NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Sutter Health made a $100,000 donation to support fire relief efforts across California, including several Northern California communities.

Sutter Health’s donation will go to the American Red Cross California Wildfires Fund.

The fund will help bring food, water and emergency shelter to the families affected by this summer’s wildfires, including the massive Carr fire still raging in Shasta and Trinity counties, and the River and Ranch fires – also known as the Mendocino Complex fire – still burning in Lake and Mendocino counties.

“We’re deeply saddened by the mass destruction these fires have caused in our communities,” said Sarah Krevans, president and CEO of Sutter Health. “Our hearts are with our patients, co-workers and all those facing loss and uncertainty in the wake of these wildfires. Our donation will help bring relief to those most in need, and we offer our sincere appreciation to all the firefighters and volunteers.”

The fires have combined to burn more than 200,000 acres, displacing thousands of residents and damaging hundreds of homes and structures.

Sutter Health is also actively supporting its employees and physicians in this time of need:

– Providing support to Sutter Health staff and physicians who need it; efforts include financial aid, disaster recovery pay, prescription assistance and other employee assistance support ranging from insurance claims help to mental health resources.

– Opening the Sutter Health Employee Disaster Relief Fund, a philanthropic fund to support employees impacted by this disaster that accepts monetary donations from employees and the community. Established during the 2017 wildfires in the North Bay, the fund can help employees who are significantly impacted by current and future large-scale disasters that affect local communities.

Sutter Health has long partnered the American Red Cross and other organizations to help people close to home and worldwide.

In 2017, Sutter Health made donations to help support the communities in Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Lake, Butte, Mendocino and Yuba counties impacted by numerous wildfires.

Additional contributions from Sutter Health have supported other relief efforts for the recent hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. Last year, Sutter Health invested $612 million in care and services for the poor and underserved.