A North Bay woman is working to provide struggling families with basic necessities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chelsea Sanabria, Chief Operating Officer of the Lemon Aide Project based in Sonoma County, helped create several programs to help residents get back on their feet after disaster strikes. Its latest effort is a COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Since March, they have been collecting donations to buy supplies for people who’ve been laid off work and kids who are continuing distance learning.
“We’ve been helping with rent, utilities and bills. We’ve helped provide some school supplies for kids such as laptops,” Sanabria told KCBS Radio. “We’re just trying to help in all areas that have been affected.”
Sanabria started the nonprofit a few years after losing her home in the 2017 Tubbs Fire.
“I don’t know how that year we would’ve all gotten through it, just the number of people that lost everything, how we all would’ve gotten the support we needed if our whole city had not come together like that to help each other,” she said.
The community response motivated her to do the same for people need like herself at the time.
“It feels amazing to be able to turn that around and give back what I was given,” Sanabria said.
Currently, the nonprofit is facing an increased demand for services paired with strains on fundraising. It relies on in-person volunteerism and fundraising events to survive, has to be postponed due to COVID-19.
“We need assistance from everyone. We’ve received so many donations like clothing items, pet stuff, food and baby items,” she said. “Things that we’ve been able to pass along this year to other people who have lost everything.”
If you know someone who is working to keep us safe during the coronavirus pandemic and would like to nominate them as a KCBS Radio Difference Maker, email differencemakers [at] kcbsradio.com.
