Organizations Offering Help to the Fire Victims

Offers to help fire victims continue to pour in from businesses, organizations and various religious denominations throughout Orange County.

* The American Red Cross service center will be open from noon to 9 p.m. daily through Nov. 9 at the Wells Fargo Bank building in Laguna Beach, 260 Ocean Ave. Assistance includes groceries, new clothing, rent, emergency home repairs, transportation, household items, medicines and tools. Nurses will assist with disaster-caused injuries and illnesses and can help victims replace eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids, or prescriptions lost in the disaster. The Red Cross can also help those needing long-term recovery assistance.

* Disaster Application Centers are open to help fire victims apply for federal and state assistance programs. The centers are at the Arcadia Regional Park, 405 S. Santa Anita Ave. in Arcadia and the Laguna Beach Recreation Center, 505 Forest Ave. in Laguna Beach. The centers will remain open through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Fire victims can register and apply for assistance at (800) 462-9029.

* Laguna Presbyterian Church is providing food, clothing, counseling and lodging for fire victims. The hot line number is (714) 376-9288.

* BJ’s Chicago Pizzeria restaurants will serve as satellite locations to collect items donated to the Red Cross.

* Robinsons-May and Payless ShoeSource throughout California will match dollar-for-dollar gifts to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

* The unions and professional organizations of the Garden Grove Unified School District have created a Fire Crisis Fund. School district employees can make donations to the Garden Grove Fire Crisis Fund, Garden Grove Education Assn. Office, 12865 Main St., Suite 205, Garden Grove, Calif., 92640.

* Kona Lanes, 2699 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, is serving as a drop-off point for the Red Cross. Donations should be bagged or boxed.

* The Federal Emergency Management Agency has the following toll-free numbers for fire victims: (800) 462-4029; (800) 462-7585 TDD; Red Cross: (800) 279-9248.

* Orange County Psychiatric Society is offering free crisis counseling by phone to fire victims and others affected by the fire. Callers to the crisis line, (714) 978-2319, will be referred to members of the Orange County Psychiatric Society. The line will be open Monday and will continue for at least three weeks. Hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

* The California Angels, through “Angels Care,” a fund of the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation, are collecting donations. Checks or money orders should be sent to Angels Care, P.O. Box 2000, Anaheim, Calif. 92803. The foundation will aid the cause by matching individual contributions, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000.

* Jewish Family Service of Orange County will sponsor a support group at Temple Beth El, 27462 Laguna Hills Road in Aliso Viejo, on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. For information, call (714) 939-1111.

* The Jewish Community Center will accept donations of non-perishable food items, clothing and toys. The center is at 250 E. Baker St. in Costa Mesa. For information, call (714) 751-0608. Those in need of kosher meals may contact Rabbi Gooveritch of Chabad of Laguna Beach at (714) 499-1432.

* Donations can be made to Fire Relief Fund, c/o Jewish Federation of Orange County, 1385 Warner Ave., Suite A, Tustin, Calif., 92680-6442, (714) 259-0655.

* A free disaster information seminar and Federal Emergency Management Agency preparation workshop will be presented by the Internal Revenue Service and California Society of Enrolled Agents Monday at 6 p.m. at the Chet Holifield Federal Building, 24000 Avila Road, Laguna Niguel, Second Floor Training Room. Enter by the south entrance off Aliso Creek Road, north of Design Center South. For more information call, IRS Taxpayer Education at (714) 643-4060.

* For Publication 584, “Casualty and Disaster Loss,” call the IRS at (800) 829-3676. Taxpayers who need professional assistance with their tax status can locate enrolled agents by calling (800) 424-4339.

* Veterans with Cal-Vet homes damaged or destroyed by fire may call GAB Business Services Inc. at (800) 626-1613, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For emergencies at any other time, call (800) 621-5410. Veterans in Orange County can also contact Cal Vet directly at (714) 761-0109 or the California Department of Veterans Affairs in Sacramento at (800) 952-5626.

* Children’s Hospital of Orange County is providing vouchers for clothing, household goods and furniture redeemable at the hospital’s nine thrift stores in Orange and Los Angeles counties. The hospital has made available 1,000 vouchers, worth $25 each, to the American Red Cross, Orange County office, which will distribute them to fire victims.

* Pacific Shores Distributing will provide new windows at cost to those who lost their homes to fire and weren’t insured. Local police and firefighters can receive $25 off if they purchase replacement windows for their own homes (three-window minimum). The business is at 7415 Mountjoy Drive, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92648. Phone: (714) 841-2228.

* The American Institute of Architects Orange County chapter is providing copies of plans for homes built in the affected areas of Laguna Beach over the past four decades. Fire victims can call (714) 557-7796 and leave their name, an address and the name of the home’s original owner, if they know it. They can visit the Costa Mesa office at 3200 Park Center Drive, Costa Mesa. AIA also has a list available of answers to the 10 most commonly asked questions Oakland homeowners had after losing their homes.

* The National Bank of Southern California is offering a special Construction Loan Program to help rebuild the buildings and homes destroyed by the fires. The program offers special extended terms and assistance with long-term financing. Contact Bob Pavlik or Sheila Hansen at (714) 863-2360.

* The Southern California Gas Co. has an assistance center to aid fire victims at the Laguna Beach Water District, 306 3rd St. in the district’s board room. The center, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, will provide Laguna-area residents help with a variety of utility matters, including service restoration, billing and safety. The Southern California Gas Co. and Southern California Edison are waiving October gas and electric bills for customers whose homes have been destroyed.

* A Laguna fire art auction will be held Saturday to raise money for fire victims. Viewing starts in the morning and the auction starts at noon at the Club Post Nuclear, 775 Laguna Canyon Road. Donated art will be received at the Art-A-Fair Grounds and the Sawdust Grounds starting Friday. For information, call Roark Gourley at (714) 499-4229.

* The Apartment Assn. of Orange County has implemented the Emergency Rental Housing Referral Service to help fire victims obtain decent and affordable housing. Fire victims should call (714) 638-5550 for information on the availability of rental units in their area. Rental property owners and managers should call the same number to share availability information. The service will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

* Call the Laguna Beach County Water District at (714) 494-1041 for any questions concerning water service. For information on disposing hazardous chemicals, contact (714) 667-3700. For information on swimming pool or food safety, contact (714) 667-3600.

* County Emergency Operations Center--Orange County residents and business owners who suffered damage to their homes and businesses may call the center at (714) 834-7285 to report pertinent information. Among the data needed are names, addresses, telephone numbers and a general description of the damage.