American Red Cross California Gold Country Region

Straight Talk on the California Wildfire Response

There have been several misunderstandings about the Red Cross and our response to the California wildfires, and we believe it is important to state the facts as clearly as possible.

Like you, these are our communities and we care deeply about the people driven from their homes by these terrible fires, especially those who have lost everything. Our mission is simple: to provide shelter, food, and relief to people in need.

A disaster this size takes the involvement of many people from many backgrounds and we’re proud to be one of those “helpers”. We are committed to partnering with others with the same or similar mission so that together we can provide a wide range of opportunities for anyone who wants to help fire survivors.

Fact #1: The role of the Red Cross is to provide shelter and to support the immediate needs of those affected by the California wildfires, including a safe place to stay, food, water, and health services, cleaning supplies, emotional support and other support resources. We have supported people with disabilities and we also partnered with several organizations to care for evacuated pets and animals. Residents affected by the fires are welcome to stop by our shelters for services during the day even if they choose to spend the night elsewhere. Some individuals and families chose to stay outside of the shelters because they wished privacy that a shelter setting could not provide.

Since evacuations were first ordered, more than 600 trained Red Cross workers and community volunteers have:

Served more than 76,000 meals and snacks
Handed out more than 32,000 relief items
Supported more than 10,000 overnight stays in shelters
Provided more than 4,800 health and mental health contacts
Opened more than 500 cases to provide individualized recovery support

Fact #2: Red Cross normally coordinates the handling of in-kind donations with a partner organization that has the expertise in the logistics of sorting and packing goods. We appreciate the generosity of those who have brought items to help others, but we cannot accept in-kind goods donations as we do not have the infrastructure to support management, sorting, and distribution of such items. In Calistoga, Napa County identified the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (cvnl.org) Emergency Volunteer Center to coordinate such donations. In Calaveras County, if you want do make a donation, contact the Mountain Ranch Resource Center that keeps a list of items needed.

Fact #3: Financial donations to the Red Cross are being used to provide help to people in need right now and will enable us to continue providing help as communities recover. As of Sept. 27, the Red Cross estimates that we will spend more than $6.6 million helping people affected by wildfires across the western United States – the vast majority of these costs are for California (more than $5 million) and Washington State (more than $1.1 million).The $6.6 million cost estimate includes wildfire response and recovery efforts in Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington State.

The Red Cross meticulously honors donor intent. Donations made in support of a specific disaster will be used for that disaster only. Any designated funds we raise beyond what is needed for emergency relief will be put to use serving the recovery needs of the affected communities.

Fact #4: An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends goes to our humanitarian services and programs and are used to provide food, shelter, emotional support and other assistance, as well as the staff, goods, vehicles and warehouses that make that relief possible. This means that roughly 9 cents of every dollar donated supports general operations to keep the Red Cross running, such as information technology, fundraising, finance, HR and communications. The Red Cross has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has a 3-star rating with Charity Navigator. One of the BBB’s standards for accountability is that a charity should spend at least 65 percent of total expenses on program activities. The Red Cross vastly outperforms on this measure. We encourage donors to review our rankings with watchdog organizations and view our audited financial reports on redcross.org.

Fact #5: We greatly appreciate the number of individuals who stepped up to volunteer for the California wildfire disaster, but as with any volunteer organization, we must follow certain screening protocols, which take time to implement and are difficult to undertake during a disaster. Any community members interested in spontaneous volunteering help may register online with North Coast Opportunities at ncoinc.org.

The Red Cross is a nearly all-volunteer workforce, composed of people who want to help their neighbors. In response to massive wildfires in California this month, local Red Cross volunteers from the affected areas and neighboring counties immediately mobilized to help the relief effort.

The Red Cross is always seeking committed, qualified volunteers to help our local communities before, during and after disasters. Please direct anyone who is looking for an ongoing or longer-term commitment to Red Cross Sierra Delta Volunteers and they can work with their local volunteer manager to complete the steps needed to become a Red Cross volunteer.

By their very nature, disasters are unpredictable and require immediate crisis management and triage to employ the best possible response and outcome. The reality is that disaster response sometimes is not perfectly executed. We regret that anyone whose offer to help, donate and/or otherwise support support were met with anything less than a compassionate and gracious response from the Red Cross, and we appreciate those who sought us out to express their concerns.

Youth Gardens Help Feed Families in Aftermath of Butte Fire

Red Cross joins the effort to get school garden veggies to families in need

Students from Toyon Middle School in Valley Springs donated their harvest to fire victims.

