Chargers Fire Relief Fund provides $650,000 in grants

Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008

The San Diego Chargers Fire Relief Fund handed out nearly $650,000 in it’s initial round of grants to benefit San Diego County recovery and rebuilding efforts following the devastating 2007 wildfires.

“We need to recognize and commend the work being done by the local organizations to help victims get back on their feet,” Chargers President Dean Spanos said. “It’s still hard to believe this community could endure any more hardship after the devastating fires in 2003, but once again we saw people come together in a time of difficulty to help each other.”

The Chargers created the Fire Relief Fund to assist with immediate and long-term needs in the County following the wildfires. The Fund is administered though the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund by the San Diego Foundation which provides a way to collect donations and then grant them back into the community quickly and effectively. 

"Our partnership with the San Diego Chargers provides the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund with the much needed resources to help our community recover and rebuild from the devastating 2007 wildfires," stated Dr. Ted Chan, board chair of the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund.  "These grants will help fire survivors with basic needs such as food and housing, help senior citizens recover and rebuild, and help first responders replace and repair equipment damaged by the fires.  We are truly thankful for the wonderful support the San Diego Chargers are providing to the San Diego community.

Just as they did in 2003, the Spanos family responded without delay by contributing $1 million to begin the recovery process and support the community’s firefighting efforts. On top of a $250,000 donation from the NFL, Charger players and staff members, many who were displaced during the fires, contributed to the cause. The team also collected more than $75,000 from fans at the Chargers-Texans game with donations going directly to the Salvation Army and families of injured firefighters.

The first-round of grants were awarded to:

Interfaith Community Services ... $332, 274
To provide housing for east county fire victims through the CARE Coalition, by purchasing high quality, used, residential trailer units, and placing them in the licensed trailer park Lilac Oaks.

San Diego Food Bank ... $100,000
To fund replacement of three months of critical food supplies for the Food Bank's Emergency Pantry.

ElderHelp ... $85,500
To fund the creation of support two “Fire Recovery Advocates” to assist seniors at the Escondido and Ramona Senior Centers for one year.

San Diego Blood Bank ... $50,000
To provide operating support associated with securing emergency blood drives and purchasing additional blood due to the cancellation of blood drives during the wildfires.

Ramona Fire Department ... $43,500

To replace damaged equipment at the three Ramona Fire Stations used as staging areas and to replace the Fire Marshall's utility vehicle damaged by the fires.

Intermountain Fire Rescue ... $35,000
To repair Intermountain Fire Rescue's reserve structure fire engine burnt during the Witch Creek Fire.

The total allocation for this round of grants is $646, 274. 

After the firestorms swept through North San Diego County, many families found themselves homeless and out of work. Interfaith Community Services, which received the largest grant from the Fund, stepped in to assist these families with long-term transitional housing, case management and access to comprehensive supportive services.

"Interfaith has the capability and mission to respond quickly to community needs,” said Suzanne Stewart Pohlman, Executive Director of Interfaith Community Services.  “But without philanthropic support Interfaith could not act on our mission.  The San Diego Chargers and the San Diego Foundation have provided 81% of the funding to date for this fire recovery transitional housing project.  Without their generosity, families would be homeless; children would not be attending school; and the whole community would be additionally stressed from dealing with increased homelessness and desperation. We are truly grateful to the Chargers and the San Diego Foundation for the miracle of this work.”  

The San Diego Food Bank, which provides more than 10 million pounds of food annually to individuals and families, received a $100,000 grant to replenish food in its emergency pantry.

“San Diego Food Bank’s ability to provide food to people in need would not be possible during a natural disaster without the help of these kinds of grants from the corporate community,” said Mitch Mitchell, Board Chairman of the San Diego Food Bank. “The wildfires left many people out of homes and with no food. It is from our emergency pantry that we are able to help families and individuals alleviate hunger.  We are extremely grateful to the Chargers and the Spanos family for their support of our efforts.  The San Diego community is lucky to have such support."

The Fire Relief Fund is administered by The San Diego Foundation as part of the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund (SDRDF).  The SDRDF oversees the Foundation’s After-the-Fires Fund 2007 as well as the Chargers Fire Relief Fund.  For more information on the Fund, please contact Sara Wilensky Napoli at the San Diego Foundation at (619) 814-1338.