SoCal wildfire relief: The SJ.com giving thread (with a matching donation opportunity)

[dixiehack]

Last fall, our online community was able to come together and lend support to those suffering through the catastrophic hurricane damage in the Southeastern US. Now another devastating weather event is upending lives on the other side of the country and we once again have an opportunity to do some good.

Similar to last fall, an anonymous benefactor has reached out and is willing to match up to $1500 of any charitable donations for relief efforts from members of this board.

Multiple wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area have destroyed thousands of structures and forced 10s of thousands to evacuate. While the news has featured damage to the homes of celebrities, the impacts are far more widespread, touching people from all walks of life.

While my personal circumstances don’t allow me to contribute as much as I would like, I have donated $20 to World Central Kitchen. They are already on site providing meals to firefighters and victims. Their mission is to feed those caught up in humanitarian disasters and they maintain a perfect four-star rating on Charity Navigator.

World Central Kitchen | Wildfires rage across Southern California

Once you donate, please reply with the amount given and the charity you are donating to.

Not all are able to give and we understand. But if you are blessed to be able to contribute, please consider doing so.

 

[MileHigh]

Thank you Dixie. As many here know, I am a SoCal native and while the affected areas are a bit away from where I grew up and have family, it still hits close to home. And certainly for our friend @ChrisLong and other SoCal SJ.

If you can donate, it would be greatly appreciated. This is something beyond comprehension, even for an area with a history of devastating fires.

And thank you to the anonymous benefactor. You are good people.

 

[Songbird]

As seen during this morning's walk. We're about 25 miles south but the smoke is in the air down here.

 

[John]

I donated $100 to the LA Firefighters Foundation. It was one of the ones listed here: How to help those affected by fires raging across Los Angeles County

 

[dixiehack]

A gentle reminder that the need remains great and anything you are able to donate will be much appreciated and do good in the face of hopelessness.

 

[FileNotFound]

My newborn grandson and I talked about it and we decided to kick in $100 to help out other babies.

https://baby2baby.org/

 

[wicked]

$50 to World Central Kitchen. It's not much, but I trust that they will use it to help someone. Thank you for organizing this, dixie.

 

[tea and ease]

$50.00 to World Central Kitchen.

 

[dixiehack]

Good morning all. In addition to the donations listed above, word has come via PMs of additional donations to the American Red Cross and the California Fire Foundation. When combined with the amounts previously donated, that means this board has raised $620 towards wildfire relief. After the match, this board has generated $1240 to help people who need to rebuild their lives, as well as assisting firefighters and their families who bear a heavy psychological and physical burden in events like this.

To all who have donated to help those in need across Southern California, thank you. To any who have not yet had a chance to donate but still wish to, there remains $880 worth of matching funds to claim and get double the bang for your charitable buck.

EDIT: Numbers updated with the latest contribution from Tea and Ease.

 

[DanOregon]

Things are tight, I wish I could give money. But today - mainly due to the fires - I donated platelets at the Red Cross. It's a two-hour deal where they take the blood out and separate out the platelets and return the plasma back into your arm. I never gave much thought to how much the Red Cross makes off of blood - and blood products - I know its around $300 for a pint of blood and the hospitals can't charge the patients a dime more for it per the contract. Anyway - know that there are other ways to support the cause if cash is short. Caught up on a couple of episodes of The Crown to boot!

 

[dixiehack]

An absolutely wonderful gesture. Good on you.

 

[tea and ease]

Things are tight, I wish I could give money. But today - mainly due to the fires - I donated platelets at the Red Cross. It's a two-hour deal where they take the blood out and separate out the platelets and return the plasma back into your arm. I never gave much thought to how much the Red Cross makes off of blood - and blood products - I know its around $300 for a pint of blood and the hospitals can't charge the patients a dime more for it per the contract. Anyway - know that there are other ways to support the cause if cash is short. Caught up on a couple of episodes of The Crown to boot!

Do what you can, how you can. I like you're thinking that way. And I'm in favor the The Crown. Excellent show.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

An absolutely wonderful gesture. Good on you.

Is somebody going to match the platelets donations, though?

 

[Turtle Wexler]

$50 sent to WCK. Receipt available to DM if needed, just tell me where. Thanks to the matching benefactor.

 

[dixiehack]

Thank you. Our generous soul has been matching based on the honor system.

 

[wicked]

I can’t find the general wildfires thread… this is worth a read.

Plaschke: The unbearable guilt of losing nothing — and everything — in the Altadena wildfire

 

[MileHigh]

I can’t find the general wildfires thread… this is worth a read.

Plaschke: The unbearable guilt of losing nothing — and everything — in the Altadena wildfire

Read that yesterday. Gut-punch. Here is the general wildfire thread:

California Wildfires running thread

 

[I Should Coco]

I intended to make a general donation and post it here ... but then I found out a former classmate of mine lost his home in one of the wildfires. Everyone made it out safely, but they lost just about everything and their house was totaled.

So tonight I was able to give to a Go Fund Me account another classmate set up for him and his family.

Thanks to all who donated here, and the anonymous donor for matching the donations. So many families are facing the same impossible situation as my old friend.

 

[dixiehack]

A reminder that in a week where it is easy to feel powerless, you do have the power to do good. In addition to the direct aid and plasma donations mentioned above, this board has raised $670 towards organizations on the ground in Southern California providing relief. With the matching donations unlocked so far, that results in a $1340 impact. There is still time to add a contribution if so led.

 

[wicked]

A reminder that in a week where it is easy to feel powerless, you do have the power to do good. In addition to the direct aid and plasma donations mentioned above, this board has raised $670 towards organizations on the ground in Southern California providing relief. With the matching donations unlocked so far, that results in a $1340 impact. There is still time to add a contribution if so led.

I needed to remind myself that I can help. So I gave $25 to the California Community Foundation. California Community Foundation