MEDFORD, Ore — When something as disastrous as the Camp Fire in Paradise, California happens, we want to respond right away donating anything we can.
But the United Way says those donated items might just end back up in your home.
Since only 20 percent of the Camp fire is contained, most residents have nothing but what they left home with, and many are left with just the clothes on their backs.
Even if their house wasn’t damaged in the fire, the whole town’s infrastructure was, meaning common utilities aren’t available to them.
Jackson County United Way CEO, Dee Ann Everson, said the harsh reality is it’s just too soon to tell what the victims actually need besides emergency housing, and that monetary donations help the most.
“In the immediate need, we know they need medicine,” Everson said. “We know they need to stay warm, we know they need to stay housed and sheltered, and be taken care of. And that’s what groups are trying to do right now, and we know they’re still trying to put the fire out.”
The United Way said the victims need a little bit of footing to understand what to do next.
If you would like to help victims of the Camp Fire, here are some of the places you can donate:
- The Salvation Army
- United Way of Jackson County
- United Way of Northern California
- TriCounties Bank 2018 Camp Fire Fund (GoFundMe)
- North Valley Community Foundation
- East Avenue Community Church of the Nazarene (GoFundMe)
- Northern Valley Catholic Social Services
GoFundMe has created a full list of verified campaigns raising funds to help those impacted by the fires across California. You can find that list at GoFundMe.com/cause/californiafires.
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