b'JUNE 2021Fire Relief Grants For Local Businesses Everything was normal on August 16, 2020 at Brisa Ranch, the day that its farmers heard thunder. By the next day, lightning had sparked two wildfires that were headed their way. A week later, the fires had swept across their land, torching crops, vegetation and farm tools, and causing at least $50,000 in losses. The following summer, Puente launched its first-ever fire relief grants for local businesses who were affected by the CZU Complex fires. The first round awarded $383,750 to several nonprofits and businesses on the South Coast, including Brisa Ranch. After reading the proposal, Puente learned so much about the losses of local businesses that with The Brisa farm team receiving their the support of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation,Fire relief grant check at Puente. launched a second round of funding. The second roundEl equipo de la granja de Brisa recibe funded an additional $334,108. Puente estimates that totalsu cheque de subvencin de ayuda business losses in the region surpassed $1M. contra incendios en Puente. The fire relief fund helped businesses replace lost equipment and tools, recover from loss of earned revenue and implement fire resilience measures. Brisa Ranch used their relief funding to replace water pipes that melted from the heat. The team also replaced lost tools, replanted failed crops, and $717,858hired more workers.of fire relief moneyThe Puente application process was easy, and we awarded to local are now back to a version of normal, says Colebusinesses andMazariegos-Anastassiou, one of three co-managers organizations. of Brisa Ranch.26'