CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION $1 MILLION PLEDGE AIDS FLOOD VICTIMS

After long years of punishing wildfires triggered by drought and climate change, 2023 brought a tragic reminder of another climate-related disaster: catastrophic floods.

This past Winter, a sustained series of weather systems – atmospheric rivers – brought devastating floods to portions of Southern California, the Sacramento Valley and the Central Coast. Twenty-two people lost their lives, thousands were forced to evacuate and hundreds of thousands were left without power.

As it has for countless wildfire victims, the California Fire Foundation was on the ground providing critical support to those victimized by these disasters. In an ongoing partnership with Community Based Organizations (CBOs), the California Fire Foundation pledged to distribute the $1 million in aid to those hit hardest and most in need of support.

“Our mission is to support survivors, firefighters and communities affected by natural disasters,” said Rick Martinez, Executive Director of the California Fire Foundation. “These unrelenting storms have a devastating and disproportionate impact on already under-resourced communities. This $1 million in relief supports the critical needs of those most impacted by these catastrophic storms.”

The initial disbursement in aid – 500 of the Foundation’s SAVE cards totaling $125,000 in disaster relief aid – was distributed in partnership with Cal OES at the Merced County Fairgrounds in mid-January. In all, nearly $650,000 of the assistance has been distributed to date, much of it through community-based organizations such as the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County and the United Way in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Merced Counties. More support will be provided during the long-term recovery efforts.

The California Fire Foundation’s wide variety of programs, from immediate assistance to long-term recovery, support vital needs of those affected by natural disaster. The Foundation also remains committed to the mission of providing emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters, and the communities they protect across the state.

In past years, the Foundation has distributed millions of dollars in aid to victims of catastrophic wildfire – direct financial relief through its SAVE program and ongoing support for hard-hit areas through grants to CBOs working on the ground in affected areas.

“We are looking to do more than simply provide immediate aid,” said Martinez. “Our foundation seeks also to be part of rebuilding lives and communities long after the flood waters have receded.”

For more information on California Fire Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund, visit cafirefoundation.org/programs/disaster-relief-programs.