Information provided by the city of Hollister. Lea este articulo en español aqui.
In challenging times, it is inspiring to see the strength, compassion, and reliability of our Hollister community. The amount of generosity shown to our community is overwhelming and we would like to extend our gratitude to all who came together to support the families affected by the Line Street Apartment fire this past January. Your generosity exemplifies what it means to be a part of our Hollister community and strengthens these families during this time of misfortune.
To date, the community has collected and donated gift cards totaling a sum of $12,820 for each of the families’ benefits. At least each week since the event, gift cards have been evenly distributed to the families based on their size. At this time all the gift cards donated to the Community Food Bank, the City of Hollister, and the Hollister Downtown Association have been dispersed to the fire victims. With the gift card donations, these families were able to leisurely make purchases at Goodwill Silicon Valley, Kohl’s, Ross Dress for Less, Target, Walmart, local grocery stores, and much more. The gift card donations offered flexibility to assist the families’ varied needs during this strenuous time. Again, we appreciate everyone coming together to assist.
The Community Foundation has been instrumental in directing financial aid during this incident. With the assistance of over 35 donors, an approximate total of $5,000 in donations was collected by the Community Foundation for San Benito County. The Community Foundation was able to provide additional support to allocate $500 per individual in every household affected in the fire. With this combined effort totaling $18,500 was able to be distributed within 48 hours of the initial incident. To continue to support the Community Foundation of San Benito County efforts you may donate to the San Benito Disaster Recovery Fund, please visit https://givesanbenito.org/.
Additionally, the City of Hollister would like to recognize the following local businesses and nonprofit organizations for their recovery response and support to this incident.
- Christian Worship Center Hollister, for providing supplies and financial aid to each family.
- County of San Benito, for providing emergency housing options and access to services including counseling services
- Farmhouse Café, for their lunch donation to the families affected.
- Goodwill Silicon Valley, for their generous donation of gift cards for each family.
- Hollister Community Outreach, for providing groceries, household items, and support.
- Hollister Downtown Association, for collecting items and gift cards to be distributed through the Community Food Bank.
- McDonald’s (San Felipe Rd location), for donating vouchers for each family member to receive a free meal.
- Red Cross, for providing on-scene support and financial assistance.
- Running Rooster, for preparing heartwarming meals delivered to each family affected.
- Target, for donating new towels and kitchen supplies.
- Women’s Club of Hollister, for their generous donation of Target gift cards.
- Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 9242 & the Ladies Auxiliary Members, for their generous gift card donation.
Furthermore, over 200 community members donated over 13,000 pounds of clothes, bedding, toiletries, kitchen items, and more. With this incredible response, families have been able to pick out the items they need, ensuring they have the essentials as their housing situation continues to evolve. Recovery is a process, and the support will continue to be given as each family’s needs change.
Our community came together during this challenging time, and we are incredibly grateful for everyone who played a part in rebuilding their lives. The City of Hollister team continues to be a hub of communication for the affected families to provide resources regarding housing and supporting aid programs.