SACRAMENTO, CA – December 5, 2017 – The Kelly Foundation, of which River City Bank is a major contributor, has awarded its 2018 Major Gift of $100,000 to the American Red Cross Gold Country Region. The money is to be used exclusively to help those devastated by the recent California wildfires which struck directly in the heart of the communities served by The Kelly Foundation and River City Bank. The funds will help the American Red Cross continue to respond and help victims recover from this unprecedented tragedy.

“The destruction from these fires was as heartbreaking as it was indiscriminate, affecting people of all ages and economic levels,” said Shawn Kelly Devlin, President of the Kelly Foundation and Chairman of the Board of River City Bank. “Yet an agency that was seemingly everywhere, helping, was the American Red Cross. Its ability to provide boots on the ground and make an immediate impact was admirable, and the urgency of the situation led us to award this donation swiftly in order to help our neighbors in need.”

Devlin was more than a donor; she and her husband, Dr. Patrick Devlin, lost their home and everything in it during the devastating Tubbs fire which caused over $1.2 billion in damage as it destroyed more than 5,000 structures and claimed dozens of lives. “We were our own first responders that night,” said Devlin. “But now we have the opportunity to help others, since it will take a long time for the community to recover.”

“The Kelly Foundation is a valued partner of the American Red Cross,” said Gary Strong, American Red Cross Gold Country Region CEO. “We appreciate the foundation’s generous support as we continue to provide services to those directly affected by the California wildfires.”

To put the size of the Kelly Foundation donation in perspective, this amount of funding allows the Red Cross to provide much-needed items like 500 days’ worth of food and shelter for a displaced family of three; or some 4,000 comfort kits (containing hygiene items such as deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste); or snacks and 8,000 hot meals; or 20,000 blankets.

The American Red Cross, working with community and government partners, has provided more than 27,900 overnight stays in emergency shelters and has served more than 196,300 meals in response to the California wildfires. It has distributed more than 145,700 emergency relief items such as masks, gloves, rakes, trash bags and comfort kits. It continues to provide casework in the form of counseling, housing support and aid with applying for assistance and insurance claims.