Cold Spring Elementary School helps launch California Kids Fire Relief initiative

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A new source of aid and heartfelt messages are pouring in for families impacted by the fires in Northern California.

That includes help from the Cold Spring School District in Santa Barbara.

"My heart just went out for those school districts that are trying to open school right now with covid," said Cold Spring Elementary School Superintendent/Principal, Amy Alzina.

Alzina, along with staff and local families, launched a fire relief fundraiser that is part of a statewide effort.

The California Kids Care Fire Relief campaign partners school districts across the state with impacted communities.

The Small School Districts' Association (of which Alzina is an executive board member), the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association and, the Sacramento County Office of Education all partnered to launch a two week long, statewide initiative. The goal is to bring immediate relief to students and families impacted by wildfire.

Cold Spring Elementary School families kicked off the effort with $1,0000 in Visa debit card donations, coupled with messages of hope from students.

"We're grateful that this little tiny school district was able to get these started throughout the state of California and our hope is that other schools will follow suit."

Alzina said those types of donations were invaluable to local families during our back-to-back disasters of the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslide.

"Many of the families are losing their homes, losing their schools and as a community we said, 'We need to do something to give back.' We found out today that our Box of Hope was given to Pioneer School District. They lost their entire school, it's a single school district like Cold Spring." 

As of Monday, August 23, more than 61 school districts in Northern California -- and their respective communities -- are currently under evacuation orders.

Alzina said students and families in the local district are currently working on a second round of donations.