From the desk of Julie Van Dooren:

As you know, the American Red Cross is actively engaged in the Southern California Wildfire relief effort. With needs changing by the hour in Southern California, the Red Cross is expanding its services to adapt to the needs of the communities that are affected. Over the next several days, the Red Cross will be concentrating its effort on sheltering, expanding feeding services and expanding the distribution of clean up supplies.

As of midnight last night, the Red Cross had 23 shelters opened with a population of 5625 people. The Red Cross is making a concerted effort to reach out to the organizations running other shelters to extend offers of supplies and expertise.

Locally, we’ve deployed over 75 volunteers to assist in the relief effort. Our first wave of volunteers left Sunday night and we anticipate that we’ll be deploying volunteers for the weeks to come. Currently, volunteers from the Sacramento Sierra Chapter jurisdiction are assisting with sheltering, feeding and mass care, client casework and nursing services.

Here is an overall snapshot of Red Cross services as of Tuesday night:

40 trucks full of supplies have arrived, bringing thousands of cots, blankets, toiletry kits and other needed items.

50 mobile feeding vehicles have arrived with 25 more en route

Cleanup supplies are also en route. Supplies include rakes, shovels and other useful equipment to help with cleanup in the affected communities.

A large feeding kitchen will open today at Petco Field to support the shelters, mobile feeding and the feeding to the emergency workers.

The national Red Cross has moved nearly 2000 additional workers to the area to help with feeding and sheltering efforts.

You can help the relief effort by making a monetary contribution here. Choose the Southern California Wildfire fund designation to apply your donation to the relief effort.