.
• Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) to provide technical assistance to create a sewer utility in Paradise and build capacity of CHIP to develop affordable housing in Camp Fire affected areas.
• Oroville Hope Center for a Resource Center to provide food, water, and goods to fire victims displaced in Oroville.
• The Jesus Center for a subsidized bridge housing opportunity to immediately house Camp Fire victims.
• Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) for increased capacity in their Rental Housing and Homeownership Departments to ramp up production on multi-family and single-family housing projects.
• Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter for housing for low-income Camp Fire victims who relocated to nearby Yuba and Sutter counties.

Southern California (Woolsey & Hill Fires)

• 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.
• Boys and Girls Club Malibu, Malibu Fire Relief Fund: conducts immediate emergency relief efforts including providing individuals and families with interim housing, food, water, clothing, transportation, medical supplies and school materials.
• Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation: provides essential equipment, training and public outreach programs to the firefighters and first responders who protect our communities, property and the environment.
• Ventura County Animal Services: rescues and provides supplies for animals evacuated from the areas affected by the Woolsey and Hill fires.
• Big Heart Ranch: is providing shelter, food and medical attention for animals who escaped the Woolsey Fire.
• 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.
• Women’s Economic Ventures for capacity to support employment assistance, small business resiliency, and on-going financial assistance for wildfire victims.
• Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles for staffing and new office costs associated with providing rebuilding and case management support for affected households.
• Give an Hour for free mental and behavioral health care for fire victims.
• California Lutheran University Community Counseling Services to address the mental health needs of wildfire affected communities by developing clinical training, providing direct services, and promoting community readiness.
• Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County for the creation of the Regional Disaster Legal Assistance Collaboration.
• Westminster Free Clinic for free mental health services for communities affected by the Woolsey Fire.
• Big Heart Ranch to provide care for rescued therapy farm animals and ongoing trauma and wellness animal-centered healing for Woolsey and Hill fire victims.
• Los Angeles County Long-Term Disaster Recovery Group for the unmet needs of Woolsey/Hill fire victims working with Disaster Case Managers on their recovery plans.

This page will be continue to be updated as future grants are made and new impact reports become available.