Happy Holidays from After the Fire! Simply Remembering Our 12 Favorite Things in 2021

Wishing you and yours all the beauty of this magical holiday season!

"Thank you for your support of our evolution in 2021 to meet the needs of wildfire survivors. Please consider us in your end of year giving." 
~ Judy Coffey, Board President
and Tubbs Fire Survivor

As we look toward 2022, we're simply remembering our 12 favorite things in 2021:

1. The Board and Staff reimagined our vision to respond to the Era of Megafires, becoming After The Fire USA – the premier organization dedicated to helping communities navigate wildfires across the American West.

2. We welcomed new talented and passionate team members committed to our vision and dedicated to our mission. Our team recognizes the immense challenges in our future, and we are up for the challenge. Together, we do.

3. We expanded our board with new members with a national focus and an added emphasis on thought leaders in the space of climate change, equity and federal experience.

4. Our team performed 8 deployments to megafire affected communities across California & Oregon – some just days into their recovery and others three years post-disaster. We are committed to communities long term.

5. We dedicated 9000 hours of staff time providing vetted resources, demonstrating resiliency & empathy, and advocating for vulnerable communities effected by megafires.

6. We expanded our digital assets designed to increase access for all, including recording 42 "How To Disaster" podcasts featuring inspiring & effective leaders who have navigated disaster with hope and resiliency.

​​​​​​7. We continued our commitment to partner, collaborate & convene with government officials, agencies and private sector leaders. We implemented a virtual advocacy program with a platform based in equity, resiliency, innovation, and climate change.

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8. We increased our impact through expanding our work with Fannie Mae on mapping resources for megafire resiliency and began a new partnership with Alaska Airlines as our exclusive travel partner.

9. We listened to our communities and delivered 14 Community to Community zoom calls to bring wildfire survivors together with experts. We created 10 English and 10 Spanish language short videos called “Ask a Firefighter” in partnership with El Verano School and Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue Authority to help kids & parents talk about wildfire.

10. We learned! We are bringing you all on the road with us to meet wonderful folks and have a shared experience of wildfire disaster. Our new video series "On The Road" shows our Community to Community trips to Greenville, CA and Santiam Canyon, OR. We will bring you more inspiring stories of humanity, hope and resilience in 2022.

11. We implemented a major CAL FIRE Wildfire Resilience Program as part of our "Before The Fire: Resilience Projects" and were awarded a $4.9m grant from the USDA. Check out our amazing CAL FIRE e partnership North Bay Fire Improvement Program (NBFIP) and watch us for big news in 2022. We are proud to bring nearly $10m to the North Bay to help us stay safe and ecologically innovative.

12. Finally, we Pay It Forward. Working with some of the most talented people in the world of disaster, we will continue to respond for the long haul whenever a community needs help navigating wildfire. Before and After the Fire, we will be here to help local leaders navigate and design their own recoveries. We will always listen first, act with integrity, and focus on outcomes.

Please remember us when you are looking at your year- end giving plan.