Funding for the CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation comes from a variety of sources.
No One Left Behind started in 2014 as a fundraising initiative for the CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation. Since then, we have combined our resources.
The contributions we receive from our events enable us to provide care and support to firefighters and their families across California and other parts of the United States. For example, families of fallen heroes have the opportunity to pay tribute to their loved ones by attending various memorials, including the California Memorial in Sacramento, the Wildland Firefighters Memorial in Idaho, the international memorial in Colorado Springs, and the National Memorial in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2022, the CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation provided financial assistance to 18 firefighter families to attend these solemn events honoring their loved ones.
In 2018, our Foundation provided over $178,000 in assistance to California firefighters and their families who lost their homes in the devastating CAMP Fire in Butte County. Over the course of two years, we aided 100 firefighters who had lost their homes to wildfires. It's worth reflecting on the fact that while firefighters courageously battle blazes in one region of California, fires often ignite in their own communities, forcing their friends and family members to evacuate. These firefighters return home after saving someone else's home, only to find their own homes destroyed. Over the past three years, our Foundation has directly assisted more than 140 firefighters and their families with over $330,000 in aid. In 2022, we provided over $85,000 in support to six firefighters who lost their homes to wildfires, and we assisted one firefighter whose home was damaged by an earthquake. Additionally, we contributed over $31,000 in assistance to organizations that support us and others in need.
Each year, the number of requests for financial assistance increases, and the Foundation Board regularly receives appeals for support. This is why your donations and support are crucial.
Our Mission
CAL FIRE is California’s Fire Department and the largest fire department in the United States. The goal of the CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation and No One Left Behind is to raise funds throughout the year by hosting many events up and down California.
The CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation is dedicated to engaging in lawful, charitable, and educational activities that provide support to the families of firefighters and other fire suppression personnel during times of financial hardship. The foundation also extends assistance to burn victims and their families, and contributes to research focused on identifying and addressing hazards and exposures specific to firefighting.
The CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation plays a vital role in providing support to firefighters and their families during times of personal crises. Moreover, the foundation actively contributes to research endeavors focused on ensuring the safety of these brave firefighters. The funds raised through the foundation are directed towards individuals and groups who are most in need, including firefighters experiencing hardship, families displaced by fires, individuals who have lost their homes, fire service parents caring for an ill child, and those who must cope with the aftermath of a firefighter's sudden death. These are just a few examples of the beneficiaries that the foundation aims to assist.
Together, WE CAN
Provide Fire Department members and their families with an opportunity to receive assistance
Provide comfort, strength, and hope through our own experiences in dealing with the disasters that our firefighters face every year
Educate Fire Department members regarding the importance of cancer screenings, mental health, and a healthy home life
Promote an awareness that illness and injuries do not have to be dealt with alone.
Together, We Can Make a Difference