Funds to Help Fire Victims

Article

November 2018

Camp Fire, Far Northern Regional Center area

The geographic area served by Far Northern Regional Center has sustained catastrophic damage from the Camp Fire, which has had a devastating impact upon the community of people with developmental disabilities, their families, and their services.

At this time, to their knowledge, all clients of Far Northern Regional Center are safe and accounted for. But all services provided in Paradise were destroyed. This included

  • 14 licensed homes for their clients lost
  • 5 day programs lost
  • Approximately 75 people in supported living lost their homes
  • 400 families of children and adult clients were displaced
  • 105 individuals living interdependently lost their homes and their lives are in turmoil.
  • 13 RC staff have lost homes
  • Over 350 service provider direct care staff have lost homes

They have set up an account and are accepting donations to get immediate help for the adults and families they serve. https://www.gofundme.com/fnrc-2018-camp-fire-fund#

“As you know many of the people who receive Far Northern services have additional support needs outside of the normal scope of emergency services. Several hundred of our clients live independently and have been evacuated. Many of them do not have family, or insurance to help them during this devastating time. We are asking for additional funds to assist with housing, food, clothing and immediate needs.”

It is a tribute to the resilience of our community that, in the words of FNRC Executive Director Laura Larson, “FNRC has been working hard with providers within and outside of our regional center to find what supports people need. We have received offers of support from all over the state and we are grateful. We now move to designing a new landscape of services in our region. Housing is the number one priority. As our community rises from the ashes, like the proverbial phoenix, we will continue to support our FNRC community in the spirit and design they deserve.”

You can help support the Far Northern community in the immediate aftermath of this tragedy. FNRC has set up a GoFundMe site for donations. All money donated to this fund will go to assist people with developmental disabilities impacted by the fires in Paradise, Magalia and the surrounding areas.

Whether you can spare $5, $50, $500, or something in between, every dollar you can contribute will be a show of support, love, and sympathy for a community that has been so deeply and broadly harmed by this tragedy.

Woolsey Fire, Tri Counties Regional Center area

While the Camp Fire has been the focus of most news, the Woolsey Fire in Ventura and Los Angeles counties has also been recently brought under containment. The impact has been mostly limited to the Tri-Counties Regional Center community. Though not as severe as the Camp Fire, for those who are looking for an opportunity to directly assist people in need, donations can be made directly to the center’s Client Help Fund.

All donations assist persons with developmental disabilities and their families in emergency or crisis situations when the State does not pay and there is no other source of financial assistance. For more information, please click here.