09/18/2020
Dear Ones,
Here is a list of important resources if you are in a position to help our community recover from the devastating fire that swept through our valley.
I am recopying an important letter here from Laura Loescher which details how and where you can donate toward those most impacted by the fire. Laura has been a tireless and brilliant force connecting resources with those who need it most. Please read and share:
"Here in Southern Oregon it is all hands on deck. No doubt you’ve seen the news of the tragic fires that swept through our neighboring towns of Talent and Phoenix last week, destroying homes and lives. Nearly 2,550 residential structures burned, some of those housing multiple families. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced, including people whose homes are still standing in areas where it is unsafe to return.
Our community is coming together to support our friends and neighbors who have been deeply impacted by the recent fires. For our friends living afar, one of the best ways you can help right now is to make financial contributions to support both immediate relief efforts and longer-term rebuilding work.
Many people in the community have generously donated food, water, goods of all kinds. We have enough of that coming through locally and until people have longer-term housing lined up, they can only take on so many material goods.
There a many ways to offer your financial support - literally every dollar counts right now, as many of the people who have lost their homes were already living close to the edge financially, including a large community of undocumented workers who provide so much service to our region and are rarely honored for their role. We have people who have been traumatized camping outside in extremely hazardous smoke conditions. It’s going to take a lot of people power and funding to take care of the most vulnerable members of our community.
Cash & Support Direct to Migrant Farm Worker Families
Some trusted community leaders and I have assembled a “street team” that is working directly with migrant farmworker families, offering an empathetic ear, giving them cash in a way that honors their dignity, and offering assistance with housing and other needs.
If you want to donate funds that will be turned into cash and disbursed in this way, you can feel free to send a contribution of any size to paypal.me/lauraloescher or via Venmo . We have moved these funds through as immediate assistance for food, gas, housing, medications, replacement of tools for work, etc. The need is large, and additional funds will be put into immediate use.
Organizations & Funds
Unete Center for Farm Worker Advocacy has also started a fire fund. Unete is a trusted organization within the farmworker community. They are passing through 100% of donations to the Fire Fund. I have personally been coordinating with them and am impressed. They are a program of Natives of One Wind Indigenous Alliance (NOWIA) a 501c3. http://uneteoregon.org/ Checks can be written to Unete and sent to 27 N Ivy, Medford, OR 97501. EIN 26-1810916
SOEquity is a local activist group working for racial justice in our valley. They have started a fire fund. They are working with other local groups committed to serving our Black, indigenous, and communities of color. Any funds they raised will be used to directly support these organizations and communities. Donate to them here: https://www.soequity.org/fire-relief. If you need to donate to a 501c3, then you can go donate through their fiscal sponsor Rogue Action Center https://donorbox.org/rogue-action-center. Please choose “SOEquity” from drop down menu.
To send a check, make it out to Rogue Action Center and put “For SOEquity” in the memo. EIN: 82-3691229 Address: PO Box 3336 Ashland Or 97520
The MRG Foundation has started The Rogue Valley Relief Fund. This Fund is administered by a steering committee of progressive organizations and grassroots groups based in the Rogue Valley that are already working to respond to the fires, including Rogue Action Center, Rogue Climate, SOHealthy, SO Equity, and Siskiyou Rising Tide. The Fund has been seeded with a $10,000 initial investment from MRG and has a goal of raising $500,000 over the next six months. The money will go directly to help people most impacted by these fires in the Rogue Valley. In the short term, it will go to those who have been displaced by fires. In the long term, it will support people who have lost their homes, prioritizing those who have the least access to aid. To donate to the Fund, go here: https://www.mrgfoundation.org/donate-to-rogue-valley-relief-fund/
For wiring, donating stock or sending a check: P.O. Box 12489 Portland, OR 97212
MRG’s Schwab account #: 6112-9067
DTC #: 0164
Tax ID #: 93-0691187
Our Family Farms is a regional organization advocating for regenerative agricultural practices. Some of the member farms employ seasonal workers whose homes were destroyed in the fire. They have launched a fundraiser to ensure these workers and their families have shelter in the near term and long term. To donate to the Farmworker Housing Fund: https://www.ourfamilyfarms.org/farmworker_housing_fund
Checks can be mailed to Our Family Farms, PO Box 555, Medford, OR 97501. EIN: 81-1081279
The Ashland Food Coop is raising funds that will be re-distributed to multiple orgs: the MRG Foundation's Rogue Valley Relief Fund (described above), Unete (described above), the Maslow Project, Family Nurturing Center, La Clinica, Phoenix/Talent Schools Families Fund (described below), Southern Oregon Education Service District (described below), and the Rogue Valley Foundation. This represents a mix of efforts to re-home our neighbors and provide long-term assistance for nutrition and health in the coming months.
