Local nonprofit feedSCV, a Santa Clarita Valley group seeking to raise “foodie” awareness, and more importantly, to lower hunger, raised $3,000 in 24 hours to help feed Sand Fire residents forced from their homes.

A quick Facebook post on the group’s page, soliciting donations in order to prepare meals for those in the evacuation centers, garnered nearly 300 shares between Sunday night and Monday.

“It’s been tremendous to see the outpouring of support from the community, and the support from the foodie community,” said Todd Wilson, the organization’s co-founder. “We’re so thankful for the generosity of the community. We’ve been able to go from what I thought were one or two days, to a situation that’s allowed us to provide for the duration of the event.”

The first deliveries were a pasta dinner for a crowd of more than 250 at Hart High, in addition to two other locations in Palmdale.

All of the materials were paid for with the community donations, which allowing the group to provide food, they hope through the duration of the disaster, Wilson said. County officials decided Tuesday to request a State of Emergency declaration for the area ravaged by the Sand Fire, which burned down more than 52 square miles of brush and nearly 20 homes.

At the height of the flames, the number of residents displaced was expected to number around 20,000.

FeedSCV provided dinner Monday night, after gathering in kitchen space that was donated by Martha Aguilera from Kokolita Cakes. However, as soon as the message went out on Facebook, Wilson said they were almost overwhelmed with offers of help, Wilson said.

He and Scott Ervin, who co-founded the group together in December 2014, organized their nonprofit with their foodie friends, which started as social media groups welcoming all and sharing information with a common purpose.

Wilson worked with Red Cross’ local representatives because he wanted to make sure the food was directed to the right place. Wilson said they knew they had to do something when they heard about the people in need and saw how everyone had been chipping to support.

After all, feeding people is not just in the name, it’s the mission, Wilson said.

“We want to make sure people in the Santa Clarita Valley are always getting a good healthy meal, and we want to approach that in a number of ways,” Wilson said. “The first way to do that is events like this, where there’s a sudden need presented in the community. And secondly, we want to help people eat better — not necessarily on the health-food angle, but just better choices in buying their meals, better quality food.”

Wilson said the group plans on cooking and serving meals while there is still need during the fire. He also wanted to thank Cindy Schwenke of COC’s Culinary Institute, who was instrumental in helping the nonprofit determine the logistics of portioning and supplies. 

Anyone seeking more information about the group can check out its Facebook page by clicking here.