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Our thoughts are with our colleagues on the West Coast affected by recent wildfires. If you would like to join us in supporting the California wine industry, we have compiled a list of organizations supporting the industry and the affected communities.
The Sonoma County Vintners Foundation Emergency Relief Fund was established to address the immediate, mid- and long term needs of our local community impacted by natural disaster or other emergencies in a timely manner.
Please consider making a tax-deductible charitable contribution today. The Sonoma County Vintners Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
After two devastating wildfires in 2017 and 2019, SCGGF established a Wildfire Housing Support Fund, raising more than $2 million dollars to support Sonoma County farmworkers. SCGGF supported approximately 1,500 farmworkers and their families during these unprecedented disasters by purchasing trailers for temporary housing, providing rent support, offering financial assistance toward new and/or temporary housing, supplementing lost wages, and providing gift cards to purchase new household items, food and supplies.
The Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation immediately reopened its resiliency fund for ag workers and their families who were displaced from their homes, lost wages or were impacted by the fire. The fund serves to assist any workers who are employed by a farmer, rancher or an agricultural employer in Sonoma County.
As a steward of the land and a resource to its members, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers provides educational seminars, events and services that assist growers in addressing the issues they face, while preserving Napa Valley’s unique grapegrowing heritage for the members of tomorrow.
If you live in the US, one of the best ways to support the industry is purchasing directly. Your favorite California producer may be able to ship to you directly, or have a wine club you can join. It’s a great (and tasty!) way to make a difference.
To find your next favorite California producer, explore these associations:
Hundreds of Red Cross disaster workers have already provided more than 216,100 overnight stays in emergency lodging, with partners, served more than 435,400 meals and snacks and distributed more than 33,800 relief items.
Want to help people specifically affected by the California, Oregon or Washington wildfires? Write “California Wildfires,” or “Oregon Wildfires” in the memo line of a check and mail it to your local Red Cross chapter with the completed donation form. For California Wildfires you can also text the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
The Red Cross’ online donation page has created a fund specifically to assist those affected by the western wildfires. Select from the drop down, or donate to the general disaster relief fund.
In the aftermath of a disaster, immediate needs for victims can include shelter, food, cash and other basic needs. A community’s recovery is often more complex and depends on the scope of the disaster and an affected community’s specific context and needs. For these reasons, the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund supports both mid-term to long-term recovery efforts for those affected by California wildfires.
The California Fire Foundation administers a variety of programs that provide assistance to the victims, firefighters, and communities that are affected by natural disaster. These programs support critical needs of those touched by natural disaster — from immediate assistance to long-term recovery.
The Sonoma County Resilience Fund is the only long-term recovery fund in Sonoma County dedicated to supporting residents impacted by disaster. We offer grants to nonprofit organizations working in three core focus areas: Helping, Healing, and Housing.
The Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund is responding to the LNU Lightening Complex Fires and the Glass Fire. So far, the Foundation has granted nearly $900,000 to supply gift cards for immediate needs and temporary shelter to those displaced by the fires, as well as to provide essential emergency services, like counseling, food access and insurance navigation. In the coming weeks, the Disaster Relief Fund will continue to provide immediate response grants for additional safety net services, like legal and housing assistance, as well as the launch of cash assistance available to homeowners and renters affected by the fires.
The Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) created the Monterey County Fire Relief Fund to assist communities affected by current and future fires including the #RiverFire #CarmelFire and #DolanFire.
The Latino Community Foundation is reactivating the Wildfire Relief Fund (formerly designated only for NorCal) to deploy contributions to Latino-led organizations supporting families displaced by the current wildfires across all the state of California.
Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen set up their Mobile Relief Kitchen at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds—the same location we established one year ago in response to the Kincade Fire. These meals are being plated up for both lunch and dinner for our team to serve to first responders, fire crews, and families who have been evacuated from their homes. WCK’s Relief Team will continue cooking and serving fresh meals to first responders and impacted communities. For real-time updates about our emergency response, follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
The UpValley Family Centers operates as a Family Resource Center, which is endorsed by the California Department of Social Services as a best practice for serving families and strengthening communities. Taking a prevention-focused, community-responsive approach, our services are culturally sensitive and aim to help families and communities build on the strengths they already possess to create a future of opportunity for themselves. We serve children, youth, adults, and seniors who live and/or work in the rural communities of Calistoga, St. Helena, Deer Park, Angwin, Pope Valley, Lake Berryessa, Oakville, and Rutherford.
We encourage you to research these and other any other funds you are considering before donating. The Office of the Attorney General of California has created a webpage with tips on donating. It also offers a verification search tool and a downloadable list of registered charities to ensure that any charity you are considering donating to has been properly registered with the state. Visit their website to learn more.