Giving Compass' Take:

• The Thomas Fire that struck Ventura and Barbara Counties left immigrant families that lost their homes even more at risk because of their immigration status which excludes them from any federal assistance. 

• The fund created in the aftermath was a partnership between local donors, foundations with organizations. How could your community come together in a similar fashion?

• Other natural disasters have also put immigrants livelihoods at risk as they struggle to deal with the repercussions of the destruction of their homes, limited benefits, and fear of asking for help. 

In the aftermath of the devastating Thomas Fire that struck Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, local immigrant organizations are launching an “805 Undocufund” to provide relief to local residents who are excluded from federally-funded assistance programs due to their immigration status.

With farmworker housing and several apartment complexes destroyed or damaged, wildfire smoke making outdoor work like farm labor and landscaping hazardous, loss of homes where many immigrants provide childcare or housekeeping, and ongoing severed freeway access cutting many off from service sector jobs in Montecito and Santa Barbara, the local immigrant community has been heavily economically impacted by the wildfire.

However, undocumented immigrants are excluded from federal programs such as Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid and Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Immigrant families face other barriers to seeking assistance including lack of familiarity with official institutions, fear of government agencies and limited English proficiency.

After the Tubbs Fire in Northern California, community organizations created an Undocufund which has assisted over 1,000 local immigrant families. The “805 Undocufund” is based on that successful model, partnering local donors and foundations with organizations known and trusted within the immigrant community.

Read the full article about 805 Undocufund at Southern California Grantmakers.