At one point, nearly 90,000 people were displaced by the Hawk Fire. That number has dwindled significantly, but a lot of folks are still in need of a place to stay. A couple organizations are now working together to help house people -- for free.
United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra (UWNNS) is working with Airbnb.org, which is a non-profit founded by Airbnb that provides emergency housing in times of crisis.
UWNNS brings together other organizations to tackle major problems in the Northern Nevada and Sierra area, such as this.
“Overnight, Airbnb organizer and us kind of just put this coalition together of local nonprofits that are stepping in to help facilitate some of this for families in need, knowing that there is a big need as families are displaced out of their homes, not even knowing when they can get back,” said Daniel Amaya, the Communications and Marketing Director of UWNNS. “In some cases, there have been a loss of structures, and so we don't want to add to the stress that already happens when there's a fire.”
Some of the area partners include Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, Nevada 211, Washoe County School District, Scouting America, and the Red Cross of Northern Nevada.
The goal of everyone involved is to provide support for those in need, without adding on additional stress.
“When people have to evacuate their homes, it is a really traumatic event,” said Christoph Gorder, Executive Director of Airbnb.org. “You go into this world of uncertainty, and you don't know whether your home is going to survive, where you're going to go, how you're going to pay for it. And so, you know what we're able to provide is some stability.”
They say staying in a home rather than a shelter, hotel, or friends and families’ houses allows for everyone to be more comfortable and save some money as they figure out their next steps.
All folks need to do to be considered, is apply.
“We have seen some applications come through. People have already been asking if they can receive some of those credits,” said Amaya.
Instead of Airbnb.org picking and choosing places, they award those who applied credits, and families can book a place that fits them best. The number of credits depends on the family situation.
“Between 10 and 28 nights, depending on the program, how many people are in the family and then the average daily rate in that particular area,” said Gorder. “With those credits, then, folks can go book, whatever Airbnb they want and, and figure out what works for their particular family.”
Hosts get paid by the non-profit and can also sign up to donate their space and allow for those credits to stretch even further.
Information on applying can he found here: Hawk Fire Housing Response | United Way of Northern Nevada & the Sierra
To donate to Airbnb.org or learn more about the organization, go here: Donate to Airbnb.org
