Local organizations, foundations send funds to aid Borel Fire recovery

After the Borel Fire devastated Havilah and nearby Kern River Valley communities, it was a “no-brainer” for organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County to jump in and help those in need, said Natalie Martinez, the director of community outreach and volunteerism at the organization.

“When we were up there, there were so many horror stories and they were living it and all we wanted was to make sure someone was listening to them — so all we did was listen and it was so heartfelt,” Martinez said.

But the Boys & Girls Clubs did more than listening. The organization provided household essentials, grocery gift cards, gas gift cards and toys to those affected by the largest wildfire in Kern County history.

The Borel Fire burned more than 59,000 acres in the Lake Isabella area, destroying homes and buildings. In late August, county officials announced their plan for early cleanup efforts, which are underway.

Despite the recent cleanup efforts, several residents are still grappling with the new reality of their homes after the fire.

“It’s a disaster and it greatly changed the lives forever of that community,” said Taylor Poisall, the regional communications director of the American Red Cross.

Poisall said the American Red Cross launched several efforts to help those impacted or displaced by the Borel Fire. When the fire first sparked, she said, the Red Cross organized shelters for two weeks. Afterward, its volunteers provided emergency supplies such as meal kits to those who were able to return to their homes.

Now, the Red Cross is helping by pairing those devastated by the fire with case workers to provide financial assistance, and it will continue to offer case management in the coming weeks. Poisall said these efforts were made possible by generous donations from locals and foundations such as the Kern Community Foundation.

Both the Boys & Girls Clubs and American Red Cross received money from the Kern Community Foundation's Borel Fire Relief Fund. Other organizations that received grants from the fund are the Pregnancy Resource Center of the Kern River Valley, Hopesters Inc., Be Finally Free Inc. and Equine Rescue Outakontrol.

Aaron Falk, president and CEO of the Kern Community Foundation, said the foundation is providing support through the relief fund but also matching grant opportunities after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for the fire.

“They’ve lost everything; they have nothing. So it’s going to take a lot more than $5,000 here and $5,000 there to get these people back to normal,” Falk said. “These people are going to need a lot of help.”

Falk said the foundation plans to continue to give out these grants and matching opportunities, possibly well into next year.

“We’re trying to keep some of the spotlight on all that’s going on up there because it’s going to be a much longer fix than it took to destroy,” Falk said.

The Kern Community Foundation accepts donations for the Borel Fire Relief Fund on its website. Falk encouraged people to donate not only to the foundation, but also local organizations helping with recovery efforts.