Even with relatively few COVID-19 cases in Sonoma County so far, people are already suffering from the economic impacts of lost hours at work, and fears of a longer-term economic slowdown. Parents who have children in schools that are closing are struggling to find childcare...
Community Foundation Sonoma County is following the spread of COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) in our community, and stands ready to help if needed. While the virus is international, there may become a time when our most vulnerable community members are significantly impacted. Right now, local nonprofit organizations...
UPDATE: this article was published before Sonoma County's social distancing and shelter in place. Humanidad continues to provide mental health services during this time, and are offering remote appointments with clients. When Isela Vigil lost her Santa Rosa home in the 2017 fires, anxiety and depression...
One of the most widespread impacts from both the 2017 and 2019 fires was on our community’s mental health. “Children are especially impacted by disaster, often experiencing trauma-related fears, anxiety and sleep disruption, even after the disaster is over, ” said Karin Demarest, vice president...
When the Kincade Fire ignited, multiple organizations responded quickly to ensure residents would be supported. Facing the loss of homes, paychecks, and other essentials as the holiday season approached, we immediately enacted a round of emergency grants from our Resilience Fund to help nonprofit organizations...
Community Foundation Sonoma County (CFSC) announces $475,000 in emergency recovery grants to help support people affected by the Kincade fire and evacuations. These grants were made through our Sonoma County Resilience Fund, a long-term fire recovery fund first established after the 2017 North Bay Firestorm. The...
Studies show that widespread trauma and PTSD reactions are common after natural disasters, something we know all too well in the aftermath of the Kincade Fire, when stress levels and anxiety spiked for many of us. Unaddressed trauma has long-term effects on children’s performance in schools,...
Updated Wednesday, October 31, 2019: Welcome home Sonoma County. We are incredibly, unspeakably, grateful to the first responders who worked tirelessly to keep the Kincade Fire from spreading further and who are now able to welcome so many of our neighbors home. As many of our...
Over the course of eight days this fall and winter, 115 community members from all walks of life—doctors, social workers, teachers, counselors, waiters, yoga instructors, chaplains—gathered to learn skills to help our community heal. Dr. Bo Greaves, who retired from practice and now volunteers for Health...
Long after the chaos of a disaster is resolved, the ongoing effects become clear. Over the fall, nearly one year after the October 2017 fires, Sonoma County was in a critical stage of post-disaster recovery. This phase of the recovery process, when some people are beginning...