Disaster Relief

Embracing Opportunity to Make a Difference

Embracing Opportunity to Make a Difference

Joanna first got involved with Cope Family Center in 2009 during our inaugural Rock and Stroll Fun Run.  When her gym formed a fundraising team, Joanna enthusiastically joined and ended up being the top fundraiser that year. After learning more about our work, touring our Family Resource Center and meeting the staff, Joanna decided to make Cope one of her philanthropic priorities. “The first time I came to Cope,” Joanna recalled, “I thought that if I were a parent in need, this is where I would want to come to get help.  It was such a warm, welcoming and safe environment.”

A Desperate Dad and a Last-Minute Rescue

A Desperate Dad and a Last-Minute Rescue

We met Amadu and his family when they came to Cope Family Center seeking help after the devastating Napa Complex Fires. Amadu, a single dad, was at work when the evacuation advisory for his neighborhood was issued on October 11. Despite the dire situation, his employer wouldn’t permit him to leave to get his three children. Due to past trauma, the stress triggered Amadu’s PTSD which resulted in his employer putting him on unpaid leave. Though he had applied for state disability benefits, he hadn’t yet received payments by the time he came to Cope. Desperate for assistance paying his rent so he could keep a roof over his family’s head, Amadu applied for an Emergency Financial Assistance grant, a disaster relief fund distributed by Cope and funded by the Napa Valley Community Foundation.