California Disaster Relief for Immigrants

As our local communities continue to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, the work of 805 UndocuFund remains as urgent as ever. This unique project, which is dedicated to addressing the gap between undocumented immigrants and the federal and state assistance that they are all too often ineligible to receive, is only possible because of the generosity of our amazing donors all across the country. Thanks to the fund, our undocumented neighbors know that they are not alone, and that they have the support of so many in our shared communities.

Since its creation in 2018, 805 UndocuFund has focused on the estimated 10% of residents of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties with undocumented status as they recover from devastating wildfires and mudslides, and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to your help, the original vision of 805 UndocuFund – that residents should not be excluded from emergency disaster relief just because of their immigration status – is being put into action every day as our communities navigate the recent surge in cases and prepare for the future.

How Your Donation Helps

Every dollar contributed to 805 UndocuFund is granted directly to a person living in our community with critical needs. Your donation helps provide assistance to undocumented individuals and families whose homes, wages, or jobs have been affected by disasters. Eligible expenses include, among many others, rental assistance or funds to rebuild a home, food security, childcare, medical care, repair of essential vehicles, and legal document replacement. Over these past four years, your supported has helped provide over $8 million in relief to more than 6,000 families.

The Future for 805 UndocuFund

Since obtaining 501(c)3 status, 805 UndocuFund has used its momentum to continue to build resources to plan for future disasters. Through its partnership with the Ventura County Community Foundation, the fund’s director is supported with separated, dedicated funding, allowing all funds raised from supporters like you to go towards assisting families in need. VCCF continues to provide administrative support and does not charge any fees to the fund.

With your support, 805 UndocuFund can continue to build on past successes, prepare for the unexpected, and focus on meeting the needs of our undocumented neighbors still being affected by the pandemic. While our communities continue to brace for higher risk of wildfire, extreme weather events, and even those disasters we can’t predict, it’s never been more important to ensure that we move forward together and leave no one behind. We would like to express great gratitude to all those who have supported 805 UndocuFund and are excited to continue the work of fulfilling its important vision of equitable recovery.

Links:

• 805 UndocuFund Website
• VCCF 805 UndocuFund Page

805 UndocuFund – Disaster Relief for Immigrants - 2018 - 2022 Report

The 805 UndocuFund first launched in January 2018 in response to the Thomas Fire and Montecito Mudslides. These events impacted thousands of people who lost their homes, jobs, and experienced acute and chronic injuries. 805 UndocuFund was created through a collective of grassroots organizations and individuals who believed that undocumented residents should not be excluded from emergency disaster relief. Disaster aid from the state and federal governments was a critical part of the recovery process, and yet undocumented residents — who are estimated at 10% of the population in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties — were ineligible for millions of dollars in support that were made available to everyone else.

Financial Reporting

Since its launch and through over four years of recovery from wildfires, deadly mudslides, and this yet-unceasing pandemic, 805 UndocuFund has provided over $8 million in disaster relief to more than 6,000 families. Every dollar contributed to 805 UndocuFund is granted directly to a person living in our community with critical needs. These needs include rent or rebuilding support, health care for long-term injuries or illness, childcare, food security, and help to care for vulnerable household members including both children and elders. Since its inception, 805 UndocuFund has provided direct assistance payments to more than 15,000undocumented individuals, and the need continues. With the occurrence of disasters year after year, 805 UndocuFund has successfully developed a proven, grassroots-led, culturally, and linguistically competent disaster relief model serving undocumented communities and is proud to be a model looked to by other startup UndocuFund programs not only in California, but across the United States.

The Future for 805 UndocuFund

805 UndocuFund began as a massive joint effort among immigrant-serving Central Coast organizations Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), Central Coastal Alliance United for A Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) and Future Leaders of America. Together these organizations, alongside philanthropy partners like the McCune Foundation and the Ventura County Community Foundation, raised, case-managed, and distributed millions of dollars in direct aid to victims of the Thomas, Hill, and Woolsey wildfires; Montecito mudslides; numerous smaller wildfires that afflict the region each year; and now, the prolonged impact of COVID-19.

While 805 UndocuFund continues to operate as a collective partnership, we are excited to announce that in December 2021, 805 UndocuFund became a community based 501(c)3 governed by a volunteer board of directors made up of leaders from MICOP, CAUSE and Future Leaders of America, who provide organizational and volunteer support. The McCune Foundation provides key leadership support, and the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) provides fundraising and fund administrative support. The organization is proud to mobilize resources, bring passionate community partners together, and advocate for the recovery of undocumented communities in disaster. A new Executive Director, Maria Mello, recently took over leadership of 805 UndocuFund, while several permanent, full-time program staff have been hired.

In summer 2020, when long-term recovery from multiple wildfires became overlain with pandemic response, it became clear that the demands on 805 UndocuFund stretched this incredible program to its max. After thoughtful and strategic discussions between the collaborative partners, Ventura County Community Foundation volunteered to raise funds for this transition and will continue to provide fundraising and fund administration service to support 805 UndocuFund’s program and organizational sustainability. As always, 100% of funds raised for the 805 UndocuFund program are granted directly to families in need, therefore, the fund’s director is supported through separate, dedicated funding and VCCF is not charging any administrative fees related to fund management. VCCF has also separately provided administrative funding to Future Leaders of America, with a more recent grant of $56,000 to retain three full-time case managers and provide year-end retention bonuses to staff working to distribute funding as burnout continues to be a concern.

Closing Reflections

Ventura and Santa Barbara counties have been recovering from multiple, consecutive years of record-breaking natural disasters, and the leaders and staff of 805 UndocuFund have acted heroically to provide some of our most vulnerable community members with critical, direct assistance as quickly as possible. With COVID-19 it has become clear that the past model of activation in response to individual events should be restructured in order to best serve our undocumented community members as the frequency and impact of natural disasters only intensifies. 805 UndocuFund leaders and staff will continue to work year-round to raise funds for ongoing disaster recovery for our undocumented neighbors. We invite the entire 805 UndocuFund community of supporters to celebrate its past accomplishments and to join in creating a healthy, secure future for our undocumented community members!

Links:

• 805 UndocuFund Website
• VCCF 805 UndocuFund Page
• 805 UndocuFund Stories of Disaster Relief