Angels Camp, CA…A Disaster Relief Fund, established by the Calaveras Community Foundation as a result of the horrific Butte Fire, is drawing donations from individuals and group in all parts of this country and beyond. “We have been heartened by the response to our appeal,” states CCF treasurer Brent Harrington. “We have exceeded $150 thousand and it is coming not only from Calaveras and its neighboring counties but from as far away as the east coast and the Netherlands.” Several local businesses or organizations have staged fundraisers or committed the profits from already established events. “We are gratified that these civic minded people feel that the best way to channel their money and concerns is through our Foundation. We can assure them that all the dollars raised will go to meeting the needs of those affected by this disaster,” says Harrington.

Donations may be sent to the Foundation at PO Box 1436, Angels Camp, 95222, or by using the PayPal button on its website: www.calaverascommunityfoundation.org. Please indicate “DRF” on your checks or in the PayPal comment box. For further information, call the Foundation Office at 209/736-1845.

By law, the Foundation is not permitted to make grants or gifts to individuals. The goal of the CCF board of directors is to use the donations to strategically help fire victims in ways that FEMA, state and county governments, insurance companies or large organizations like the Red Cross are not. After discussions with various community organizations, the Foundation’s initial grants totaling $100 thousand are being awarded to eight groups.

Among the list is the Mountain Ranch Relief Fund, a collaborative effort by several organizations to provide assistance to Butte Fire victims, Calaveras Grown, for erosion control and water system repair, and the Calaveras Fire and Rescue District, to replace street names and addresses destroyed by the fire.

Grants are also going to Common Ground Senior Services, for seniors who have had fire damage, Friends of the Rail Road Flat Schools, to assist families impacted by the fire, and the Calaveras Humane Society – Butte Fire Vet Assistance Fund, to aid animals injured in the fire.

Rounding out the list are The Resource Connection, for fire related temporary storage and staffing needs, and the Salvation Army – Calaveras County Unit, for general relief efforts for families affected by the fire.

“The Foundation views the recovery from the Butte Fire as a long-term project. We will stay on top of the situation and award additional grants in the future”, said Foundation Board President Linda Kangeter. “The Disaster Relief Fund will be an ongoing part of the Foundation’s program. In the years ahead, we will continue to raise money for the fund to be in readiness at the time of another county disaster.”

For those who would like to make a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund, checks may be sent to CCF at PO Box 1436, Angels Camp, CA 95222, or via PayPal at www.calaverascommunityfoundation.org.

The Calaveras Community Foundation is is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the quality of life in all areas of Calaveras County through a program of charitable grants. Contributions to CCF are tax deductible, within the limits of the law. The tax ID is #68-0472056.

The Calaveras Community Foundation is an umbrella organization headed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of residents of the county’s diverse communities who possess specific professional skills. It is building toward a permanent reservoir of charitable funds to help support local needs and address emerging issues.
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