Mountain Ranch, CA…At the beginning of the new year, plans are underway for a unified effort in three counties to help Butte Fire survivors. Three Motherlode Community Foundations have come forward to express their commitment to that long-term recovery. Each will be assisting in accordance with the mission of their own Foundation, and will be cooperating with Calaveras Recovers and each other as plans and projects unfold. The three foundations will be meeting after the first of the year to discuss their cooperative efforts.

When fire raced through Calaveras County in September, the impacts were felt
by our neighbors, Amador and Tuolomne counties, as well. Donations began to flow
into the Community Foundations of all three counties: Calaveras Community
Foundation, Amador Community Foundation and Sonora-Area Foundation. Our
neighboring county foundations redirected that flow to Calaveras Community
Foundation, which has been distributing funds to various organizations for post-fire
relief efforts.

The strength and support of this joint commitment to long-term recovery is
characteristic of our foothills community. When a need arises, we show up to help
each other. Calaveras Recovers is empowered in our rebuilding goals by this strong
support. The volunteers of Calaveras Recovers are grateful to the partner agencies,
these three Community Foundations for confirming that support for us when it is
needed most.

In the aftermath of the fire, Calaveras Recovers was created as an all-volunteer
group of local leaders to address the Long-Term Recovery needs of those who had
paid off and owned their destroyed homes but were unable to acquire or afford
insurance. Working with non-profit and faith-based organizations, Calaveras
Recovers is organizing the rebuilding of homes for those who otherwise would not be
able to recover. Their purpose is to help assess what is needed for the long-term
recovery of our watershed environment and the emotional and spiritual needs of the
survivors. Calaveras Recovers is now recognized by FEMA, CalOES and Calaveras
County as the long-term recovery team for unmet needs and participates in the
Calaveras County Butte Fire Recovery Task Force.

Calaveras Recovers includes private, nonprofit, and government entities
working as a collective body of support for those who do not have adequate personal
resources for basic needs as a result of the Butte Fire disaster. Calaveras Recovers is
growing from an independent network of agencies supporting individuals hurt by the
wild fire into an entity able to carry on the work of long-term recovery, specifically by
building new homes for those survivors who were uninsured.

More information on Calaveras Recovers, the post-Butte Fire long-term
recovery team, can be found on the website www.CalaverasRecovers.org and via
mail at P.O.Box 395, Mountain Ranch, CA 95246.