Friday, September 19 at 4:34pm | By Joe Garofoli
The Napa Valley Community Foundation distributed $1.2 million Friday to 20 nonprofits who are helping those most in need after the Aug. 24 earthquake that struck the region — and plans to give away millions more in the coming weeks. The foundation has amassed a $10.2 million fund for earthquake victims — the bulk of it coming from a $10 million donation from the Napa Valley Vintners. A little more than $250,000 has come from 315 individual donors. In the next few weeks, the foundation plans to give between $5 and $8 million to businesses and families to help them rebuild, foundation president Terence Mulligan said Friday. Typically, the fund distributes $2 to $4 million a year, but the need is more urgent now. “The first thing you want to do is help the most vulnerable,” Mulligan said. He estimated that the fund would eventually help between 300 and 500 individuals and 150 businesses, but stressed that those estimates were preliminary. Next weekend, there will be a series of fundraisers in Napa for earthquake victims as part of the Napa Valley Rocks! – yeah, really — event. The highlight will be a concert Sunday afternoon by Michael Franti and Spearhead, Afrolicious and Napa’s very own Grass Child at the Napa Valley Expo.