Needs From: United Way of Ventura County

Mountain Fire survivors are now about 10 months into a very long recovery process.  If you have some time to help them, you will really be making a difference. Some needs may be virtual, others will be on site, on the ground.

Some immediate needs* are:

*Needs will be updated weekly, or as needed

Current Opportunities

1)      Assist Mountain Fire survivors in filing contents claims for insurance reimbursement.

If you are computer savvy, we have survivors struggling to organize and enter their contents/personal property inventories in order to claim reimbursement from their insurance companies.

Most likely can be done remotely and on your own schedule.  The VC Long Term Recovery Group will match you with a family, and you can work together to help them claim the maximum reasonable benefit and get on with reestablishing their homes.

2)      Assist Mountain Fire Survivors in addressing safety, erosion control, and stabilization on their properties, to allow them to rebuild

Do you have expertise in drainage, and hillside stabilization?  Do you like outdoor work, and learning about the above?  We have survivors who do not have insurance coverage who want to rebuild their homes and their lives.  But they need help in making their properties safe. If you are interested in helping in this way, we will match you with un/under-insured survivors.  Scheduling, and needed materials and equipment will be dependent on the specific situation, but if you have gloves, closed toe shoes, work clothes, various gardening equipment these will all help.  And if you have heavy equipment and a trained operator, you will be a special hero!

3)     Assist Mountain Fire Survivors in preparing their properties for a rebuild

Do you want to tackle some stubborn bushes and low growth?  Power tools will be required for this job and safety training in their use. We will match you with survivors needing to do remediation on their property before a rebuild can commence. Details will be specific to the individual family and site, so you can work with them to arrange mutually beneficial schedules, and other details.

The challenges for those that lost their home in the Mountain Fire last November have not lessened. Recovery from a disaster takes time, months and years of exhaustion. The transition from immediate relief to starting the marathon of rebuilding their lives can be daunting.

Thankfully, community members and organizations of all kinds have come together to assist in recovery efforts – supporting the fire survivors as they secure new housing, navigate the rebuilding process, and heal.  Experienced, volunteer Disaster Case Managers are working on the Mountain Fire Recovery effort providing support to more than 100 households that lost their home.  In conversations with clients they learn of some basic essential items that would help their recovery. 

We have compiled a list of those items into an Amazon list that will go to households whose loss has been verified and are working with a disaster case manager on a realistic recovery plan. This includes a basic printer so they can print our insurance documents, storage bins for items that may not fit in their current housing, as well as bedding and kitchenware.  

Mountain Fire Recovery Need Requests (Amazon Wish List)

More information on the Ventura County Long Term Disaster Recovery Group, the collaborative of nonprofit organizations working with disaster impacted residents: www.MountainFireRecovery.org 

You can contact the Disaster Case Management team at email: DCM@mountainfirerecovery.org