In response to wildfires in Northern California, the Salvation Army is asking for donations of money now and will resume asking for individual items as needed in the future.
Major Ivan Wild with the Del Oro Division of the Northern California Salvation Army said the organization has been overwhelmed by donations of clothing and other items for victims in Napa, Sonoma, Yuba and Mendocino counties.
"We have been inundated with a lot of donations through various groups, community supporters, corporations," Wild said. "So, we'll need the physical, in-kind donations later on in phase two as people are moving back into their homes and we can re-assess and help those that are trying to re-establish themselves."
Wild said the Salvation Army requests money first during a disaster. In the coming months, the organization will ask for specific items when each victim's needs have been identified.
"In Napa and Santa Rosa and Yuba, we have Salvation Army units there that operate 365 days a year," he said. "So they're already there and will continue to stay there to take on additional people who need help."
Wild said all donations go to the people effected or working on these fires. Money pays for food and water to be given to evacuees and first responders.
The Salvation Army says money will be allocated geographically depending on a donor's wishes.
The non-profit has served more than 50,000 meals since the fires began a week ago. So far 41 deaths have been connected to the fires. More than 5,700 structures and 213,000 acres have burned.
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