OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT
The Royal Family Stands with Victims of Local Tragedy
ROYAL FAMILY STRONG
WAYS TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS
WHILE THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BELOW YOU WILL FIND MANY WAYS YOU CAN HELP OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND BEYOND AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME. PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THESE, SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHERS, AND LOOK FOR WAYS YOU CAN HELP.
For those interested in helping victims, here are places to donate:
- The American Red Cross is taking donations to help fire victims by selecting "California Wildfires" for your donations here. You can also text the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Also, those seeking resources related to the fires can find a list of evacuation centers at here and can download the organization's mobile Red Cross Emergency App for the most up-to-date alerts and information.
In addition, you can become a Red Cross volunteer here. - The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation needs help to fund hydration backpacks for all its firefighters. If you would like to support them, please make a donation here.
- The United Way has created a Disaster Relief Fund "to support our low-income neighbors whose lives and livlihoods are affected by the current wildfires in Southern California." You can make a donation here.
- The California Fire Foundation is helping victims of the SoCal wildfires by utilitizing its Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency program. You can donate to the SAVE program, which is designed to provide "emergency short-term financial assistance to fire and natural disaster victims of California year-round, including both firefighters and civilians." You can dontate to the CARE program here.
- The Pepperdine Strong Foundation has been set up by the school to help the community by providing needed support for the students, faculty and staff directly impacted by the Woolsey Fire and also the Borderline Bar and Grill shooting. You can donate here.
Support for the Adler Family
- Click here to contribute to the GoFundMe for the family of former local businessman and Royal Wrestling Strength Coach Sean Adler who was a victim of the Borderline shooting.
Support for the Victims of the Borderline Shooting
- The Rotary Club of Westlake Village has set up the following GoFundMe account here.
- The Ventura County Community Foundation, in coordination with the city of Thousand Oaks, California Community Foundation and others, has set up a victim relief and recovery fund.
Donate Toys for the Holiday Season
- Click here to see a listing prepared by The Ventura County Star (published Nov. 15)
Royal DECA Clothing and Toy Drive
- Royal is hosting the 32nd Annual Used Clothing and Toy Drive sponsored by the Royal DECA organization runs from Monday, November 26 until Friday, December 7. So, clean out your closets and help out a great cause. Bring your donations to room 7-6 or 2-11. For questions, contact Mrs. Longo.
Benefit Concert for Borderline Victims
- Rock City Studios will be holding a benefit concert for the Borderline Victims on Nov. 30th in Camarillo. 100% of proceeds go to victims' families. If you are unable to attend, there is also a donation link set up and there will be a silent auction. Local bands are set to perform. For event and ticket information click here.
Donate Goods or Services
- Give an evacuee or a firefighter a free place to stay through Airbnb. Find out more here.
- If you’re in California, donate non-perishable food items to the Salvation Army Ventura Corps, which is providing food and shelter to victims and first responders.
- Caring Choices in Butte County is currently looking for medical volunteers.
- Other volunteer opportunities related to the fires are posted on California Volunteers, including financial and other donations.
Donate Money
- GoFundMe has set up pages to directly help people affected by the fires. Head here to help.
- Facebook has a Crisis Response page for the Woolsey Fire, which includes fundraising through GlobalGiving.
- Google is channeling donations through the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Read more about it here.
- The Red Cross is providing both shelter and emotional support for evacuees. You can visit RedCross.org, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make an automatic $10 donation.
- Give to the Ventura County Community Foundation‘s Hill Fire and Woolsey Fire Sudden and Urgent Needs Effort Fund.
- The United Way of Greater Los Angeles is partnering with United Way of Ventura County to collect donations to its Disaster Relief Fund. Donate online or text “UWVC to 41444.”
- Donate directly to Direct Relief, which helps provide resources to healthcare agencies and first responders in wildfire-affected areas across California. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is matching all donations, up to $15,000.
- The Salvation Army Ventura Corps is accepting donations to go toward California wildfire relief.
- The California Fire Foundation is a nonprofit that is distributing emergency funds to fire victims, including distributing prepaid credit cards to help victims buy food, clothing, and shelter. Donate to the SAVE program here.
- Since the fires are in Hollywood’s backyard, the Entertainment Industry Foundation is raising money through its Fire Relief Fund to help those affected. Last yearfunds went to the L.A. Fire Department, L.A. Kitchen, and the Humane Society of Ventura County.
- You can also donate directly to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
- The Firefighters Charitable Foundation accepts donations to support volunteer fire stations and help wildfire victims.
- Baby2Baby is distributing essential items to children affected by the ongoing fires. Help them supply diapers, wipes, blankets, and other basic baby needs by purchasing from their registry.
How to Donate to Help Animals
- The Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation provides animal safe trailers that provide temporary shelters for pets whose owners are evacuated due to disasters. You can donate to the foundation's disaster relief efforts here.
