Staff Report
In response to an outpouring of support, United Way of Santa Barbara County and United Way of Ventura County have established The United Way Thomas Fire Fund to support individuals and families in both counties who have been affected by the fire.
Major donations have come in from local and national businesses, foundations, and individuals, a United Way spokesman said. By late December nearly $2.3 million had been raised, and 100 percent of the donations will support those in communities affected by the wildfires.
Donations include $400,000 from Annenberg Foundation, $350,000 from Kaiser Permanente, $250,000 from JPMorgan Chase, $200,000 from Amgen, $200,000 from Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, $100,000 from SoCal Gas and $25,000 from Community West Bank.
“We are incredibly grateful that corporations, organizations and individuals are stepping up and recognizing the huge financial toll that this unprecedented fire has had on hundreds of thousands of people in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. It’s even more heartening when local organizations pitch in, because this is their community and they want to support it,” according to a joint statement from Eric Harrison, CEO of United Way of Ventura County, and Steve Ortiz, CEO of United Way of Santa Barbara County.
To contribute to the fund:
- Go to www.unitedwaythomasfirefund.org
- Text UWVC to 41444
- Call 805-485-6288
- Mail checks to the United Way office at 702 County Square Drive, Suite 100, Ventura, CA 93003, with “Thomas Fire Fund” in the memo line.
The Thomas Fire destroyed more than 1,000 structures and threatened thousands more. More than 100,000 residents had to evacuate their homes in both counties, and more than 270,000 were burned.
