Butte Fire One-Stop-Shop For Evacuees

Jackson, CA — The American Red Cross has opened an assistance center to aid those affected by the Butte Fire and its taking that help on the road as well.

The center, located at St. Katharine Drexel Parish at 11361 Prospect Drive in Jackson will be open today until 7 p.m. and remain so for the next few days from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. as need dictates, according to Red Cross Public Information Officer Rich Woodruff. He comments that while initially they [Red Cross volunteers]  get, food, water, bulk supplies, relief kits, cleanup supplies to evacuees, they also collaborate with many agencies. Woodruff explain, “We will refer people out if they need help with, let’s say, social security or insurance or cleanup. We’re in a position to connect with our partners to give them a one-stop-shop to get them back on their feet.”

Another way of doing that is offering one-on-one Red Cross caseworkers visits to aid in creating a personal recovery plans, navigate paperwork, and locate assistance for evacuees. Woodruff shares, “This is a big and expensive operation. We are here for the long term. This is not where we are going to pack up and leave. We are going to be here for months, if not years to help these people move forward.”

The Red Cross services will also be available at the Calaveras Local Assistance Center (CLAC) at the Calaveras County Government Center located at 891 Mountain Ranch Road in San Andreas from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. today thru Monday.

Additionally, the organization’s Emergency Response Vehicles have already been out on the streets in both counties distributing clean-up kits, which include mops, buckets, bleach, trash bags and rakes. Evacuees will also find the kits available at the Jackson center.

Of note, the American Red Cross has helped more than 1500 evacuees during the height of the Butte Fire at its three shelters, some staying overnight, others getting meals or information on assistance. Here is a breakdown of the aid given in both the Butte and Valley fires so far:

• More than 5,400 overnight stays in shelters
• More than 32,000 meals and snacks
• More than 2,300 health and mental health services

As reported earlier, the Calaveras County Association of Realtors office in Angels Camp has organized a streamlined system to help displaced evacuees in to rental properties. Click here for those details.