So many people and organizations have stepped up these last two in weeks as the Butte Fire burned more than 70,000 acres in Calaveras and Amador Counties, destroying over 500 homes and evacuating thousands from their homes for days on end.
“We wanted to help too,” said Zach Guillemin a Railroad Flat Resident and 8th grader at Toyon Middle school in the garden and landscaping class.

“I know a lot of families up where we live that lost their gardens in the fire, and we thought maybe we could give them some of the vegetables we are growing in our school garden since they aren’t able to grow them anymore,” Guillemin said.

With the wheels set in motion, many organizations stepped up to support the effort. The American Red Cross, The Resource Connection Food Bank, The UCCE Central Sierra, Calaveras Unified School District, Gardens to Grow In, Community Emergency Response Teams, FoodCorps, Calaveras FFA and many community partners all jumped on board to help make this happen.

For the last two weeks all of the vegetables that are being harvested from the Calaveras High School Farm, Toyon Middle School and many of the elementary school gardens have been given directly to those affected by the fire.

“It is has been great to see so many of the students so excited to help, and feel like that are able to do something valuable for this community,” said Lucas Hill, a FoodCorps service member who serves at the Calaveras High School Farm and Gold Strike High School. “Being new to this community, I have been so impressed by the youth and organizations that have mobilized to make this a reality.”

In addition to harvesting the vegetables and getting them distributed to families in need, Hill also helped lead a cooking session in the Valley Springs Elementary School Garden for Oakendell students who had been evacuated to the gym, and held a garden activity day for children and families evacuated to the campgrounds with FoodCorps service member Emily Metzger.

Food harvested from the gardens has been given to the Resource Connection Food Bank and American Red Cross for distribution and given directly to families at the school sites.

“These are the kinds of things that make us all feel so good inside,” said Marti Crane, long time Red Cross Volunteer and Calaveras County resident. “When I heard that the schools were needing a way to get these veggies to the families, we saw a great opportunity for collaboration. The youth in our community are amazing and we are so happy we have been able to help them fulfill their vision of feeding these families with these wonderful vegetables they have put so much time and love into growing.”

In all, over 300 pounds of vegetables grown at the Calaveras High School Farm and school gardens has been given away the last two weeks

“We plan to continue giving away the vegetables we are growing as long as there is a need,” said Guillemin. “It feels good to be able to provide something as foundational as healthy food for those that need it,” he added.

Simple Words that Make the Red Cross Glow

Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort is a place of great fun, entertainment, music and food; nonetheless, for 11 days one of the most popular Casinos in Northern California became a place of safety and shelter for hundreds of people evacuated the by Butte Fire that charred hundreds of homes in Calaveras and Amador Counties.

When evacuation orders were lifted, the number of people staying at the shelter declined. As people were leaving Jackson Rancheria we asked them to share with us a few simple words of their stay.

Jerry (82) and Kathy (77) Purse from Rail Road Flat, CA

“It’s been fantastic! The way the Red Cross took over, made sure we had everything we needed. The Red Cross and Jackson Rancheria did a fantastic job!”

Steven (56) and Winnie (52) Androvich from West Point, CA

“Made me feel like a guest, a carefree guest. The Red cross removed all my stress…made me feel like I was home.”

John (58) and Karil (56) Shipley; David Shipley (32); Heather Bolta (28)

“Fantastic! Red Cross gave us a lot of help, A LOT! You guys did great! Thank you, thank you…so much help!”

Leona Stormoen (72) from Pine Grove, CA

“Over the top! I’m in a fog, I can’t even tell you…every time I needed something, it was done, it was there….information, services, comfort…EVERYTHING!”

Matt (59) and Sherrie Whitmer from West Point, CA

“Everything! Everything twice for a week….that’s what you did for us, and I mean everything! This has been a home. There are no words for it. It feels like home here, I found a shirt that said “Welcome Home” and I mean, it’s just been phenomenal! I hope you put that in Big Capital Letters…for the rest of my life, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

Wally (55) Thom; Carol (82) Thom; Rebecca (54) Thom; Alissa (17 when she arrived, 18 when she left)

“On a scale of 1-10…a 12!” said Wally; “So Good to know you are here, especially with my Mom”

“Ditto! There were awesome…everyone was great!” said Rebecca

Tara (27) Booth; two kids Aubrey (4) and Anna (3) from Rail Road Flat, CA

“We don’t even know where to begin. The Red Cross was able to give us everything and do everything for us. Especially with our kids, you made it so easy for us!”

