805 UndocuFund is excited to announce that we have been awarded a $50,000 grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation to help continue strengthening capacity for our trusted, proven, and culturally competent disaster relief model. Our work provides undocumented immigrant individuals and families who are impacted by disaster in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties an equitable opportunity to recover from disaster. Since the outbreak of COVID -19 in 2020, 805 UndocuFund has provided critical one-time cash relief to more than 4,000 households in our region.

“Undocumented individuals and families are excluded from federally funded financial disaster relief and safety net programs, “said Maria Melo, Executive Director of 805 UndocuFund. “Thanks to the support of the S. Mark Taper Foundation and other philanthropic partners who have come together to respond to the pandemic and other disasters that have hit our region, 805 UndocuFund has helped thousands of immigrant families and individuals in our community receive cash assistance to get through the crisis.”

Since its creation in 2018, the 805 UndocuFund has not only distributed over $8.3M to 6,147 families during disasters such as the Thomas Fire and Maria/Easy Fires, Montecito Mudslides, as well as COVID-19, but it has also become a trusted and familiar source of information and support for the immigrant community before, during and after disaster hits.  Founded and supported by MICOP, CAUSE and Future Leaders of Americas – three trusted grassroot organizations in the immigrant community -, 805 UndocuFund is proud to mobilize resources when disaster hits the Central Coast region, providing trusted short-term disaster response relief, and to advocate for long-term systems change for undocumented communities in disaster.

To support our work, please visit https://805undocufund.org/donate/