As wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to surge across Northern California, relief for struggling residents and organizations has arrived in the form of emergency grants totaling $70,000 issued by Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation.
As of Sept. 2, grant recipients included the Weaverville Lions Club, which received $5,000 to support evacuees of the Monument Fire; Trinity Community Food Outreach, which received $20,000 to provide food and supplies to fire victims; Native American Pathways, which is using $10,000 to distribute air purifiers and child masks; and the Hoopa Fire Department, which received $10,000 to distribute air filters.
The grants come from the Disaster Response and Resilience Fund, recently established by HAF and WRCF to provide grants to nonprofit agencies, organizations and groups in Humboldt, Del Norte, Curry and Trinity counties.
“We continue to support our communities from the aftermath of last year’s wildfires, specifically the Slater Fire, and support community efforts to be prepared for and have resources available for immediate deployment in response to current wildfires and future disasters,” said Keytra Meyer, HAF’s Director of Advancement and Philanthropic Innovation. “Also, we continue to support our communities impacted by COVID-19 as we focus on response and eventually move into recovery. Unfortunately, we are unsure of an end date for the pandemic.”
The fund recently received a $250,000 grant from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to support Tribes and organizations that have been impacted by wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. $200,000 of the grant will address wildfire response and resilience, and $50,000 will address community needs related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The grant from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy is a significant boost to our mission to ensure the most vulnerable people in our communities are getting much-needed assistance,” Meyer said.
HAF and WRCF strive to have funds in place for both immediate disaster response and to help communities become more resilient in the face of future disasters. Those who have an immediate disaster-related need are encouraged to contact grants@hafoundation.org or call 707-442-2993.
To learn more about the fund or to make a contribution, please visit hafoundation.org/Giving/DisasterFund.