One of the most destructive fires to ever hit North Bay happened in October 2017. About 7,000 homes were extremely affected and low-income communities were hit the hardest. Recovery was not easy, but it was not impossible.
A total of $33.8M has been raised to help communities that were affected by the wildfires in Napa, Mendoccino, Sonoma and other areas in North Carolina last year—thanks to your collaboration with local organizations in San Francisco and Salesforce. Nearly one year since partnering with #BandTogetherBayArea at #DF17, disaster relief assistance and funding for rebuilding has been properly channeled.
At the outset, Salesforce is committed to help the community and aimed to raise $2M in funds: $500,000 from its non-profit organization to support affected schools and students, $500,000 from Marc and Lynne Benioff, and $500,000 from its employees that will be complemented with the foundation’s matching grants. Employees speedily established donation and volunteer groups to provide assistance to the city and local organizations.
Moreover, the company became one of the founding sponsors of #BandTogetherBayArea. The event was a benefit concert to raise funds for those affected in the North Bay wildfires. During the unforgettable night in November 9, famous personalities and bands such as Metallica, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Dead & Company, G-Eazy, Raphael Saadig and Rancid took the stage to show support to the city.
It wasn’t just a night of music—popular celebrities and athletes such as Joe Montana, Renel Brooks Moon, Buster Posey, Barry Bonds and Natalie Coughlin took the time to honor the local heroes, first responders and volunteers who bravely rose to the occasion. During the concert, a moment of remembrance was also held to show respect to the victims and their families of the tragic fires.
The money raised from the band concert was first allocated for emergency assistance, food distribution, mental health services, and the likes. Subsequently, the funds were channeled through North Bay non-profit community organizations, government partners and service providers that spearheaded the rebuilding process in the city.
#BandTogetherBayArea was a night of hope and solidarity. It would not have been successful without the support of generous donors. North Bay is a picture of strength and resilience.