Reach Out! Rise Up! Receive! Heart Rising Update April 2022

One of the roles Heart Rising has taken on with the Almeda Fire recovery process is connecting families and individuals to Zone Captains and Disaster Case Managers (who have been hired through Catholic Charities and ODHS in Jackson County) throughout the state, to help resolve and bring closure to fire survivors’ cases.

What this means essentially is that there are still many families, couples, and individuals who, for various reasons, may not have been contacted by the Jackson County Community Long Term Recovery Group (JCCLTRG) to receive help re-establishing their homes and their lives.

I would like to remind everyone of three very important things: 1. There is still plenty of help available for fire survivors in several key areas, including finances, rental assistance, housing employment, health issues, transportation and trauma-informed counseling. 2. Help is still available for those who may not have qualified for FEMA funds, but even more importantly, for those who may have already received financial help through various means. In other words, if you have received funds from ACCESS or the Red Cross, FEMA or other organizations, you may still qualify for ongoing resources. And if you haven’t received help, you qualify as well. 3. Heart Rising is helping survivors get connected. If you need help, go to the JCCLTRG.org page or the HeartRising.org page and submit a request for help. Or you can call: Lucie Scheuer, Director, Heart Rising (541) 944-2430.

You can donate to Heart Rising through our website, or send a check to the Thalden Foundation, 550 Ashland Loop Road, Ashland, 97520. All donations go directly to help families. And you can donate to the JCCLTRG on their site as well.

As we see spring blossoms bursting into bloom throughout the valley, and witness the beauty of the landscape coming back to life, we can also rejoice that our communities are also coming back to life. I want to tell you about an exciting event coming up in May. And it is also for the benefit of organizations aiding fire survivors. Rogue World Music will present its “live and in-person flagship event” the Ashland World Music Festival, Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-30. This is a FREE multi-day, multi-venue event. More info in May’s issue! Until then, enjoy the Spring!