Politics & Government

Alameda County Disaster Relief Fund Reactivated to Help San Bernardino Victims

Alameda County's Disaster Relief Fund was initially established in response to the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.

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Alameda County has reactivated its disaster relief fund to allow county employees and people in the community to help victims of the terrorist shooting in San Bernardino two weeks ago in which 14 people were killed and 21 others were injured.

County officials said Monday that it marks the first time in a decade that the fund has been activated in response to a domestic tragedy. Activating the fund enables county employees and people in the community to make cash donations to the families of those killed and those recovering from their injuries. County employees also have the option of donating up to five days of their accrued vacation time, compensatory time and/or holiday in-lieu time.

Alameda County’s Disaster Relief Fund was initially established in response to the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001. It has been reactivated for the South Asia tsunami and earthquake in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, earthquakes in Haiti and Chile in 2010, the Northern Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013 and the massive earthquake in Nepal earlier this year.

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Board of Supervisors president Scott Haggerty said in a statement, “This horrific tragedy really hits home because we realize that most of the unfortunate victims in San Bernardino were just like us -- county employees working to make their communities a better place.” Haggerty said, “We feel the need to do something that allows our employees and the community to support the many people affected by this senseless act of violence.”

The contributions to the Alameda County Disaster Relief Fund will be donated directly to the San Bernardino United Relief Fund, which was jointly established by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and the Arrowhead United Way to address the needs of people affected by the shootings.

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People may make donations to the disaster relief fund online or by cash. Cash donations may be made by sending a personal check payable to the Alameda County Disaster Relief Fund, c/o the Auditor-Controller Agency, 1221 Oak St., Room 238, Oakland, CA 94612. People may make an online donation or get additional information by going to the county’s website at http://www.acgov.org.

FULL PATCH COVERAGE ON THE SAN BERNARDINO MASS SHOOTING:

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Renee Schiavone/ Patch

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