El Fondo de Tormentas del Condado de Ventura recibe $200.000 de Chuck Charitable

CAMARILLO, CA – The Ventura County Storm Fund has received a generous donation of $200,000 from the Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust to support the victims of the county’s destructive flash flooding in December 2023. The Storm Fund was established by the Ventura County Community Foundation in partnership with Ventura County Emergency Management and the municipalities of Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme in response to lack of FEMA assistance in the aftermath of the destruction, leaving community members without accessible means of recovery.

“Following the historic rains this past December, we have exhausted all our options for state and federal support, receiving no emergency aid from FEMA due to our community not meeting their threshold of 1,200 structures being damaged,” said Patrick Maynard, Director of the Office of Emergency Services for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. “If it weren’t for the generosity of our community and the considerable donation by the Chuck Charitable Trust, hundreds of our community members would be left homeless and without attainable recovery options for our lowest-income and undocumented residents.”

The catastrophic flooding left over 400 homes severely damaged, impacting low-income families and senior citizens, many lacking insurance coverage for flood-related damages. Donations to the Storm Fund will provide emergency financial assistance to those most severely impacted, as well as temporary housing, essentials like food and clothing, home restoration and more.

“VCCF is so grateful for the philanthropy of the Chuck Charitable Trust to provide support for our community members whose lives have been upended by this unprecedented disaster,” said Sean Leonard, Board President of VCCF. “So far, we have received $360,000 in contributions to the Storm Fund, and I am constantly amazed by the generosity of this community.”

The Chuck Family Trust is managed in the memories of long-time Camarillo residents Gilbert and Aileen Chuck, continuing their philanthropic tradition of helping individual families and making a significant difference in people’s lives. The Trust is one of the key supporters of the Storm Fund, having been moved to provide the critical support of temporary housing and other basic needs after learning the extent of the damage in Oxnard and Port Hueneme.

One hundred percent of each donation will be distributed directly to those in need of storm recovery support. Donations can be made online at vccf.org/storm-fund or by calling (805) 330-6976.