On Talk of the Bay, August 25, 2020 Christine Barrington interviews four different groups dedicated to serving the needs of Santa Cruz community members in the face of loss amidst the CZU wildfires.

Community Foundation Santa Cruz Countyis doing fantastic work supporting many organizations on the front lines addressing the critical needs of the county. They have been connecting the dots between need and resource since the 1982 floods, and they will be continuing to do so for years to come.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County has been doing a fantastic job feeding tens of thousands in the wake of Covid-19 and now they are stepping up to additionally assist those in need of food but who have no kitchens with which to prepare meals. Second Harvest is in need of funds and volunteers. Visit their webpage to see how you can help during their Friday food distributions. They really need volunteers right now.

The Santa Cruz Chapter of the California Homeless Union is headed by Alicia Kuhl who works non-stop to advocate for the needs of those who have no homes in Santa Cruz. She and her organization are on the streets assisting those on the edge. They need donations and supplies. To donate visit this Go Fund Me page: Santa Cruz Homeless Union Fire Relief Fund

In addition to donating, Alicia recommends you call her, if you would like to help:

Alicia Kuhl (831) 431-7766

Owen Thomas represents the Santa Cruz County Mutual Aid Network, which came into existence during Covid-19 in order to more directly meet the needs of Santa Cruz community member who often fall through the cracks. With the experience they gleaned from these ongoing efforts they are now stepping up to assist with fire support particularly for those without homes. They have a Go Fund Me Page (czu-fire-relief-for-unhoused-santa-cruz-residentss) where you can make critically needed donations. If you wish assist those who are often in the most need but are the hardest to directly reach, here is your chance. They have a website: https://sccmutualaid.wixsite.com/sccmutualaid/fire-aid where you can access their excellent spreadsheet full of asks and offers for relief. You can also find their contact information below if you would like to reach out directly for ways to help, like picking up tents and equipments from out of the area where supplies are still available.