National Emergency Fund can help victims of California fires, other disasters

Thousands of California residents have been forced to evacuate their homes due to wildfires.

And while it’s too soon to assess the damage, The American Legion stands ready to help Legion and SAL members affected by the fires.

The National Emergency Fund (NEF) is available for American Legion and Sons of the American Legion members, as well as Legion posts, who have been impacted by natural disasters. The NEF provides up to $3,000 for Legion and SAL members with an active membership who have been displaced due to damages to their primary residence, and up to $10,000 for posts that have been damaged by a natural disaster and whose programs and activities within the community are impacted. To apply for an NEF grant, please visit www.legion.org/emergency.

Donations to NEF can be made online at www.legion.org/donate.

Members of Post 259 in Paradise, Calif., can attest to the help the NEF provides. Nine NEF grants totaling $20,300 were approved after the November 2018 Camp Fire which destroyed some 12,000 buildings in the town and claimed 86 lives.

“The hall is still here, and we’re going to be back and active,” Post 259 member Nigel Parkhurst said in August.

Earlier this week, nearly 500 California National Guard members were activated to help efforts to fight the Kincade Fire in northern California. The National Guard was helping with traffic and supporting law enforcement evacuate Sonoma County.