The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians presented Direct Relief, a Santa Barbara-based humanitarian-aid organization, with a check for $20,000 to help flood victims after Hurricane Harvey’s rampage through Houston.
Veronica Sandoval, administrator for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation, presented the check to Direct Relief campaign manager Alisse Harris prior to the Steve Winwood concert Friday night at the Chumash Casino Resort.
“We have all seen the videos and heard the stories stemming from this disaster in Houston, so we reached out to a local partner that has an excellent track record in providing humanitarian aid throughout the world,” said Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
“We’re proud to support Direct Relief and all of its efforts in Houston, and we know that donating to Direct Relief will ensure that the funds are going toward their best possible use,” Kahn said.
Direct Relief, in consultation with the Texas Association of Community Health Centers (TACHC), announced Friday an initial $350,000 for emergency operating grants of up to $25,000 each for community health centers in Texas.
Those grants are designed to help address immediate financial needs that have arisen from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey.
These emergency funds — made possible by contributions Direct Relief has received for Hurricane Harvey — will be targeted to health centers in the communities that have experienced damage or operational losses or have expanded services to care for people evacuated to other areas.
Direct Relief also is providing emergency deliveries of essential medications and health commodities to TACHC member health centers and other nonprofit safety-net health providers in Texas.
Since the flooding began, Direct Relief has provided 60 emergency deliveries to 18 sites in Texas containing more than $900,000 (wholesale) in medicines and supplies.
Those items include insulin and other requested medications critical for patients with chronic conditions that can become life-threatening if unmanaged.
For more information about Direct Relief or on how to make a donation, visit directrelief.org. To learn more about the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation and its giving programs, visit www.santaynezchumash.org.
— Veronica V. Sandoval for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.