If your home was damaged or destroyed, please complete this short survey intake so we can understand your needs and get in touch.
If your home was damaged or destroyed, please complete this short survey so we can understand your needs and get in touch.
Who we are: A county-wide collaborative of organizations (nonprofit, faith-based, private and public sector) coordinating assistance to households impacted by disasters
Mission:
The mission of the Long Term Disaster Recovery Group of Ventura County (VC LTDRG) is to strengthen area-wide disaster coordination in the affected area by sharing information, simplifying resident access to services, and jointly addressing cases with disaster-caused recovery needs.
Purpose:
The VC LTDRG will provide coordinated management of long-term recovery assistance to residents of Ventura County who have unmet disaster caused needs. The VC LTDRG will seek to provide spiritual, emotional, physical and financial resources to those affected by the disaster regardless of race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, disability or religious preference.
The Disaster Case Managers team
Trained disaster case managers are reaching out to see what needs we may be able to help with or where we might be able to provide resources or referrals. We are aware that you may be receiving multiple calls, texts and or emails from people promising to help in your recovery. Below are the names and email addresses of our current case managers in case they have already tried to contact you. If you ever have questions about someone's connection to the VC LTDRG you can also reach out to our main email for confirmation.
If you have decided that you are not interested in working with a Disaster Case Manager at this time, please let us know and we will close your case, you will still receive informational emails, and we can reopen your file should the need arise.
Disaster Case Manager team:
Esther Benedict
Carrie McGurn
Bill Garcia (211 Ventura)
Luis Gomez (211 Ventura)
Sonia Nims
Disaster Recovery Financial Counseling
Get help sifting through your financial situation. Project Porchlight from the non-profit Money Management Int. provides FREE assistance to renters and homeowners.
Call this number specifically for Mountain Fire impacted households: 866-934-2408 to speak with a HUD certified counselor. You can find more information or schedule a phone appointment at https://www.moneymanagement.org/disaster-recovery
Disaster Case Managers (DCM)
What is a Disaster Case Manager? Recovery and rebuilding a life after a disaster can be overwhelming. With so many applications, steps and follow-up, it can be hard to know where to start or who to contact. DCMs are trained to help those who lack the resources necessary to recover or who need assistance with their recovery toward resilience. Meet our DCMs!
Mental Health Support
It is natural to feel completely disoriented after a disaster. Resources are available to help you. Know that you will be okay, you will get through this, and allow for grace. Available wellness resources including information for parents. Take a look at the list of local free and low cost Emotional recovery and mental health wellness resources
Insurance and Rebuilding
Information and resources for those rebuilding including the Ask a Homebuilder short video series.
United Policyholders: a non-profit whose mission is to be a trustworthy and useful information resource and a respected voice for consumers of all types of insurance. They don't take money from insurance companies. They provide guidance on buying insurance and navigating claims. United Policyholders has a section specific to 2024 California Wildfires.
Survivor to Survivor Forum - April 15, 2025 7pm Info/Register
If you are looking for temporary or permanent housing contact the Housing Navigator team at the United Way of Ventura County.
Brandy Schoepflin 805-485-6288 ext 234
Karina Lopez Saldana 805-485-6288 ext 254 (Spanish speaking)
Hotel Surplus in Van Nuys is offering hotel liquidation items such as desks, lounge chairs, some sleeper sofas to those displaced by fires. More info at: https://www.hotelsurplus.com/
__________________________________________________________________________________________
SBA Disaster Loans are available for home rebuilding, repairs, property replacement as well as for businesses.
Interest Rates as low as 2.563% for homeowners/renters and as low as 4% for businesses. For:
Business Loans up to $2M for repairs/replacements of real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory, and other assets.
Economic Injury Loans for small businesses, agricultural cooperatives and nonprofits, regardless of property damage.
Homeowner Loans up to $500,000 for real estate repairs.
Personal Property Loans for homeowners and renters may qualify for up to $100,000 to repair/replace personal property, including vehicles.
lnformation on disaster assistance information can be found at sba.gov/disaster. The SBA also hosts a Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955. You can still speak to someone in person at the Economic Development Collaborative Office at 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd, Camarillo, CA during business hours.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
List of local free Legal Resources for fire impacted residents
Is post-disaster life taking its toll?
Your body's resources are not endless. This is a confronting reality. So how do you refuel your body? The basics are a good place to start. Sleep the best you can, eat good food and exercise. A vital source of energy can also be found in all the activities that bring color to your life. Ask yourself:
What makes me smile?
What makes me feel alive?
What have I let go that I used to enjoy?
Thanks to Good360.org our community received a shipment of Cards for Calamity to support recovery from the Mountain Fire. The cards are created for those experiencing the disaster recovery journey.
If you are interested in a deck of the cards please contact dcm@mountainfirerecovery.org to request one.
You can also contact: 211now.com for Resources for Mountain Fire
VenturaCountyRecovers.org: This is the official page for the County of Ventura and the cities and unincorporated areas affected by the fire. Ventura County Recovers is intended to guide residents through the recovery process, regardless of the size of their loss. Information listed here includes articles about recovery programs and information published by various government agencies.