Press Release: What You Need to Know About Volunteering & Donating: The Kincade Fire & Beyond

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2019

Linda Jacobs
CEO
415.479.5710 x300
ljacobs@cvnl.org

or

Katelyn Willoughby-Bagley
Director of Marketing & Communications
415.448.0330
kwilloughby@cvnl.org

What You Need to Know About Volunteering & Donating: The Kincade Fire & Beyond

SONOMA COUNTY, CA, 10/25/19 — When disaster strikes our instinct is to “spring into action.” Helpers emerge from far-and-wide, with good intentions and a can-do spirit. However, they often don’t know where to turn to offer help during a time when an organized volunteer force is essential.

An Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC) engages spontaneous volunteers and matches them to community needs. An EVC is staffed by trained emergency personnel who provide volunteers a one-stop location to volunteer where help is needed most.  

When an emergency happens, the State of California makes a declaration and Emergency Volunteer Centers are activated through the county Office of Emergency Services and Emergency Operations Centers (EOC). The EOC is the central point where emergency services such as Police, Fire, etc. are coordinated.

In Sonoma, Marin, Solano, and Napa Counties, Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL) + the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County (VCSC) operate Emergency Volunteer Centers. We work with government and nonprofit agencies to gather and assess community needs on an ongoing basis when a disaster strikes. Additionally, we help oversee and manage physical and monetary donations by distributing them to nonprofit agencies helping individuals directly affected.

During an emergency and once activated, CVNL + VCSC will set up Emergency Volunteer Center hubs where spontaneous volunteers will be guided by EVC members through a training process and, ultimately, to a productive support role. As of the time of this release, we have not been officially activated as an EVC for current activity. However, there are things the public should be aware of and can do to help now.

How you can help:

  • Volunteering: CVNL encourages individuals interested in helping as disaster volunteers to register in advance online at https://sonoma.cvnl.org. Once registered, volunteers will be contacted directly and engaged where the most urgent needs are.
  • Donating: Monetary donations and gift cards are currently being accepted by CVNL + VCSC and will be distributed to the community. Those wishing to make a monetary donation can do so online by visiting https://cvnl.org/why-cvnl/donate-now/. Under “additional information” make sure to select “Disaster-related work.”

You can also mail or drop off checks and/or gift cards at any of our offices:

  • Santa Rosa office: 153 Stony Circle #100, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401
    • San Rafael office: 65 Mitchell Blvd, Suite 101, San Rafael, CA 94903
    • Napa office: 433 Soscol Avenue, A-100, Napa, CA 94559

For nonprofits:

  • Nonprofits who have disaster-related volunteer opportunities can post on the Sonoma County Volunteer Portal for free: https://sonoma.cvnl.org. If you are an agency outside of Sonoma County, you can use our Marin/Napa Portal: https://volunteer.cvnl.org/

If you need support with your volunteer postings or have questions, please email volunteering@cvnl.org.

CVNL + VCSC has been a leader in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery work for nearly 30 years. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the fires. Along with our partners, we are dedicated to helping coordinate volunteers and to getting funds quickly and directly dispersed to meet community needs.

About CVNL and VCSC: Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL) and Volunteer Center of Sonoma County (VCSC) joined forces on July 10, 2019 to better meet the growing needs of nonprofits in Northern California. For over 50 years, CVNL and VCSC have advanced nonprofits and volunteerism by strengthening leadership, encouraging innovation, and empowering individuals in their communities. Passion alone isn’t enough when it comes to creating strong nonprofits. That’s why we work with aspiring and established leaders every day to help them build the skills and connections that can take their impact to the next level. Together we offer comprehensive programs that support nonprofits and volunteers including training, executive search, customized consulting solutions, volunteer matching, and corporate engagement. Heart of Marin™ and Heart of Napa™ events support nonprofits of every size and mission through recognition and cash awards. Other programs and services include the Sonoma Human Race, Secret Santa, Court Referral Program, and Volunteer Wheels. We provide disaster preparedness training and serve as an Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC), overseeing spontaneous volunteers and donations for Napa, Marin, and Sonoma Counties in the aftermath of a disaster. We believe that with confident and prepared leaders, our nonprofits will be better equipped to create healthy, happy communities. Visit www.cvnl.org to discover more.