Funder Briefing Webinar
On October 29th, NCG hosted a Funders Briefing, Northern California Wildfires and Public Safety Power Shutoff: Who’s Affected, What’s Needed from Philanthropy. You can access the webinar, notes, and additional resources here.
Table of Contents
About
The Kincade Fire broke out on the night of Wednesday, October 23, 2019, in rural Sonoma County. Since then, the fire has forced thousands of people to evacuate in the county and Governor Newsom has declared a statewide emergency. The wildfires and the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) in Northern California have caused major disruptions for Bay Area residents. To date (updated Monday, October 28, 2019 at 8:00 am), over 180,000 people are displaced from their homes and nearly 1 million are without power.
Particularly, the most vulnerable are 1) people with disabilities, 2) immigrants and farm workers, 3) low-income residents, and 4) older adults and seniors who live and work in the impacted area. There is shelter at the Healdsburg Community Center Shelter, where local nonprofits are providing them with essential services and support. Additionally, a Red Cross shelter has also been set up to house other evacuees.
If you have any questions, please contact Alan Kwok, Director of Disaster Resilience at Northern California Grantmakers.
Up-To-Date Information
- For up-to-date information about the Kincade Fire, please visit the KQED webpage.
- For air quality in the Bay Area, please visit AirNow.gov.
- For information about the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), please visit PG&E’s PSPS webpage.
How to Help
The following vetted wildfire relief and recovery funds serve to support those who have been most impacted by the fire:
- California Fire Foundation: The California Fire Foundation's Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program brings immediate, short-term relief to victims of fire or other extreme natural events throughout California. The California Fire Foundation is also accepting donations to its California Firefighters Benevolent Fund that provides assistance and support to firefighters who are displaced or impacted by fire or other natural events.
- Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP): CDP has launched the 2019 California Wildfires Recovery Fund. As with most disasters, cash donations are recommended by disaster experts as they allow for on-the-ground agencies to direct funds to the greatest areas of need, support economic recovery and ensure donation management does not detract from disaster recovery needs.
- Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL): CVNL is accepting disaster donations in Marin and Napa. CVNL has set up a fund to support those affected by the recent fires. Donations will be distributed to local nonprofits to address immediate and long-term community needs. Under “additional information” make sure to select “disaster-related" work.
- Community Foundation of Sonoma County: The Community Foundation of Sonoma County’s ongoing Resilience Fund continues to accept donations to support the mid- and long-term recovery needs of individuals and families, with particular focus on helping the needs of individuals, healing the effects of long-term trauma, and addressing housing solutions within the county.
- Global Giving: The Disaster Recovery Network at GlobalGiving has launched a Northern California Wildfire Relief Fund. This fund will support immediate relief efforts for people impacted by the fires in the form of emergency supplies like food, water, and medicine, and will eventually transition to funding long-term assistance to help residents recover and rebuild. All donations to this fund will exclusively support wildfire recovery.
- Latino Community Foundation: The Latino Community Foundation’s NorCal Wildfire Relief Fund has been activated. The fund supports nonprofits that include Corazon Healdsburg and Nuestra Comunidad, which are providing essential sheltering and supportive services to Latino immigrants and farm workers impacted by the fire.
- Solano Community Foundation: The Solano Disaster Relief Fund is focusing on helping those organizations who are working to provide relief and recovery services to Solano County and Napa County residents, specifically for medical care, counseling, temporary shelter and meals to the individuals and families affected by the October Fires.
- UndocuFund: The UndocuFund for Fire Relief in Sonoma County, managed by Graton Day Labor Center, North Bay Organizing Project, and North Bay Jobs with Justice, is currently raising funds to assist the victims of the Kincade Fire. This fund is providing direct funding to undocumented immigrants in Sonoma County and their families to help with fire-related expenses.
- United Way of the Wine Country: United Way has opened the Kincade Fire Emergency Relief & Recovery Fund to help in the relief and recovery efforts post-fire. All gifts made via our website will be directed to the fund until further notice.
Resources for You and Your Organization
- The State of California’s Guide to Disaster Assistance Services for Immigrant Californians provides information on health, housing, emergency supplies, employment and other services available to all Californians, regardless of their immigration status.
- For funders who want to learn more about how they can best support immigrant communities in a disaster, please listen to the webinar “Funding for Immigrant Communities Post-Disaster" hosted by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR).
- The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services connects residents with a wide range of services and programs targeted specifically at those who have been affected by wildfires.
How Northern California Grantmakers Can Support Your Engagement
Northern California Grantmakers is deploying its deep work in disaster resilience efforts toward:
- Sharing: What's needed now; emerging issues; where funders can make the most of their contributions
- Publicizing: Trusted funds for relief and recovery
- Advising: How best to meet short and long-term needs
- Connecting: Funders, government partners, and organizations active responding to the disaster
- Supporting: Funders with tools, connections, and expertise