Who Benefits from CERV’s Projects and Activities

Below is a list of organizations, agencies, individuals, groups and communities that CERV of the Monterey Peninsula has helped over the years.

2021

Community Foundation for Monterey County

CERV of the Monterey Peninsula has provided support for relief and emergency assistance related to Carmel Fire victims, thanks to a grant of $38,000 from the Community Fund For Carmel Valley of the Community Foundation for Monterey County. This was the second round of their generous efforts to help.

CERV of the Monterey Peninsula recently obtained a grant from the Community Foundation for Monterey County of $120,000 to support families in need of relief from mudslides and debris flow caused by the River Fire in Monterey County. We will be distributing funds in May, 2021.

Cal-Fire Foundation

CERV also obtained a $10,000 grant from the Cal-Fire Foundation recently to support victims devastated by storms, debris flow and mudslides in Monterey County. We will also distribute these funds in May, 2021.

Monterey County Gives! Campaign 

Through the annual Monterey County Gives campaign CERV of the Monterey Peninsula has $5,500 to help support the ongoing work of our non-profit partners. 

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) Support

The Carmel Gives Fund of the Community grant (c/o Community Foundation for Monterey County) provided CERV with $2,000 to provide electricity to  Carmel's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) container in Sunset Center’s north parking lot. The work was completed.

CERV submitted a grant on May 3, 2021 for funding to improve the CERT emergency communications systems by purchasing equipment for Monterey and Pacific Grove Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT programs). 

2020

Listos, CA

1. CERV helped raise over $50,000.00 for basic needs of undocumented women during the pandemic for food, rent, utilities and basics needs.
2. 15 CERV-funded non-profits pivoted to pandemic support. The state of California allowed emergency readiness grantees to spend up to 40% of their CERV budgets on immediate pandemic needs of their constituents. Grantees helped clients survive by providing basic need relief.
3. The CERV Listos project created 13 disaster readiness modules for its' grantees. 
4. Eight CERV Grantees created app-based organizational disaster plans.
5. CERV helped raise $21,000.00 for homeless women living in cars.
6. CERV grantees distributed over 3,000 masks in county nursing homes and other elderly facilities.
7. CERV-funded non-profits surpassed over $100,000.00 in pandemic relief.
8. CERV writers helped document progress for local emergency readiness grantees.
9. CERV produced two online emergency readiness seminars that each reached over 100 participants.

PG&E Community Resilience Program

CERV received the PG&E Resilient Communities grant in 2020 which focuses on the critical issue of wildfire risk. To that end, PG&E funded four $100,000 grants that build community capacity to reduce wildfire risk and support healthy and resilient forests and watersheds.

Monterey County Gives! Campaign 2020

CERV is participating in the 2020 Monterey County Gives campaign to support our Big Idea for 2021, which is to build community preparedness, recovery and resilience beyond COVID-19. Vulnerable residents are most seriously impacted by disasters and community based organizations can help them prepare and recover. CERV works with families throughout Monterey County, representing all ages, language groups, people with disabilities/access and functional needs and people who face significant socio-economic challenged. 

Monterey Recovers Program

CERV of the Monterey Peninsula supported matchmaking efforts for those impacted by the River Fire, the Carmel Valley Fire and the Dolan Fire. This is an ongoing project. CERV has already responded to specific 35 requests from residents impacted by the fires and many needs were met. We are still actively working on 10 separate efforts. 140 people offered donations and 180 people offered to volunteer within 1 month. 

1. Managing requests and recruiting organizations to participate
2. Responding to simple and complex circumstances with help from partners
3. Documenting distribution of gift cards from NPS, DLI and other groups
4. Making efforts to coordinate with people employed by MCOES, Social Services, Health, American Red Cross and Evacuation Centers.  
5. Developing promotional materials to support awareness and participation.
6. Enabling grass roots involvement and community building efforts. For example, a professor, Captain Natalie Poggemeyer, Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) professor, collected money from the NPS and DLI communities. Then purchased about $1,200 worth of gift cards. Gigi Dominguez, employed by Social Services, distributed the cards (on her own time) to more than 30 families who had submitted needs through MontereyCo.Recovers.org. 
7. Working with partners to address requests from https://montereyco.recovers.org/, Valley Bible Church, and other entities to support people recovering from 2020 fires. 
8. Promoting partnerships with Monterey county agencies, non-profits, government entities and businesses.

Community Foundation for Monterey County

CERV submitted for and was awarded a grant for $30,000.00 from the Community Foundation for Monterey County. This grant is aimed at helping support those impacted by the fires in the Monterey County community. For example, visa debit cards are being distributed to  help support those in need ($300/individual and $500 family) through CERV's partnership with Orville Myers, Pastor at the Valley Bible Church. In the first two weeks 78 people were reached and close to $20,000 was distributed. CERV also has responded to other requests through MontereyCo.Recovers.org and has provided 2 generators, some money for a deposit for student housing and medical supplies. In addition, CERV is identifying needs through its Listos network of organizations servicing the most vulnerable populations. 73% report they have clients impacted by the fires.   

