Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1367431
10 As an extension of the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange and the Sisters of Providence, St. Joseph Health, Community Partnership Fund (CPF) provides funding and assistance for improving the health and wellbeing of the economically poor, and utilizes the strengths and diversity of residents and community organizations to build vibrant communities. It does this because of a core commitment to health equity, partnership, and system change and through community engagement and best practices in grant making and outcomes mea- surement in the communities it serves. CPF has a long history of commitment to the well-be- ing of the region, having invested in the community through its Emergency Food and Shelter Initiative (EFSI), Community Building Initiative (CBI), and other grants. In 2017 and 2018, CPF provided direct funding in support of the region's disaster response, in distinct phases of re- lief (immediate needs of individuals through CBOs), recovery (medium term support to the community through local agencies and organizations), and resilience (long term support for and partnership with local agencies and organizations involved in community building). In addition to this initial support and in continued alignment to its mission, CPF has recently committed resources to assess the local response to the 2017 wildfires in Sonoma and Napa Counties, specifically looking at the coordination between philanthropic, community based organization (CBO), and local public agency stakeholders. The objective of this assessment is to support the region's continued recovery and resilience through shared learnings related to disaster preparedness, system-wide disaster relief strategy, and disaster response best practices. Current State: The New Normal Countless articles have described the "new normal" in California that was coined by 2018 Governor Jerry Brown. 2 They reference a reality that the Napa and Sonoma communities are far too familiar with. It is a reality where wildfires are particularly intense, destructive, and frequent. The high costs associated with this new normal were unprecedented in 2017. With an immediate cost of $14.5 billion (2017 USD), the wildfires that affected Napa and Sonoma counties – the "wine country fires" - quickly became the topic of conversation around the state and country. The immediate costs of fighting the fire were exceedingly high (1.5B in 2017), not to mention the inestimable emotional cost of fatalities and trauma that tens of thousands suffered. Then there are indirect and long-term costs. According to Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the total economic cost was $180 billion (2017 USD) 3 . Another report estimates that of the total cost of the wildfires to the region, 65% are long term. 4 Those longer-term costs include: lower property values and lower property tax revenues, infrastructure and ecosystem repairs, lost business and tourism revenue, and increased insurance premiums. There are also costs associated with risk mitigation. At the writing of this report, Napa and Sonoma Counties face the emergency power safety public shutoff by PG&E to reduce fire risk associated with utility infrastructure. Such preparedness efforts impact the community in ways that no one expected 2 or 3 years ago. Finally, organizations are fatigued from the INTRODUCTION 2 Daniels, Jeff. Aug. 1, 2018, "Gov. Jerry Brown warns 'new normal' of wildfires could bring fiscal stress for California", CNBC.com, accessed at https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/01/brown-warns-new-normal- of-california-fires-could-bring-fiscal-stress.html; Martin, Glen, (Spring 2019). "Losing Paradise: The "New Normal" of California Wildfires", California Magazine, accessed at https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california- magazine/spring-2019/losing-paradise-new-normal-california-wildfires. 3 "Disaster, 2017 Wildfires", October 11, 2017, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, accessed at https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disaster/2017-wildfires/ 4 "The Economic Impact of the California Wildfires" Oct. 17, 2018, CRE, accessed at https://www.aircre.com/economic-impact-california-wildfires/