As of Monday, March 4, the Texas Panhandle wildfires have burned nearly 1.3 million acres of prairie land, homes, and other property. The Smokehouse Creek Fire in Hutchinson County has become the largest wildfire in the state’s history.
For donors, fund holders, and community members who’d like to support affected counties, Communities Foundation of Texas has gathered a list of organizations mobilizing relief efforts. The following is a list of funds established in support of those who’ve been impacted by this disaster:
Community Foundation Funds:
- Amarillo Area Foundation has deployed its Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund to respond to communities throughout the Texas Panhandle currently impacted by historic wildfires. Gifts to this fund support relief and recovery efforts.
- Community Foundation of West Texas (CFWT) created the Wildfire Emergency Fund to support immediate relief and continuing recovery efforts to the areas affected by the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle wildfires. CFWT will work with local officials and nonprofits that serve these regions to determine where support is most needed.
Additional Funds:
- Austin Disaster Relief Network is monitoring the situation and anticipates the need for emergency supplies, including hygiene items, clean-out buckets, and funding for residents’ immediate needs. Emotional and spiritual care is also expected for long-term recovery support of those impacted.
- Education Credit Union Foundation is collecting donations for wildfire relief efforts. These donations will benefit the Stinnett Fire Department, Borger Fire Department, Fritch Volunteer Fire Department, and the Hutchinson County United Way.
- First Baptist Canadian is partnering with the Canadian Ministerial Alliance and the Hemphill County Emergency Task Force to provide an online giving option to help those in need. All funds given will go to those directly affected by our recent wildfires.
- The Texas Department of Agriculture’s STAR Fund (State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund) was created with monetary donations from private individuals and entities to fund disaster recovery efforts. STAR Fund money may be used to assist farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness owners in rebuilding fences, restoring operations, and paying for other agricultural disaster relief.
Direct monetary donations in Gray County can be sent to: City of Pampa – Attn: Finance, Box 2499, Pampa, Texas 79066-2499, reference 02/27/2024 Fire, or made by phone or in person at FirstBank Southwest-Pampa at 806-669-8007. Reference City of Pampa donation for Smokehouse Creek Fire.
Nonprofit Agencies:
The following are some of the nonprofits on the ground assisting with relief efforts:
- Operation Blessing – The humanitarian organization Operation Blessing is deploying leaders from its U.S. Disaster Relief team to the Panhandle of Texas to help residents and first responders who are being impacted by the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest burning fire in Texas.
- World Central Kitchen – World Central Kitchen’s Relief Team is on the ground in Texas supporting communities affected by the largest wildfires in the state’s history. Its teams are working with local partners to provide immediate relief as they mobilize throughout the region to assess all areas of need.
Emotional Care & Grief Support:
- AgriStress Helpline – To help address the unique stressors faced by agricultural producers, the Texas Department of Agriculture works alongside the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education (SW Ag Center) and the AgriSafe Network to create the Texas Farmer’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program. The AgriSafe Network is the TDA partner in the program that developed and maintains the AgriStress Helpline. The AgriStress Helpline is 833-897-2474 and is available 24/7 via text or phone to the agricultural community, including family and friends.
- BSA Hospice of the Southwest – BSA Hospice is sharing online grief support options for those affected by the Texas Panhandle wildfires.
- Disaster Distress Helpline – The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