Summer Reed-Johnson (61) from Wilseyville, CA

“100% excellent, and kind… so kind. Whatever it is that I needed, you were able to provide it. It was just so comfortable and easy. It made me not feel afraid.”

Check out the pictures about this response on our Flickr Album

Butte Fire: Red Cross Services – New Updates

Red Cross Information Hotline: (855) 224-2490

Bulk Distribution

Red Cross volunteers are handing out cleaning, hygiene and comfort items in hardest-hit neighborhoods devastated by the Butte fire. These items include water, snacks, non-perishable meals, and clean-up items such as gloves, buckets, trash bags and dust masks and debris sifters.

Shelters

The shelters are providing for the immediate needs to those affected, including a safe place to stay, food (dinner, snacks), water, medicines and health services, cleaning supplies, emotional support and other support resources. Impacted residents are welcome to stop by during the day even if they choose to spend the night elsewhere. The shelters will remain open as long as there is a need.

Jenny Lynn Veterans Hall
189 Pine Street, Valley Springs

Resource Centers

Local resource centers are places where representatives of various local agencies will be available to assist impacted residents with information, basic needs, and referrals to programs and services. In additional, the Red Cross Client Assistance Center gives affected families the opportunity to meet one-on-one with trained Red Cross caseworkers who will assess their disaster-caused needs and provide information to help individuals move toward recovery.

Calaveras County Local Assistance Center
Old Calaveras Government Center
891 Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas

Sunday 9/27
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Monday 9/28 – Friday 10/2
8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

NOTE: Times are subject to change. Check back to this blog for updates.

Butte Fire – Stories from the Front Lines

Author: Rich Woodruff, Deployed from Salt Lake City, Utah

Rich visits one of the home sites ravaged by the Butte Fire — Rich Woodruff surveys one of the home sites ravaged by the Butte Fire

The Red Cross Story at the Butte fire is not a single story, but many stories as communities, government, interfaith communities and businesses come together during times of crisis. The media has played a critical role in disseminating information to the public and raising funds for the Red Cross through telethons and other campaigns.

The Red Cross has been distributing cleaning supplies and food at many areas affected by the Butte Fire. Just yesterday, when our emergency response vehicle was arriving to one of the areas that was blackened by the fire, people camping on their decimated property began wandering down from the hills in dire need of food, clothing, bedding, batteries, diapers, dog food … the list goes on and on.

Red Cross volunteers were there to greet them with a warm smile, hugs and more. Our mission there was twofold: to distribute relief and clean up supplies as well as serving lunch prepared by the Southern Baptist remote kitchen in nearby San Andreas. The kitchen cooks thousands of meals a day and Red Cross ERVs (Emergency Response Vehicles) get them to the people where they are since most have lost their transportation. Today’s lunch was chicken fingers, potato salad and homemade banana pudding. The food was fresh and warm thanks to the special insulation containers used in the ERV’s. 20150920_130752

One story that really touched me was the story of Mary from the Mountain Ranch area. Mary had not eaten in two days and was scouring the makeshift store for diapers, bedding, clean clothes and just basic needs like toiletries. She also was asking about burn cream for her cat that had wandered on to the smoldering ashes of her property. I quickly joined her rummaging through boxes finally coming upon some Aloe Vera. At this time, her pet’s needs were more important to her than her own needs. She rushed to put some of the aloe vera on her cat… we waited and invited her to eat some food. While she was eating, Mary shared her story and appreciation for our immediate concern and help. A few minutes later, a line was forming behind the Red Cross supply truck full of rakes, garbage bags, gloves, buckets, dust masks and other clean-up supplies.

Another person affected by the Butte Fire, showed up with another specific need. Bob, was asking if we had any sifters and thanks to the generosity of Ace Hardware we actually did.

Ace Hardware donated 2×4’s and screens and Red Cross volunteers built more than 600 sifters so that they can be distributed during our routes to the affected area. Bob had heard of people finding valuables and was hopeful to do the same. In our efforts to take care of first things first, it’s easy to overlook the importance of a mailbox key or the emotional boost a retrieved precious family heirloom would provide.

Recovering from a disaster takes time and the Red Cross will be working alongside partners in the community to deliver aid for months to come.

We were here before this disaster, during and will remain after, because that’s what we do.

