Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief
Photo Credit: Leah Millis, San Francisco Chronicle
NAPA VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTES
$565,000 TO SUPPORT THOSE AFFECTED BY FIRES
 
October 13, 2017 - Napa, CA - Napa Valley Community Foundation (NVCF) distributed $565,000 in grants today that will fund trusted community-based nonprofit agencies to support families and individuals impacted by the Napa Fire Complex who are in immediate need of assistance. The grants are earmarked for critical disaster-related needs, such as temporary shelter, food, medical care, mental health services, emergency childcare, transportation, resource/referral and case management services, legal services, and other human services for affected communities in Napa County. 

The grants were made from the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund, which is managed by NVCF and was established with a $10 million lead gift from Napa Valley Vintners following the 2014 South Napa Earthquake.  After all phases of quake-related relief programs concluded last year, the Disaster Relief Fund had a balance of approximately $2.5 million, which is the starting point for current relief efforts for the Napa Fire Complex.

"Thanks to the generosity of donors near and far, we've been able to move quickly to get services to those who need them," said NVCF President Terence Mulligan.  As of yesterday afternoon, more than 3,400 donors had contributed $1.2 million to the Disaster Relief Fund in response to the fires.  Additional cash gifts are needed, but the Foundation is not able to accept in-kind contributions.  Moreover, most nonprofits helping those affected by the fires don't have the capacity at this time to accept the significant volume of in-kind donations that are generously being offered.  "After the devastating fires in Lake County in 2015, it took 15 tractor trailers to haul away all the in-kind donations that poured in but couldn't be used by people," said Mulligan.  One exception: gift cards purchased to assist evacuees, particularly pre-paid Visa, MasterCard or American Express gift cards in $25, $50 and $100 denominations, which are being accepted by Cope Family Center at 707 Randolph Street in Napa and UpValley Family Centers at 1440 Spring Street in St. Helena.

Today, NVCF convened key nonprofit and public sector leaders for a second time since the outbreak of the Napa Fire Complex on Sunday night, to identify emerging needs related to the ongoing disaster in Napa County.  "Interim housing, health services, mental health services and assistance for people unable to work on account of the fires" are likely to be addressed by the Disaster Relief Fund moving forward, said Mulligan.  So are services to help local residents navigate the application process for private insurance reimbursements or grants from FEMA, he added, noting that a second round of distributions from the Disaster Relief Fund would be forthcoming in the weeks ahead, probably after Napa County establishes a Local Assistance Center (LAC).
 
Meanwhile, the Disaster Relief Fund has ordered several thousand N-95 respirator masks, which are washable and reusable.  These will be distributed for free to local residents in partnership with the nonprofit organizations listed below.

The sixteen organizations receiving grants today are: 
 
Aldea, Inc.
Bay Area Legal Aid
Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley
Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership
Community Action Napa Valley
Cope Family Center
Fair Housing Napa Valley
Humane Society of Napa County
Mentis
NEWS
Ole Health
On the Move
ParentsCAN
Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center
Salvation Army - Napa Corps
UpValley Family Centers
 
To donate to the Disaster Relief Fund, click here.
To learn more about the Disaster Relief Fund, click here

Napa Valley Community Foundation