1. Working with partners to address requests from people impacted by the fires who

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) Support

1. Provided Carmel CERT with equipment and radios. 
2. Helped support training for new CERT volunteers in Big Sur area
3. Working with local and state to identify alternative ways and increase access to provide CERT training in the county

2019

PG&E Community Resilience Program

Big Sur CERT

Monterey CERT 

Generator Project

Overhauled and distributed two generators to individuals impacted by the fires in Monterey County. CERV also obtained a third generator and will be seeking more. 

Big Sur International Marathon

Monterey CERT / CERV Summer BBQ

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Safety Fair

• Partner. AFN Working Group. 
• Grant from Church Mouse. Increase CERT participation for senior citizens in Monterey County

Monterey County Gives! Campaign 2019 

2018

• CERT collaboration – Monterey, Pacific Grove, South County, Marina, Seaside, Salinas, CalFire, Santa Cruz CERT instructors > Collaboration; Community Resilience – Preparedness, Relief Recovery

• Project focused on Disaster Cycle Persons with Access and Functional Needs (AFN): Access to Communication, Safety, Health, Transportation, Mobility, Independence > Information exchange, Collaboration, Community Resilience – Preparedness, Relief and Recover

• Monterey Gives video project underway as well as other activities related to people with AFN

• Website and social media > Information exchange enhanced

• Big Sur Marathons, July 4th parade and booth, Safety Fairs, Disaster events for general public > Collaboration, Information exchange, Community Resilience – Preparedness

• AAA, CERV, OES AFN Working group collaboration. 5,000 backpacks to organizations representing people with disabilities/access and functional needs in Monterey County > Preparedness, Information exchange, Community Resilience, Collaboration

• AFN Working group (CERV, ARC, MCOES, CCCIL, United Way, CCFM). Meeting monthly.

• CERV to report to California Disaster Coalition report on Monterey County AFN Working Group activities. 

• CERT/CERT Annual BBQ. 

2017

• Recovers Project – Soberanes Fire – Big Sur > Disaster Relief and Recovery / Community Resilience

• Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel CERT Wish list project – Neighborhoods > Equipment

• Red Cross Disaster Service Award to CERV member > Collaboration, Community Resilience 

• Workshops – Red Cross  > Training

• Website and social media > Information

• CERT collaboration/Teen CERT – Monterey, Pacific Grove, South County, Marina, Seaside, Salinas, CalFire CERT instructor, Santa Cruz CERT instructors > Collaboration; Community Resilience – Preparedness, Relief Recovery

• Big Sur Marathons, July 4th parade and booth, Safety Fairs, Disaster events for general public > Collaboration, Information exchange, Community Resilience - Preparedness

2016

• Early Action Mobile Units - Monterey, PG, Carmel, South County, Marina, Seaside, Big Sur, Cachagua CERT programs > Community Resilience/ Equipment

• Label Maker Project -  Monterey CERT > Equipment

• Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel CERT Wish list project – Neighborhoods > Equipment

• Recovers website – Soberanes Fire – Big Sur Community and residents > Community Resilience - Relief/Recovery

• Website and social media > Information exchange

• Big Sur Marathons, July 4th parade and booth, Safety Fairs, Disaster events for general public > Collaboration, Information exchange, Community Resilience - Preparedness

2015

• Recovers Project – Training volunteers > Community Resilience – Relief, Recovery

• Workshops (Meals on Wheels) > Training - Preparedness

• Monterey CERT Wish list project > Equipment

• Website and Video development > Information exchange

• Big Sur Marathons, July 4th parade and booth, Safety Fairs, Disaster events for general public > Collaboration, Information exchange, Community Resilience - Preparedness

2014

• Recovers Project – CERT programs, Monterey Fire, PG City, Marina Fire, Seaside Fire > Community Resilience – Relief, Recovery

• Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove CERT programs > Equipment 

• Workshops (GoBags for Grandmas), Kinship Center Alliance on Aging ) > Training - Preparedness

• Website, Facebook > Information exchange

• Big Sur Marathons, July 4th parade and booth, Safety Fairs, Disaster events for  citizens, visitors, >Collaboration, Information exchange, Community Resilience - Preparedness

2012-2013

• Pacific Grove CERT Team > Equipment

• Monterey Cert Teams >Equipment

• Workshops (GoBags for Grandma) - Kinship Center > Training- Preparedness

• 4 free CERV Seminars, ~ 150  attended – Individuals and first responders from Monterey, Seaside, Marina, Carmel >Training- Preparedness

• Solar Panel Project, Feasibility study – Monterey CERT > Equipment

• Inventory Project - Monterey, Carmel, PG CERT programs > Equipment

• Website - Design, start up. Community resource > Information exchange

• Big Sur Marathons, July 4th parade and booth, Safety Fairs, Disaster events for general public > Collaboration, Information exchange, Community Resilience - Preparedness