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November 24, 2021 \u2014 Local disaster relief has moved to Ukiah. In September, almost five years after opening her doors in a Redwood Valley warehouse, Danilla Sands, the Director of Disaster Resources for United Disaster Relief of Northern California, moved into a new 7200 square foot building on Airport Park Boulevard. It\u2019s in the old Mendocino Animal Hospital, and would-be veterinary clients still stop in almost every day, looking for medications or treatments for their pets. (The new location for the Animal Hospital is 290 East Gobbi Street.) A few other hints of the previous tenant remain, too, like images of paw prints running across the ceiling tiles in the reception area. There are also plenty of hand-washing opportunities, with a sink in every room.\nSands, who got used to no running water in the warehouse, exulted over the amenities. \n\u201cI know it seems kind of silly, like oh, a building with a restroom, but to us, that\u2019s a big deal,\u201d she explained, adding that the building has lots of natural light, central air and heat, washers and dryers, a kitchen, and break rooms for clients and volunteers. That\u2019s in addition to meeting rooms, storage space, shelves, and yet more rooms for the clothing, furniture, toiletries and other items for people who have lost most or all of their possessions in a disaster. Disaster Relief helps survivors with short and long term recovery, or up to five years after the incident.\nSands also runs Mendocino Action News and is an occasional contributor to KZYX. She keeps an ear tuned to the scanner, and now, with the proximity to the airport, she gets an extra heads-up when aircraft lifts off for an emergency. \nBut her primary focus right now is on helping her clients, including about 20 people recovering from the Hopkins Fire. \u201cOur most recent, I would say, would be Hopkins, Cache, and Broiler,\u201d she said, reeling off the names of a few of last season\u2019s fires. \u201cBut we\u2019re also helping August Complex Fire, Oak Fire, and a couple others still,\u201d she noted. In addition to helping survivors replace the items they lost, volunteers also help cut through bureaucratic red tape by applying for grants and rentals. \u201cWe feel like they have enough on their plate, so that\u2019s what we\u2019re here for,\u201d Sands said.\nOne of the first rooms, just past the reception area, is a playroom for kids. On Friday afternoon, the room was strewn with fake money and playthings. \u201cThey\u2019ve lost all their toys,\u201d Sands noted, peering in the door. \u201cSo they can feel safe and feel like a kid and feel normal while Mom is shopping, if they need.\u201d \nIt\u2019s not all play, though. Clients who have lost everything still need to work \u2014 and some are expected to work from home. The new location has two offices where clients can work on their computers, \u201cbecause some of them are still in these really tiny hotel rooms, some are sleeping in cars,\u201d Sands explained. Clients can also meet there with the Red Cross, which does not have an office in Ukiah.\nDisaster Relief doesn\u2019t wait for the state to declare a disaster before helping out. \u201cThat\u2019s not a factor for us,\u201d Sands said. \u201cThe only thing that would change is if it was criminal intent. So if somebody in your house intentionally set a fire, I could not help them out. But I would help out all the other innocent victims in the house.\u201d\nThere is a four-page needs list on the organization\u2019s Facebook page. But right off the top of her head, Sands said rain gear is much-needed right now. And new pillows are welcome all year round.\nThere\u2019s also a room full of donated supplies to put together gift bags for immediate needs. When disaster strikes, Sands and other volunteers fill their vehicles with gift bags and camping gear. \u201cWe have a couple clients right now who are still in their cars,\u201d Sands emphasized. \u201cSo they need a Coleman stove. They need a down sleeping bag. So we make sure they have those.\u201d\nShe\u2019s grateful for everything the community has provided: washers and dryers, time, money, pallets of goods and a forklift to move them. But now, just in time for the holidays, she has one more item on her wish list. She\u2019s mounting a capital campaign to raise the money for a down payment on the new facility.\n\u201cThe Heart of Gold campaign is to raise $100,000 to secure this building,\u201d Sands said, listing a few of the reasons she wants to stay. \u201cWe know it\u2019s a good location. Our donors will see the actual needs list, they\u2019ll run over to the stores nearby, and it\u2019s easily accessible. It\u2019s right off the freeway, so semis can pull in easily to our parking lot, the forklift\u2019s here...this is important.\u201d