SHE's Emergency Services (ES) team has won the CESA Gold Award for their exceptional work in providing domestic well owners affected by drought with interim solutions for clean drinking water!  

Each year the California Emergency Services Association (CESA) and its chapters recognize individuals and groups from all sectors for their professional contributions to the field of emergency management. The SHE ES team was formally honored at a recent Awards Banquet as part of the 2023 CESA Annual Training and Conference in Olympic Valley. 

"I can personally say that we would not be doing this work today, at the level we are doing it, without the support I have received over the past five years from our amazing city, county, and state agency partners and, of course, our board and leadership team at Self-Help Enterprises. We are grateful for the immense support as we navigated how to respond to drought emergencies in the middle of a pandemic,” said Tami McVay, the Emergency Services Director for Self-Help Enterprises. "There have been numerous challenges along the way; however, we approached all of these challenges as learning opportunities and stayed committed to the residents we serve. I believe it is because of the overwhelming support we've received throughout the past five years and the amazing relationships we've built that we have been able to successfully implement and continue these essential programs more efficiently, lessening the trauma impacts on families facing this devastation." 

SHE's Emergency Services Team is committed to providing individuals, families and communities resources that will ensure safety and security during a disaster. Learn more

On Wednesday, May 3, 2023, SHE’s Community Sustainability Department hosted its North San Joaquin Valley Tour in Madera and Merced Counties. Forty residents, speakers, guests, and staff traveled to Fairmead, Planada, and El Nido to learn about these communities’ history with water supply and management and how each prepares to become more resilient as major climatic events occur and are anticipated.  

The tour kicked off in Fairmead, where Fairmead Community & Friends, a local nonprofit organization, shared the community’s experience with water and infrastructure challenges. During the previous drought, many domestic wells went dry in Fairmead as the water table plummeted far beneath residents’ wells. Many of these homes still rely on emergency water tanks and bottled water from the previous drought, and many domestic wells continue to run dry during the current drought. Read more

Our team of 200+ people are joined with a shared mission of working with families to build and sustain healthy homes and communities. You can too!