Dec. 16 update: Thanks to a family friend, Brandon and Sara have found temporary housing. It’s a few miles north of the California/ Oregon border, near the coast . Brandon spends his weekends doing repairs around the house.  Read Sara’s message of how they’re rebuilding their lives - with your help.

From Sara:

“Here are a few recent pictures of our new life and some of the many blessings we have received including our front room furniture and books for the children. We have used the monies from our GoFundMe to purchase kitchen items, bedding and Christmas gifts for the children.  We are saving as much as we can towards purchasing property to build on with a government construction loan.  Kids are doing well here, they love their new school and trips to the park and especially the beach.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping us. So much appreciated. Thank you.
             -  Love from the Hill Family”









Original post:
In the Camp Fire, our friend Brandon Hill’s family lost their home and everything they owned except the clothes on their back and the car that Brandon’s wife Sara was driving down the hill. Brandon stayed behind in the path of the fire, helping to save his mother’s and grandmother’s houses.  He helped clear roads of downed trees and utility lines. On a borrowed off-road vehicle, he traveled the remote neighborhoods to inventory the houses still standing, and all too often, the houses destroyed, then messaged the lists to anxious families at distant shelters who had no other early source of information on whether they still had a home. There has been an outpouring of gratitude from evacuees for the work he has done for the community.

Now we have to help Brandon and his family to start over again. Brandon and Sara are hard-working, honest, and good parents to their combined family of six kids. They have nothing but each other now.

Please contribute.

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November 30 update:
Brandon and Sara have found temporary housing in the area. They are cleaning and refurbishing it to accommodate their family, and would like to thank all of you for your generous gifts and good wishes. Your donations are being put to good use, fixing up the house and purchasing many necessities such as school clothes and rain gear for all the kids.  Photos will be posted soon!

Meantime, please take a look at the Sacramento Bee’s excellent feature article, “Camp Fire survival stories.”  These include the Day 1 personal experiences of several first responders and residents (including Brandon!) told through interviews, photos, and video.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article221980270.html