San Bernardino County snow emergency: How to help
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. - Dozens of people remain trapped, snowed in on the San Bernardino Mountains, a week removed massive back-to-back storms that blanketed the area with feet of snow.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency to help clear roads and provide necessities to those trapped. Others have hiked to bring supplies to love ones on the mountain, and some residents are stuck at the bottom of the mountains, trying to get home.
Now, San Bernardino County is accepting donations to help people stuck in the snow.
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"We are working to clear roads, expediting the delivery of food and medications to the affected areas, and serving residents stranded at the bottom of the mountain," the county said in an announcement. "While we have made great strides clearing roads and restoring essential services, residents in these mountain communities are now in need of the public's help to recover from the storms for weeks to come."
The County has established two ways to donate for those who wish.
The first way to donate is through the county's hotline. Between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., donators can call 909-387-3911 and select option two to speak to a representative that will help coordinate a donation. People stuck in the mountains can also use that same hotline to arrange food or supply dropoffs.
Outside those hours, those wishing to donate can head to an online portal here. That link will take you to a form you can fill out with information about what you have to donate. Once that form is filled out, a county official will reach out to you with next steps.
Right now, the county said it's looking for supplies like canned goods, non-perishable foods, sanitary supplies like toilet paper and diapers, dry goods, baby formula and water. While the County said any donation will help, it will prioritize pickup of donations that are most needed at any given time.
If you don't have supplies, but want to donate, the County is also raising money through the Red Cross. You can donate by going to redcross.org, calling 800-RED-CROSS (733-2767), or texting "REDCROSS" to 90999, with an indication that the donation is going toward San Bernardino County Storm Disaster Relief.
Meanwhile, another organization has set up collection centers throughout the area where people can bring much needed supplies. The headquarters for the donation centers is at Sandals Church in San Bernardino, there are locations in Crestline, Blue Jay, Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, Twin Peaks, Crest Forest, Cedar Glen and Cedar Pines. More information about donating at these locations can be found at mountainstrong.us.