SILVER FIRE: How You Can Help Fire Victims With Clothing, Monetary Donations

If you're looking to help out victims of the fast-growing Silver Fire near Banning, a local organization is stepping up to fill the needs of those affected.

New Creation Church, which has campuses in both Banning and Beaumont, is opening up their Difference Store to fire evacuees and those who've lost everything in the blaze. 

As of Friday afternoon, the fire had destroyed a total of 26 homes, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.   The area where those homes were destroyed, mostly in the Poppet Flats and Twin Pines communities, remains closed to residents who are still under mandatory evacuation orders.

[RELATED: Click here for the latest information on the Silver Fire, including acreage and containment estimates]

Shelters have been set up by the American Red Cross at both Hemet High School and Beaumont High School, and the organization is assisting evacuees with things like food, water and housing.  That organization will take monetary donations to assist with their efforts, but representatives tell Patch they don't have the manpower or structures in place to accept other donations.

If you'd prefer to provide assistance by donating clothing, shoes or blankets to fire victims, you can now do that via the New Creation Church,  according to the church's communications pastor, Juan De La Fuente Jr.

The church hosts a ministry they call The Difference Store, and they are opening it up to fire victims now.

"We'll be coming down here to it up for them, and they can come get whatever they'd like for free," he said.

So far, three families have already stopped by the location, and two more were scheduled to come Friday afternoon, he told Patch.

What's more– De La Fuente got a large donation from the local Walmart, which included several bags full of brand new clothing to distribute. 

Clothing, blankets and other necessities are being accepted.  To donate, call the organization's office at 951-922-2471 or De La Fuente's cell phone at 951-333-9199.

If you are a fire victim and need assistance, De La Fuente says to call him directly as well.

The Difference is located at 1252 Beaumont Ave Beaumont, Ca 92223.

The store helps out community members on a regular basis, normally operating every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and every third Saturday of the month during the same hours.