In December, MV Advancements’ together with our Serendipity Ice Cream Shoppe raised over $2,050 and donated a box truck in support of our adopted sister organization called California Vocation. Similar to our organization, California Vocation offers residential options, community inclusion and employment supports for adults experiencing disabilities. Our hearts went out to them at the news that only 6 of their 260 employees saved their homes from the fire that swept through the Sierra foothills last fall. We were troubled even further to learn that a supported individual of MVA’s was visiting Paradise, California at the time the fire burned the town and was rescued by a relative.
Similar in population size and geographically to McMinnville – Paradise, California lost more than 90% of its homes! They wrote “At California Vocation, we lost most of the infrastructure, including all our offices, and most of our client housing, vehicles, and equipment. The silver lining to this terrible disaster is that we were able to get all our clients and staff out safely.” Unfortunately, insurance did not cover all of the losses experienced in Paradise, and rebuilding in the town is currently not an option to anyone. Amidst this turmoil and confusion of transition, California Vocation continues to hold hope by fundraising for the gap in services to be able to provide for their staff and clients beyond the bare necessities.