September 19, 2019– SAN DIEGO - A group of 15 construction volunteers are being deployed by San Diego-based International Relief Teams (IRT) to Middletown in Lake County California on Sunday,September 22, 2019 to rebuild homes for victims of the Mendocino Complex Fire who cannot recover on their own.
San Diego volunteers leave on Sunday, September 2; Southwest Airlines Flight 4197,departing San Diego at 11:55 am.
The 2018 wildfires in California were the deadliest and most destructive in the state’s history. Vulnerable families lost their homes,their livelihoods, and their hopes for the future. The tiny town of Middletown was heavily damaged by the Mendocino Complex Fire, the largest fire in California history, in July and August 2018. Approximately 336 families live in Middletown, about 18% of which live below the poverty line. Many residents do not have sufficient funds to rebuild their homes.
“Recovery after a major disaster can take years.That is why IRT stays involved for years after the disaster, helping poor and underserved families rebuild and recover. IRT will continue to send volunteer teams to fire-ravaged communities as long as they are needed,” said Barry LaForgia, IRT Executive Director.
IRT has 31 years of experience in assisting victims of disasters, both nationally and internationally. IRT also provided aid following Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi from 2005-2012, Superstorm Sandy in New Jersey from 2012-2016, Hurricane Harvey in Louisiana from 2018-2019, and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico from 2017-present.
International Relief Teams alleviates the suffering caused by poverty and disaster around the globe, from the forgotten corners of the world to right here at home, by sending volunteer teams and medical supplies to make immediate change for the world’s most vulnerable people. For more information visit us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.