- The Pasadena Humane Society has responded to the Woolsey Fire by assisting the LA County-Agoura Shelter in evacuating and housing shelter animals. You can donate to the PHS here.
- The Humane Society of Ventura County is accepting animal evacuations related to the Southern California fires. Ventura County was hard hit by both the Woolsey and Hill fires. You can donate here or purchase needed items through their Amazon Wish List here. Locals can also apply to volunteer to help evacuate animals in the future.
Responding with Aid for Wildfire Victims
- As part of the California Fire Foundation’s mission to provide victim assistance, it’s Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program provides emergency short-term financial assistance to fire and natural disaster victims in California year-round, including both firefighters and civilians. The California Fire Foundation has mobilized direct assistance to those who’ve suffered catastrophic losses in the Camp Fire and Woolsey Fire. Through Foundation’s Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program, CPF local affiliates and their fire departments can be on-site, with thousands of SAVE Mastercard gift-cards. The $100 SAVE gift-cards are provided to those suffering substantial property loss with immediate on-site assistance. Earlier this year 800 SAVE gift-cards were provided to victims of the Carr Fire, and in 2017 over 2,700 SAVE gift-cards were provided to victims of wildfires
DISASTER RELIEF ASSISTANCE
Apply for Individual Assistance
There are several ways to see if you qualify for financial assistance after a disaster:
- Find out if you qualify for disaster relief by using the address lookup on DisasterAssistance.gov. You can access DisasterAssistance.gov through the FEMA Mobile App.
- Complete this online questionnaire and disaster assistance application.
- Visit FEMA's Individual Disaster Assistance page or read its Help After a Disaster (PDF, Download Adobe Reader) publication.
- Call 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 1-800-462-7585)
- To get help in person, find a Disaster Recovery Center near you with the Disaster Recovery Center locator
Apply for a Disaster Recovery Loan
- The Small Business Administration provides low-interest loans to help homeowners and small businesses recover from declared disasters. You can find out if you're eligible and apply online.
Tax Relief After a Disaster
- Find out if you qualify for disaster relief on your federal taxes.
Complaints
- If you have a complaint about disaster relief assistance, contact the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General’s Office at 1-800-323-8603.
Get Emergency Help Paying for Food
- You may be able to get short-term financial help for your family’s food following a disaster. If the president authorizes individual disaster assistance for your area, you may qualify for D-SNAP (PDF, Download Adobe Reader)—disaster supplemental nutrition assistance. D-SNAP provides one month’s worth of benefits on a debit-type card that you can use at most grocery stores. Once your state sets up a D-SNAP program, you’ll have about a week to apply. If you qualify, you’ll receive benefits within three days. Following a disaster, you may lose work or face big expenses, like repairing your home. So even if your normal household income wouldn’t qualify you for regular SNAP (food stamp) benefits, you may qualify for D-SNAP. If you already receive SNAP, you can apply for D-SNAP if the amount you’d receive is more than you get under SNAP. Following a disaster, your children or your entire family may also be able to get free meals(PDF, Download Adobe Reader) through the school meals programs.
Get Emergency Help with Utility Bills
If you can’t afford to heat or cool your home after a disaster, you may qualify for emergency help with utility bills. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) may be able to provide disaster relief funding so you can:
- Pay to reconnect utilities
- Pay utility bills
- Repair or replace your furnace and air conditioners
- Repair home insulation
- Buy coats and blankets
- Buy fans and generators
To get help:
- You must meet your local LIHEAP office’s eligibility requirements.
- Your state must have funds available.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance provides financial assistance to individuals whose employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster and who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits.
- Visit the Disaster Unemployment Assistance website to:
- See if you are eligible for assistance
- View the benefits you may receive
- Get information on how to file a claim
- The Department of Labor (DOL) provides income and job assistance after a disaster. For more information, call 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365).
- DisasterAssistance.gov also provides information on how to apply for disaster assistance.
Infographic: FEMA Disaster Relief for Your Home
- You need emergency financial help to repair or rebuild your home, and you’ve applied for a SBA disaster loan. Next, a FEMA inspector will contact you to arrange a visit. Learn how to prepare for the inspector’s visit, what the inspector will do during the visit, and what will happen after it.
Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program
- As part of our mission to provide victim assistance, the California Fire Foundation’s Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program provides emergency short-term financial assistance to fire and natural disaster victims. Through SAVE, front line firefighters in California provide gift cards, in the amount of $100, to eligible victims of fires or other natural disasters so they may purchase basic necessities such as food, clothing or medicine. This program is available to any officially organized fire department or district. In order to participate in the program, a Memorandum of Understanding must be signed by both a Fire Chief and President (or Lead Representative) for the Respective Bargaining Unit (s) or Association (s) for Firefighters. Please CLICK HERE to view corporate partnership levels. Every level of support is appreciated by the California Fire Foundation. If you have any questions or would like to donate to SAVE, please contact Program Director Brittany Trudeau at btrudeau@cpf.org or (916) 641-1707.