UKIAH, CA., 9/19/24 – Anyone in Mendocino County who has experienced a wildfire, flood or other major disaster in recent years has likely heard of United Disaster Relief of Northern California (UDRNC).
Since 2017, the Ukiah-based nonprofit has provided services to help victims survive during a disaster and aid them in rebuilding their lives afterwards. UDRNC provides a variety of services ranging from basic needs such as clothing, food and hygienic items, to connecting victims with important resources, such as legal aid, housing and more.
Despite UDRNC’s tireless work at providing disaster victims with the services needed to rebuild and stabilize their lives in the wake of uncertainty, the organization itself recently suffered its own form of instability.
Since its inception, it has struggled to secure a building to serve as its headquarters, renting spaces large and small. After three relocations, it settled into a space on Airport Park Boulevard in Ukiah. In May, executive director and founder Danilla Sands announced that the organization would be forced to move again.
According to Sands, the organization made attempts to purchase the Airport Park Boulevard building, but the owners told Sands that the building had been sold and the group’s lease would end in November. UDRNC would have to move for the fourth time in seven years.
And that’s when the adage “it takes a village” came to life in Mendocino County.
In June UDRNC launched the Building Hope Campaign to raise $100,000 to secure a permanent building in Ukiah. And through the due diligence of UDRNC staff via grantwriting and donor stewardship, the nonprofit was able to secure a new location – and close escrow – in August.
A former Coca-Cola bottling plant, the new space on Babcock Lane in Ukiah comprises 2,000 square feet in office space and an 11,000 square foot warehouse, including a loading dock. The building is far from perfect: the group must install insulation, heating and air conditioning, and make electrical upgrades to transform the warehouse into an adequate space for supply and equipment storage. Accessibility upgrades are being made property wide.
There are two acres of usable outdoor space. Sands plans to allow emergency vehicles to use the land for staging during disaster response and UDRNC will build a garden or gazebo to provide a safe and relaxing space for guests.
UDRNC will close its Airport Park Boulevard location on Nov. 30 and will be available for services and disaster relief support in its new location on Babcock Lane starting Dec. 1.
UDRNC is now raising funds to finalize necessary renovations to the building. An anonymous donor is offering a match of up to $100,000 if UDRNC can raise $100,000 by the end of the year. This includes donation through a Givebutter campaign, grants, sponsorships and a November register fundraiser at Ukiah Natural Co-op.
To help move along the upgrades and renovations, UDRNC is hosting regular volunteer workdays, with the next event taking place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 650 Babcock Ln. Volunteers will be asked to help with cleaning, painting and yard work. Volunteers are asked to contact UDRNC to participate.
Great news about acquiring the building on Babcock Lane for disaster relief. I sincerely hope that the heating and air conditioning that will be installed will be via heat pumps (a/c splits), which uses a lot less energy and does a fine job of moderating temperatures inside buildings. Also there are likely grants available for that work, including insulation.