Community Contribution Drive |
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Many believe that out of unfortunate circumstances and hardships, some sort of good can follow. The analogy that “there is light at the end of the tunnel” corresponds with this belief. The LNU Lightning Complex Fires that touched the communities of Vacaville and Fairfield have affected us all in some capacity. The losses endured by this natural disaster are many. However, the outpour of community support during this troubling time can be perceived as the light at the end of the tunnel. Multitudes of community members immediately lent helping hands in numerous forms of support. Many individuals made their ways around affected areas, gathering animals that were dispersed from their homes and removing others from harm’s way. Other volunteers immediately made their ways to evacuation centers to provide evacuees with accommodation. Emergency first responders worked around the clock, tirelessly giving their services to our community. It is evident that many felt a call to action to serve their community during a devastating time; this call to action was felt by those who contributed items of immediate need to those who lost their personal belongings. |
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The Matt Garcia Foundation held a Community Contribution Drive to support the efforts of the community service-oriented organization titled G.I.V.E. (Getting Involved thru Volunteer Engagement). Resources to be given to those affected by the LNU Lightning Complex Fires were gathered, including clothing, food, personal hygiene items, household cleaning supplies, school supplies, monetary donations, and more. $1,900 was raised in monetary contributions from members of our community; The Matt Garcia Foundation matched that donation total, bringing the monetary contribution total to $3,800. We would like to thank all of the donors for their generous contributions, this effort would not be possible without their giving hearts. |
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We hope that these efforts bring courage and peace to those affected by the fires. We also hope that the many joined efforts made during this time remind us all of what it means to be a community.
If you know someone who was affected by the fires that can benefit from the resources collected, please email Jennifer Simmons at adoptafamily20@gmail.com
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Rodriguez Highschool Key Club |
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We want to take this opportunity to thank Key Club from Rodriguez Highschool for donating masks and tote bags. With their donations, we were able to help those senior citizens who were impacted by the fires and had to evacuate with no time to grab any items. We also were able to give some of the donations to houseless folks throughout Fairfield. Again thank you Rodriguez Key Club for all that you do! |
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The Matt Garcia Foundation Monthly Community Cleanup is back!
September 26th, 2020 @ 9:00am – 11:00am
Located 'on the green' at the corner of Jefferson & Texas Streets
Fairfield, CA 94533
- If you are sick in any way, DO NOT come out to the cleanup.
- Maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet from everyone you encounter, even if you are wearing a mask.
- ALWAYS wear gloves.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Unfortunately, you may find used gloves, masks, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) among litter. DO NOT PICK UP ANY PPE without a grabber.
The Matt Garcia Foundation will be proving gloves, grabbers and buckets for collecting the trash.
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Staying safe during fire season |
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By: Retired Fire Chief Vince Webster
If it seems as though wild-land fires are getting worse, they are! One of the main causes is a history of very dry winters. Personally, I strongly believe climate change is real, but that topic seems to be controversial. My message is simple and short, be prepared! It’s an easy process, but you have to take some time out to make it happen. Below are some simple tips to get you
started for yourself, your family and your community. A term that Cal Fire constantly reminds folks of is “Ready, Set, Go!”.
At a minimum, maintain fire safety in and around your home. Here are some examples:
If you live in a rural area, try to develop and keep a minimum of 100 feet of vegetation clearance around your entire property. Make sure your roof materials are not made of wood (composition, metal or tile are best). Keep your rain gutters clear of debris, don’t pile combustibles against your home, keep dry vegetation to a minimum. If you like to plant things, try planting mostly drought resistant items. I also recommend visiting Readyforwildfire.org for additional important information about home fire safety.
It is also very important to be prepared to “GO!”. As some of us recently experienced, you may have to evacuate any time. Fires do not discriminate. If you are in doubt, it’s better to evacuate early because it may be very difficult and dangerous to maneuver through traffic and limited egress routes. Have a go kit filled and located where you can get to it quick. Below is an example of a typical evacuation checklist. Let’s Keep the Dream Alive and take care of ourselves and each other!
Home Evacuation Supply Inventory List
- Prescription medications and glasses
- Important family documents (Copies of Insurance Policies, Identification, passport, bank account records, Social Security cards)
- Cash or traveler’s checks
- First Aid kit
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent
- Sleeping bag/pillow/sleeping pad for each person
- Towel for each person
- Cold weather and rain protection
- Complete change of clothing (may want two days worth) and sturdy shoes
- Personal hygiene and toiletries supplies (deodorant, soap, lotion, toothbrush/paste, etc)
- Feminine supplies/personal hygiene items
- Paper towels, toilet paper, large and small plastic bags and ziplocks, paper cups, paper plates, utensils
- Matches
- Paper and pencil
- Books, games, puzzles or other activities
- Reliable flashlight
- Knife
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust masks
- Moist towelettes
- Can opener
- Local maps
- Laptop/Cell phone and chargers
- Emergency Contact Info
- Water (gallon per person per day)
Other miscellaneous if applicable:
- Pet food, containers for water/food
- Infant/Child supplies – Formula/Diapers, etc
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"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start."
- Nido Qubein
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
- Aesop
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You can support your local small business without spending a cent?
Like or love their post – Tag friends who would enjoy their product or services – Share their post – Join their Facebook group and like the page - Tell your friends!
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Everyday we learn something new. Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day… It doesn’t have to be an “A” the next day,
but let’s hope it improves.
-Matt Garcia
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MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION
P.O. Box 3301
Fairfield, CA 94533
DIRECT: 707.372.4160
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