Cookin’ With Gas!

Dawn Dwyer of SBC helps load food and supplies for delivery to communities impacted by the Butte Fire.

In times of disaster, there’s not one organization that can handle every need on their own. The American Red Cross relies on many different partners in the community to deliver much needed aid and support to affected areas.

One such partner is Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief, who have been providing one of the most valuable resources to residents impacted by the Butte Fire in California – food!

With their mobile kitchen, cooking supplies, and passionate volunteers, the SBC is churning out upwards of 2,000 meals a day to help feed affected communities and the many volunteers working tirelessly to deliver aid.

According to Dawn Dwyer, Disaster Relief Coordinator for the Sacramento Southern Baptist Association, “When people are hungry we’re, here and thats what it’s all about! We work as a team with the Red Cross to get the job done.”

SBC volunteers prepare lunch for delivery in Mountain Ranch, California. — SBC volunteers prepare lunch for delivery in Mountain Ranch, CA.

The Southern Baptist Mobile kitchen facility set up in San Andreas has the capacity to produce literally thousands of meals per day. On a recent night SBC volunteers prepared 750 servings of beef stew, loaded the meals into Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs), and provided a warm dinner for area residents.

Following delivery of another fresh lunch in the community of Mountain Ranch – a lunch of chicken fingers potato salad and banana pudding – Red Cross ERV driver, Sam Burgess, says, “It’s a very rewarding experience to see how grateful people are when the freshly cooked warm meals arrive.”

While food preparation is an SBC specialty, the team also provides mobile showers and other emergency relief solutions as disasters unfold and needs become known. They have the capacity to respond quickly and on a large scale just like the Red Cross thanks to their volunteer network, which extends both nationally and internationally.

Red Cross volunteers provide SBC-prepared food to affected communities.

We would like to salute the Southern Baptist Convention for their selfless contribution to communities in need! They are a reflection of the Red Cross mission to “alleviate human suffering during times of disaster”, and for that we – and those touched by disaster – are truly grateful.

Butte Fire: Red Cross Service Sites

Red Cross Information Hotline: (855) 224-2490

As the disaster relief effort continues in response to the Butte Fire in Calfornia’s Amador and Calaveras Counties, Red Cross volunteers are hard at work providing for the emergency needs of all those affected.

As more residents return to their communities, Red Cross volunteers are delivering cleaning supplies, hygiene and comfort items to neighborhoods hit hardest by the devastating Butte Fire. Items include water, snacks, non-perishable meals, and clean-up items such as gloves, buckets, trash bags and dust masks. Volunteers are visiting the following areas providing assistance:

Railroad Flat
Mokelumne Hill
Glencoe
West Point
San Andreas
Jackson
Murphys
Railroad Flat
Mountain Ranch Rd.
Jesus Maria Rd

Evacuation Shelters
Emergency shelters are available for residents seeking a safe place to stay, food, water, medications, health services, cleaning supplies, emotional support and other resources. Shelters are currently available at the following locations:

Jackson Rancheria
12222 New York Ranch Rd
Jackson, CA

Jenny Lynn Veterans Hall
189 Pine Street
Valley Springs, CA

Resource Centers
Additional resources and support may be found at the following local resource centers, where residents can meet with local agencies and receive updated information, basic needs, and referrals to programs and services:

Calaveras County Local Assistance Center
Old Calaveras Government Center
891 Mountain Ranch Rd
San Andreas, CA
(Open daily 8am – 5pm)

Red Cross Assistance Center
St. Katherine Drexel Parish Center
11361 Prospect Dr
Jackson, CA
(Open daily 9am – 7pm)

NOTE: Times are subject to change. Check back to this blog for updates.

NEWS: Red Cross Assistance Center Opens Today to Help People Affected by the Butte Fire

Jackson, CA, Thursday, September 19, 2015 – The American Red Cross will open a Client Assistance Center to help people affected by the Butte Fire beginning Saturday, September 19, 2015. The center is located at the St. Katharine Drexel Parish at 11361 Prospect Dr., in Jackson, California. The Center will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., for the next few days.

Residents from Amador and Calaveras Counties who were affected by the Butte Fire are welcomed at the assistance center to begin the recovery process. Red Cross caseworkers are available to help people create personal recovery plans, navigate paperwork, and locate assistance from the Red Cross and other agencies. Caseworkers will meet one-on-one with residents to help them with their specific disaster-caused emergency needs such as clean-up or new housing assistance, transportation costs, furniture and clothing replacement.

