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Fire Family Foundation provides additional Lake County fire relief support
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Lake County fire survivors, including children and families who continue to rebuild their lives and community, will benefit from a generous donation of nearly $60,000 from Fire Family Foundation.
Combined with a previous Fire Family Foundation donation of $80,000, a total of $140,000 has been provided by the foundation to provide care, counseling, housing and community support to assist children and families in recovering from last fall’s devastating fires in Lake County.
Fire Family Foundation provides assistance to individuals and families affected by fire-related disasters throughout California and is the charitable hand of Firefighters First Credit Union.
The foundation worked with Mendo Lake Credit Union and Redwood Credit Union along with the California Credit Union League and local Lake County leaders to identify the greatest needs of fire survivors and provide the funding.
The needs identified in this phase of funding include child counseling services, support for a community center and pool, a school garden program and water supplies.
Middletown Unified School District Superintendent Catherine Stone identified counseling for kids struggling with the aftermath of the fires as their top priority.
Stone said Middletown was the largest district impacted by the fires in terms of students and residents affected, and she and her staff continue to see students struggling with recovering psychologically and emotionally in the aftermath of the fires.
The foundation provided funds for the school district to hire a counselor to support the students in their recovery.
During and after a traumatic experience, amplified and confused emotions are common, especially in children.
“It means so much to us to receive this generous donation to help our community’s children. As educators, whenever our students suffer, we’re impacted as well,” said Stone. “This generous donation allowed us to hire a qualified counselor who is helping bring peace of mind to our students who are still struggling to cope after the fire, and it’s a huge relief to all of us in the district. We can't thank the Fire Family Foundation enough for this generous donation.”
The Fire Family Foundation funding also will go toward repairing the Pine Summit Recreation and Social Club, a member-owned, not-for-profit pool center donated to the community in the 1960s and run by a volunteer board. It serves as a gathering place for local children and the Lake County community, and will support community rebuilding.
Volunteers saved the pool area from being destroyed in the fire, however, the property sustained significant damage, which was not covered by insurance.
The Fire Family Foundation donation will allow repairs to be made so this important community recreation center can reopen this summer.
The foundation also provided $3,000 to support school garden programs throughout the burn area. The ability for children to help replant the post-fire landscape has proven to be a form of “dirt therapy.”
Finally, the Fire Family Foundation provided $1,000 to help the Cobb Mountain Lions Club Relief Center, which due to the remote location of the community, provides high-need supplies such as bottled water for local residents.
The water system in the Cobb area is being replaced, and residents are experiencing a high number of “boil water” days, often without advance warning.
Mike Mastro, foundation board chair and president/CEO of Firefighters First Credit Union, highlighted the foundation’s choices.
“Last fall we watched as hundreds of families evacuated their homes, while many of our firefighters were on the front lines battling the fires,” Mastro said. “The foundation, committed to helping after such disasters, strongly believes in offering a helping hand. Helping children, families, and schools move forward ensures the recovery efforts can continue.”
Anyone wishing to donate to support Lake County fire recovery efforts may still do so through North Coast Opportunities at https://www.ncoinc.org .
For more about the Fire Family Foundation visit www.FireFamilyFoundation.org .