Sacramento Region Reaching Out With Help For Wildfire Victims

ANTELOPE (CBS13) — As the wildfires continue to rage, the need is becoming greater.

This week alone, 3,000 homes have been destroyed and counting; their former occupants and thousands more forced to flee the encroaching flames need help and lots of it.

The greater Sacramento area has been pitching in.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department was busy collecting toys outside a Walmart in Antelope. They’ll be delivered on Friday.

At Sacramento’s Gateway International School in Sacramento, it was a teachable moment.

“I think the lesson of the kids donating is to let them know when people need help, you help, especially the young ones”, said Romeo Malenab, as he accompanied his grandson to International Baccalaureate Night.

To add to the evening, Principal Joi Tikoi asked the staff and students to bring donations for the fire victims, and they ran the gamut from used clothing and blankets to food, pet food and toys. Tikoi said she planned to drive the donations to a church in Santa Rosa, “even if I have to rent a U-Haul.” She's planning another drive next weekend for anything collected in the next week.

While many in our area have been responding with donations of clothing, the Salvation Army in Sonoma says there is an acute need for other items such as toiletries, baby food, diapers, pet food, and children's underwear.

As donations for the fire victims pour in, the need for certain items may ebb and flow from day to day, but one thing that’s always needed is cash. To donate safely, the Red Cross has its website at RedCross.org. You can make a one-time donation, or donate monthly, by PayPal or credit card, and you can even specify where you want your money to go.