Additionally, Red Cross volunteers will be distributing clean-up kits with mops, buckets, bleach, trash bags and rakes at this center and additional locations.

“Red Cross volunteers are loading trucks and traveling to affected neighborhoods with food and supplies. Our disaster workers are doing whatever we can to reach more people who need help,” said Teresa Caver, Interim CEO of the American Red Cross Gold Country Region. “We understand that people are living in very tough conditions. The uncertainty of whether people will have homes to return to makes this an emotionally draining time. Red Cross mental health volunteers are supporting residents as they learn the status of the homes.”

Red Cross healthcare workers will also be there to help with minor medical needs, and trained mental health workers will be available to provide emotional support and coping strategies.

The American Red Cross will also be available at the Calaveras Local Assistance Center (CLAC) and provide information about available assistance. The CLAC will be operating at the Calaveras County Government Center located at 891 Mountain Ranch Road in San Andreas starting today at 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. and will be open until Monday.

Shelters remain open at Jackson Rancheria in Amador County, the Good Samaritan Church, and the Jenny Lynn Veterans Hall in Calaveras County. More than 1500 people sought refuge in our shelters and many more are visiting every day for hot meals and information about what help is available.

Trained Red Cross health and mental health workers are providing services to people at the shelters, including emotional support and replacing prescription medications and eyeglasses.

The Red Cross has provided the following to people impacted by the fires:

o More than 5,400 overnight stays in shelters

o More than 32,000 meals and snacks

o More than 2,300 health and mental health services

DOWNLOAD THE FREE RED CROSS APPS

Stay informed: The Red Cross has several smartphone apps available that will alert you to National Weather Service warnings for severe weather and flash flooding and provide you with preparedness and safety information. These free apps are available for download at redcross.org/apps.

VOLUNTEERING

At this time, the American Red Cross of Gold Country Region is fortunate to have volunteers who are trained, ready and willing to support our response to the flooding in our communities. We thank individuals and community groups who are willing to support this effort and encourage them to register to become new volunteers to help with future disaster responses. Learn more and register online at redcross.org /volunteer and complete the online application.

About the American Red Cross Gold Country Region
Founded in 1898, the Gold Country Region of the American Red Cross serves 4.4 million people in Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba counties. The Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.

For more information, visit our website, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Red Cross Shelter Provides a Breath of Fresh Air

Dawn Rosumalski is able to take a breath of fresh air, thanks to the Red Cross shelter at Jackson Rancheria. Although Rosumalski’s home in Amador Pines is not located in the immediate fire area, the poor air quality has prevented her from returning. The woman suffers from a respiratory condition that causes an anaphylactic reaction to smoke.

“My throat closes up and I have to give myself injections with an Epi pen,” Rosumalski said. “I just can’t take the chance of going back until the smoke has cleared.”

Rosumalski has been staying in a room at the Jackson Rancheria, where she can undergo daily breathing treatments. “Without the shelter, I wouldn’t have made it,” she said.

“The Red Cross has been wonderful,” Rosumalski continues. “They have provided everything I need. All I have to do is ask, and it is there, twice over!”

Clients Choose Red Cross Shelter Over Hotel

red cross photos Author: Monique Knight, Red Cross Volunteer

Sangchan Sprayberry, 62, moved to Mountain Ranch less than three months ago and was preparing for retirement. Little did she know that, on Sept. 13, she would receive the wake-up call of her life.

”It was about 4am and I felt like God woke me from a sound sleep,” Sprayberry said. “I looked outside and saw fire lighting up the sky.”

The clock was ticking with only a few minutes to get out of the house safely. She was most concerned about quickly moving her 85-year-old mother, Noothin Bunraksa, who sleeps in the next room. “We left wearing pajamas and no shoes,” she said.

Once evacuated, the mother and daughter were welcomed into a Red Cross shelter in Valley Springs. Although the pair had the option of staying in a hotel, Bunraksa declined.

“I love it here,” the older woman said. “The Red Cross people are so nice! I have my own bed, food, medical care and even a church (the shelter happens to be at Good Samaritan Church). We have everything we need here.”

Sprayberry said while the fire has completely disrupted her life including her planned retirement, she feels fortunate. “I lost everything…my home, my car, my clothes and my possessions. But I am truly blessed,” she said. “We are lucky be alive and getting support from the Red Cross.”