Since October 8, seven large wildfires have burned more than 115,000 acres in California. Thousands are being evacuated, many are in need of urgent support, and the fires are showing no signs of slowing.
Newborns won't wait for the fires to pass before coming earth side. Parents in Northern California who are raising medically fragile kids need to access care and medicines daily in spite of evacuations. Members of the LGBTQ community might feel exceptionally vulnerable in public evacuee shelters as they flee the flames.
COHI is in touch with our allies in Northern California and we are working to raise funds to give out cash grants to vulnerable women and their families. As in our Hurricane Harvey response in Texas where COHI gave over 200 cash grants, the first ones to evacuees within 72 hours after the storm, COHI will focus on addressing relocation related costs of vulnerable women and families in need.
COHI will prioritize support for expectant mothers, families with newborns, families with medically fragile kids, and members of the LGBTQ community who need alternative places to stay. The newest community of climate refugees, the evacuees in Northern California, are in need of our help. We hope you will support COHI in our efforts to show up for those in Northern California in need.