California Wild Fires

The FBI has announced a 1-800 number to report wildfire-related fraud schemes. Authorities anticipate many Internet-based scams cloaking themselves as disaster-relief charities. They warn to contribute only to known, legitimate organizations, and to never give up your credit card number.

To report a complaint, please call (800) CALL FBI.

Winchester, Riverside County:

Riverside County has opened the Lake Skinner Recreation Area as a temporary evacuation site for people who have fled the wildfires in motor homes or pulling campers or tent trailers. Authorities are hoping these people will move off the streets, where they have been parking since they were ordered to leave.

More than 300 sites are available, some with water, sewer and electricity; some with water and electric; some with water only; and some suited only for dry camping. Food will not be available at the facility, and there are limited numbers of showers.

Evacuees may enter the Lake Skinner area at any hour while the facility is being used as a temporary shelter. The address is 37001 Warren Road in Winchester.

In order to ensure the most efficient collection and distribution of large quantity donations for southern California fire victims, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced a toll-free line that businesses nationwide can use to make in-kind donations of goods.

“This hotline makes it easy for businesses to donate the many things that displaced fire victims need,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “By coordinating donations, we can help ensure that the right supplies get to the people who need them most.”

The toll free number is 1-800-750-2858. The line will be staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. pacific daylight time by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Operators will match donations to local disaster efforts across southern California.

Individuals interested in donating items or volunteering to support local disaster response efforts should contact the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767 or visit the Governor’s CaliforniaVolunteers website.

Those who would like to make a financial donation through the American Red Cross can call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or make a secure on-line contribution.

The owner of The Office Games is offering free Internet access for evacuees at his computer cafes. 80 PCs are available with free Internet access for people to try and find temporary homes.

The stores are located at both Westfield Mission Valley Mall and UTC Mall. Mention that you are an evacuee and they will provide a free computer station to search the net.

Addresses are:
The Office Games - Mission Valley
1640 Camino Del Rio North
San Diego, CA 92108

The Office Games - UTC
4545 La Jolla Village Drive
San Diego, CA 92122

U-Haul is providing 30 days of free storage service to residents forced to evacuate from their homes.

The free storage services will be available at the following San Diego County locations:

U-Haul Storage Carlsbad, 6175 Paseo Del Norte
U-Haul Chula Vista, 99 N. Fourth Ave
U-Haul Center El Cajon, 1186 E. Main
U-Haul Mission Avenue, 950 W. Mission Ave., Escondido
U-Haul Center El Centro, 1745 S. Fourth St., El Centro
U-Haul Center Oceanside, 802 S. Coast Highway
U-Haul Center Lemon Grove, 1805 Massachusetts Ave
U-Haul Center Miramar, 9650 Camino Ruiz
U-Haul Center of Poway, 13210 Poway Road
U-Haul Storage Spring Valley, 8847 Jamacha Road;

All of the Extra Space Storage’s in San Diego will be giving the first month for free on any size storage unit for fire victims. 1-888-STORAGE.

Donations for fire relief efforts will be accepted at Qualcomm Stadium between the hours of 9 am and noon beginning Wednesday morning. The public is being invited to donate non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products and supplies at section A-3 of the stadium parking lot during those hours.

Restaurants donating prepared food products may do so at Gate F at the stadium during the morning hours.

Corporate and bulk donations can be accepted at any time with special arrangements.

Qualcomm Stadium is serving as the central distribution point for stockpiles of goods and products being used at other evacuation sites in the county. Those planning to make corporate or bulk donations need to contact Jennifer Wolff, Director of the City’s Corporate Partnership Program, at 619-980-5424.

Mission Viejo-based Restaurants on the Run is offering its fleet of delivery vehicles to any group wishing to donate food, water or other emergency supplies to shelters, command posts or front lines. Contact dchilders@rotr.com for more information.
To request pizza donations from Huntington Beach-based BJ’s Restaurants, call each store.

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Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, an RV park, is offering discounts to evacuees. For more information, call 949-729-3863.

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Home Depot has partnered with the local Red Cross to make sure that group has what it needs to support the affected Orange County areas. The retailer also has items being shipped into the stores from as far away as Indianapolis to ensure they meet customers’ needs. Those items include dust masks, tarps, etc.

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Rite Aid said displaced customers can fill or pick up prescriptions at any open Rite Aid, even if their neighborhood store has been evacuated. Customers can find which stores are open in or near the fire affected areas by calling 800-748-3243.

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Some Starbucks cafes are supporting several evacuation stations, including in Orange County by providing coffee and food items for rescue personnel and evacuees.

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Pat & Oscar’s is taking donation requests from wildfire victims. Call Brian Horne at 619-977-4653.

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Wal-Mart is setting up collection sites in each of its 208 California-based stores and Sam’s Clubs where customers can make cash donations to help support ongoing relief efforts.

Albertsons is giving water, fruit and other supplies to firefighters throughout Southern California and to evacuees at Qualcomm Stadium. “We’ve invited the fire departments into the stores to take what they need,” said Albertsons spokeswoman Stephanie Martin. “Also, we’re giving to the various evacuation centers throughout Southern California.” If you are at a shelter or fire station in need of specific supplies, call Albertsons’ communications office at 714-300-6000.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — As the fires continue to rage in Southern California, local Catholic Charities in the impacted areas are working with their Catholic and disaster response partners to provide relief.

In San Diego, Catholic Charities is providing hot meals, staffing, and technical resources to those sheltering at Qualcomm Stadium–now San Diego County’s largest emergency evacuation center where about 12,000 people spent Tuesday night. (View photos of Catholic Charities staff helping out at QualComm Stadium at http://www.cc-sd.org/firerelief07/web%20photos/index.htm)

Additionally, the agency has organized diocesan priests to provide spiritual and emotional care at the stadium. In the coming days, Catholic Charities of San Diego and its partners will help victims coordinate their transitional housing needs and with completing FEMA and other aid applications.

Based on agreements with their local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) partners, Catholic Charities of San Bernardino/Riverside continues to assess current conditions and possible solutions. The agency anticipates that its initial efforts will focus on providing case management and helping clients access resources, such as FEMA assistance.

Catholic Charities USA is collecting donations to support local agencies’ recovery efforts.

To contribute:
Call (800) 919-9338

Visit http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

Send checks to:
Catholic Charities USA
Southern California Wildfires
PO Box 7068, Merrifield, VA 22116-7068

Catholic Charities USA is unable to accept contributions of food,clothing, blankets and other relief supplies. Its federal ID number is 53-0196620.

Wednesday October 24, 7:18 pm ET
Goodwill Partners with American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles to Receive Donations

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Goodwill Southern California (GSC) is now partnering with the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles to accept clothing and household donations to assist victims of the recent wildfires.

While Goodwill is not a relief organization many individuals may wish to contribute used clothing and/or household items to help those who have been affected by this recent tragedy. The value of your donation will translate into a free voucher good at any one of our GSC retail locations for fire victims.

To donate items for individuals affected by recent wildfires, please go to any one of Goodwill Southern California’s 100 plus locations located throughout Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. You can find GSC’s locations by visiting www.goodwillsocal.org or by calling the toll-free number (888) 4-GOODWILL.

Free vouchers to receive donated items are assigned through American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles. You may contact American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles by calling 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or by visiting www.redcrossla.org.

For more information on donations please contact Community Relations staff Christianne Ray at 323-539-2095 or Mario Haug at 323-539-2030.

Contact:
Goodwill Southern California
Christianne Ray, 323-539-2095
cray@goodwillsocal.org