Various charities are currently taking donations for victims of the Camp and Woolsey fires. Here’s how to donate. Consumer investigator Chris Chmura reports.
What to Know
- CHECK OUT CHARITIES
- ASK QUESTIONS
- LEARN IF YOU GET A TAX BREAK
A lot of fire victims will need help to get back on their feet. Here’s a list of organizations that are taking donations to support people.
North Valley Community Foundation: A spokesperson for the foundation said it had established a special fund for Camp Fire victims and already collected $700,000 in the first few days after the fires. The fund intended to distribute 99 percent of donations to help people with immediate needs, he said.
Ventura County Community Foundation: The foundation’s website said it had set up a fund for victims of the Woolsey Fire. It said donations “will be used across our county, and will be directed to the areas of greatest need.”
Center For Disaster Philanthropy: This Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit has partnered with Google, which is directing users to CDP to donate. The group’s president said Monday that its mission is to support other nonprofits with people’s long-term needs.
Salvation Army: The Salvation Army says 100 percent of donations will be used for wildfire recovery. Its website said the Salvation Army had already provided more than 150,000 meals.
GoFundMe: Dozens of families are asking for money on this GoFundMe. One Paradise family, for example raised more than $26,000 from 261 donors in just three days.
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Note: Please be aware that GoFundMe does not vet all the requests on its site. We recommend that you make a personal connection before you donate.
Also note that donations to individuals are not tax deductible. The IRS only gives you a tax break for contributions to registered nonprofit organizations.