GoFundMe Pages
Many fire victims have started GoFundMe campaigns. People with a safety net and a community of friends with access to resources are having their campaign goals met right away. But many families do not have that safety net nor access to people with money to give in this way. Someone in town compiled a list of the most underfunded GoFundMe’s from the victims of the Almeda Fire. It is heartbreaking how many there are. This is the link.
In addition, someone has compiled a list of College Dreams students and alumni with GoFundMe pages. That link is here.
Other Ways to Support
We have a mutual aid network forming, and you can plug in - even from afar. There is a growing spreadsheet available here.
Other Ways to Donate
Sarah Beata DeLong in Ashland compiled these other donation opportunities. The paragraphs below were copied from her page - some have been updated by me with new information and links.
Broad Focus Pooled Funds
For pooled funding that will be distributed through multiple nonprofits and agencies, you can give to the United Way of Jackson County and Rogue Credit Union. These are both well-respected, trusted organizations in our community and will get the money out immediately
United Way: http://www.unitedwayofjacksoncounty.org/give/
Rogue Credit Union: https://www.roguecu.org/community/donate
Phoenix-Talent School District estimates that 50% of their families have lost their homes, and Phoenix Elementary School is placing that number closer to 80%. If you would like to contribute to a fund to help the families from Phoenix-Talent School District, send a physical check to: Phoenix Talent Fire Relief Fund, PO Box 937, Medford, OR 97501 (Please make checks payable to: Jackson County School District #4). Online donations: https://www.phoenix.k12.or.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=2631
100% of these funds will go directly to the families.
Southern Oregon Education Service District is another highly reputable local organization that has been serving our community for years. They are tied into the migrant community and can get aid to them quickly and efficiently. You will have to write them a physical check as they don’t have an online donation site yet. Checks can be made out to SOESD Migrant Education. Mail them to 487 Rock St., Ashland, OR 97520.
Over 100 staff and 300 students in the Ashland School District lived in the path of the fire. The Ashland Schools Foundation has already distributed over $30,000 to local families in need. They are not done fundraising.
👉 Text ASSIST to 72572 to get a link to their donation page
👉Go to https://asf.salsalabs.org/asd-fire-assist to donate online
👉Via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/2231160
👉Mail donations to ASF, 100 Walker Ave, Ashland, OR 97520.
Please also consider contributing to the Walker Elementary community. Many Walker families have lost their homes. This includes teachers, staff, AND students. The school has been working tirelessly to support the community throughout the pandemic and they are continuing to do so for fire victims.
Donate here: https://donate.ashland.k12.or.us/wolfpacksupport/?fbclid=IwAR1InNlEKuF3cV9njcGXTMWT5DKuTkxuDqKR_F0vg9zCym_n-MvHKAPzoIk
Several Oregon Shakespeare Festival employees have lost everything. One of our colleagues has compiled a list of all their GoFundMe and PayPal accounts. Follow this link if you feel moved to donate directly:
https://linktr.ee/memegarcia?fbclid=IwAR2jnVqX8v6jY_uzSVNNF_3obPtyitO9Vh9pwLxCNFi5YmJhI_ueKaJLbuU
This was written by Laura Loescher in Ashland
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Thank you all, and love,
Sharon Kraus, L.Ac.
Linktree. Make your link do more.
