2020 Wine Country Fire Relief Fund

California is under siege from an unprecedented series of wildfires that started on August 15, 2020, by lightning storms across the state. As of this writing, 19 active fires are affecting almost 950,000 acres. Many of these fires are in wine regions, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties. During the 2017 wine country fires, we launched a GoFundMe campaign, raising close to $100,000 for direct relief with a focus on farmworkers who are a vital part of the wine industry's fabric. This campaign will have a similar objective, supporting various regions' most essential needs as determined by the committee of five wine industry professionals who are monitoring the situation ongoing.


Our team is based in northern and southern California and includes Tia Butts, Katie Calhoun, Kimberly Charles (me), Rebecca Hopkins, and Katherine Jarvis. In 2017, I managed this fund. Once again, I will ensure that all funds, minus the GoFundMe processing fee, will be allocated to those regions mentioned above with the greatest need. We expect funds to cover a wide variety of items, including food, supplies, shelter, COVID testing at shelters to ensure safety for evacuees, and gift cards so families or individuals can tailor to their specific needs. 


We hope you will consider a donation. We appreciate any and all support; no amount is too big or too small. We encourage you to share this with your friends and colleagues, asking them to contribute to our efforts to help essential workers in these regions who are a fundamental part of California's economy.

#WineCountryFireRelief