Here's how to help immigrant communities in need amid CZU Lightning Complex fire evacuations in San Mateo County
SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Help is needed in San Mateo County and beyond for the fire evacuees who have nowhere to go and nothing to eat, without donations and hotel vouchers.
Pescadero resident, Francisco Garcia, showed up to Half Moon Bay High School Tuesday night with his daughter and 6-year-old granddaughter, to pick up supplies.
With tears in his eyes, he said in Spanish that if it weren't for a hotel room, his family would be living under a bridge right now.
His daughter, Gladis Garcia, said she has no idea if their house has survived the fire, since they've received no official notice about the conditions of their neighborhood.
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With the CZU Complex Lightning Fire moving closer to the San Mateo County coast, the Garcias and hundreds of other families evacuated from the Pescadero area last week.
Farm workers, janitors, arborists are all still going to work.
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In order to survive, they're stopping by Half Moon Bay High School to pick up hotel vouchers, food, and supplies.
"My girlfriend and I have no idea what we'd be doing. We'd be sleeping in our car or putting a tent up somewhere. Due to COVID and everything that's going on, there's no opportunity. I can't afford a hotel room every night," said Osman Yousif, a La Honda resident.
"I've been staying very close to the evacuation center, just one night I slept in my car," said Rita Mancera, the executive director of Puente de la Costa Sur, a non profit, which along with the Red Cross and San Mateo County, have provided hundreds of hotel vouchers, supplies, and support.
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Mancera and 80 percent of her staff have been evacuated from their own homes and they are still on the front lines supporting others.
"There's a lot of examples of community members helping community members, and I think that's what describes our community," said State Senator Jerry Hill.
The San Mateo County senator spoke to ABC7 from Sacramento about the urgent need of the coast's immigrant communities. He says San Mateo County has given out hotel vouchers to 650 families so far.
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"The Red Cross and Puente and Pescadero have been wonderful but we need those resources and those donations to really help them," said Sen. Hill.
Here is a list of ways to donate according to Coastside Fire Help:
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