Donations Needed to Assist Victims of Laguna Mudslide

People from throughout Orange County have been moved by the plight of those who lost their homes to mudslides as donations of money, clothing, furniture, housewares and even shelter have been coming in.

Still, officials say that much still needs to be done to help the recovery from Monday night’s disaster.

“Cash donations help these families the most,” Judy Iannaccone, spokesperson for the American Red Cross, said. The Orange County chapter has been providing assistance to 50 people left without a home and has received nearly $4,000 in donations.

“What we do with the cash is give them vouchers for food and clothing. And eventually, the cash will go to buying things such as beds and dressers and other essentials.”

Sande St. John is coordinating a relief effort at Laguna Club for Kids, where she is director of the after-school day-care center.

“We started a relief effort here after the fires too,” she said. “We want anyone, whether they’re in need of things or whether they have things to donate, to call or stop by.”

St. John said she had received calls from all over the county. People offered many things--from a house full of furniture to the use of a couple of spare bedrooms.

“If somebody needs something, they can call and we can tell them who to go and get it from,” she said.