Posts by Natalie Minuzzo
Press Release: Valerie Brown Joins SBP as a Fellow, Bringing Decades of Expertise in Nonprofit and Disaster Recovery
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Valerie Brown Joins SBP as a Fellow, Bringing Decades of Expertise in Nonprofit and Disaster Recovery 1.16.2024 – SBP and After The Fire are thrilled to announce the addition of Valerie Brown to our teams. Valerie brings over 30 years of nonprofit and grants experience, ranging from small nonprofits to a $26M…
Read MoreUS Senate passes long-awaited tax relief for fire victims
Story by The Press Democrat. “This is a huge moment of justice for disaster survivors, said Jennifer Gray Thompson, CEO of After The Fire USA, a key advocate for the legislation. “The direct impact on people’s lives is so profound” she said. “It was a massive group effort. We all did our part.” …
Read MoreDisaster relief advocate calls for ‘urgency’ in Congress over tax relief legislation
Story by NBC News, Meet the Press. With just a few weeks remaining in the current session of Congress, After the Fire USA CEO Jennifer Gray Thompson joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss why it’s so critical for the Senate to pass federal disaster tax relief legislation before the end of the year.
Read More3 ways to make your home more wildfire resistant
Story by abc news. A simple and inexpensive upgrade you can do to your home is change out the vents, explained Jennifer Gray Thompson with nonprofit After the Fire USA. “Most vents are very standard size,” Thompson said. “You can buy them for about $5 each at the hardware store — and you can install…
Read MoreHurricane Milton victims could get more generous tax breaks. Senators just need to vote for them.
Story by msn. “I absolutely think Helene should put pressure [on lawmakers to pass the bill],” said Jennifer Gray Thompson, founder and CEO of After the Fire USA, an organization that has helped communities navigate recovery efforts after catastrophic fires. “It can deliver more relief to more people who have already lost everything.” Months…
Read MoreMaui delegation connects with other fire-stricken counties at wildfire summit
Story by Maui Now. Mayor Richard Bissen joined Maui’s state, county and community leaders at After the Fire USA’s 2024 Wildfire Leadership Summit last week in Sonoma, Calif. Together, they shared updates on Maui’s wildfire recovery efforts and gathered valuable insights from other jurisdictions affected by similar disasters. “Our intention is not only rebuilding homes…
Read MoreSonoma County leaders share experience, lessons learned with visitors from fire-stricken island of Maui
Story by The Press Democrat. The trip was hosted by After the Fire USA as part of the nonprofit organization’s annual three-day Wildfire Leadership Summit in Sonoma. It’s an example of what Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Gray Thompson and After the Fire call “paying our lessons forward.” For the people of Maui, it may be too soon to…
Read MoreChronic housing shortage leaves Maui residents displaced a year after deadly wildfire
Story by PBS. Thompson has never before seen the Federal Emergency Management Agency invest so heavily in keeping a community together, she said. LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Josephine Fraser worried her young family’s next home would be a tent. Fraser and her partner, their two sons and their dog had moved nine times in…
Read MoreBob Fenton Reflects On A Year Of Leading FEMA’s Fire Recovery Efforts On Maui
Story by Civil Beat. Jennifer Gray Thompson, president of the nonprofit After the Fire, said last month that FEMA’s experience on Maui will likely benefit communities in the future that experience their own tragedies. On a hot Saturday in January, Bob Fenton of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was easy to spot in the bright…
Read MoreA year after Maui wildfire, chronic housing shortage and pricey vacation rentals complicate recovery
Story by AP news. Jennifer Gray Thompson, the CEO of nonprofit fire-recovery initiative After The Fire, said she has worked in 18 counties that have suffered massive wildfires since 2017, when she herself lived through blazes that ripped through Northern California’s wine country. LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Josephine Fraser worried her young family’s next…
Read More