Last week, I was able to sit down with my wonderful family in our South San Francisco home and take measure of all of the things I am grateful for. I’m one of the lucky ones; many of our friends and neighbors aren’t doing so great right now.
In an age of Twitter and 24 hour news cycles, it’s easy to forget that less than two months ago, the North Bay was ravaged by fire. It’s easy to get distracted by the next big thing that happens. It’s easy to forget that fires ravaged hundreds of thousands of acres, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and claimed the lives of dozens of people.
In an effort to keep those who need our help in mind and not overshadowed by the next big thing, I’ve got a few resources to help out the families who are trying to get back on their feet after the fires.
How You Can Help
Whether you’d like to volunteer your time, money, or provide housing, there are a lot of ways you can help this holiday season. While many needs have already been met, there are still outstanding needs. Here’s what you can do:Volunteer
Much of the volunteer needs have since been met, but there are still some places where help is needed. Check the resources below to see where your efforts would be most effective.Sonoma County Petaluma Bounty Santa Rosa Area: Schoolbox Project - Skylane Red Cross Emergency Volunteers Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership Marin County SLYC Kidz SoCoFires Holiday Drive
Donate
More than anything else at the moment, financial contributions are needed to help families as they try to rebuild. Here’s some helpful organizations accepting donations, be it time, money, or items: Sonoma County Recovers needs gift cards for VISA, gas, and groceries! Redwood Empire Food Bank needs on call volunteers to help with the food bank. Sonoma County Secret Santa for families in need is collaborating with The Living Room & Resilient Futures Fund to help the Tubbs Fire Survivors. North Bay Fire Relief is accepting donations for Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, or Lake counties. Undocufund - 100% of proceeds go to undocumented victims of the fires to help them obtain the support and resources they need to recover and rebuild. Heart of the Vine - proceeds go towards purchasing gift cards for extended wine family employees, families, and first responders who need the basics to get restarted. BR Cohn Winery will even match your donation. Northern California Fire FundShelter and Housing
Join Airbnb in helping displaced neighbors find a welcoming place to rest their heads as they rebuild. Airbnb is joining forces with local residents to offer housing on a no-cost basis. Learn more from the link below. Open Homes with Airbnb Foster a petOther Resources
Here are a few other resources to help keep you up to date, not just on the needs of fire victims, but on the other happenings in our communities. Norcal Fires Sonoma County Facebook Sonoma County Twitter SoCoAlert Sonoma County News Talk 103.5FM & 1350AMBe a Good Neighbor
The fires may be extinguished and gone, but some people still need our help in the Bay Area. As we head into the holidays, I hope that some of us that have a little extra can come together to help those that have lost everything.If you know of other ways to donate to those in need this holiday season, let us know! The more information and help we can share, the better.
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