EPISCOPAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT IS SUPPORTING THE DIOCESE IN PROVIDING FOOD, REPLACEMENT OF ITEMS IN RESPONSE TO KINCADE FIRE

With the support of Episcopal Relief & Development, the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California provided emergency assistance to vulnerable communities impacted directly by the fire and power outages. Diocesan staff and church leaders swiftly put into action emergency response plans to provide shelter to those who were evacuated in Healdsburg, Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, as well as respite for the firefighters combatting the fire. The diocese is also distributed gift cards to help evacuees, which include homeowners, renters, those without homes and undocumented workers, purchase clothing, water, food and other necessities.

The community of Grass Valley in Nevade County, California was particularly hard-hit by the power outages. Many people in the Nevada City surrounding area rely on the Interfaith Food Ministry of Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Episcopal Relief & Development and the Diocese of Northern California are supplying food to the ministry to replace goods that spoiled in the power outage and allowing the program to scale up to meet increased need. Clergy, lay staff and volunteers opened their churches to distribute ready-to-eat meals for the community.