How Orange County evacuees can get assistance during the Garden Grove chemical threat

As tens of thousands of Orange County residents faced their third or fourth day of mandatory evacuations following the leak of a toxic chemical substance from an aerospace company in Garden Grove, several organizations have opened their doors and are offering resources for those in need.

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Karith Oliver, an RV host with the Garden Grove Elks Lodge, said Sunday the site is taking in evacuees with RVs and trailers, though it is nearly full.

“Anybody with an RV or trailer is already plugged in,” Oliver said. “We’re pretty full, but we do still have spaces. We’re dry docking, so they can come here and rest with peace of mind in their own trailer.”

Oliver said the site opened to evacuees as soon as staff heard evacuations were underway.

“We opened up the night we heard they were evacuating,” Oliver said. “The restaurant and bar are open, and we have a half-acre park.”

She said medical support is available on site through one nurse practitioner and two registered nurses, who are assisting with emergency-related medical needs, including support for individuals who are unable to access their medications and may need prescriptions. Oliver added that meals have also been provided through Meals on Wheels and the American Heart Association, including lunch and dinner service.

World Central Kitchen, a global relief group, has also been assisting impacted residents by delivering 2,200 hot meals in the area. 

Noe Manjarrez, a 56-year-old Stanton resident who was forced to evacuate with his wife and two children, said he has spent nearly $600 on food and lodging in just the last three days. His family received evacuation instructions from police, including helicopter announcements, on Friday around 9 a.m.

“I only stayed (at a hotel) three nights because it was almost $200 per night,” Manjarrez said in Spanish during a phone interview Sunday.

After evacuating, the family first tried to access help in Cypress but were later told they could not be assisted there because the evacuation zone had expanded into that area. They were then directed to Freedom Hall in Fountain Valley, where many evacuees had already gathered. Manjarrez said that while officials said the site could hold around 500 people, fewer than 200 could actually be accommodated.

Manjarrez and his family now plan to sleep in their van outside the shelter. He said there were roughly 100 people sleeping in their cars in the parking lot. Despite his circumstances, he said local government officials were responding well, practically speaking, but “were not prepared for what was coming.”

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“As long as nothing happens to us, we are outside in the park; there is a lot of security, we have food, lunch and dinner,” said the Stanton father.

Several hotels in the area are offering discounted emergency rates for individuals and families in need. A full list of hotels and emergency shelters, including those that allow pets, is  available at ggcity.org/emergency. Uber is offering transportation assistance for impacted residents through May 25, and eligible riders can receive up to two free rides valued at up to $40 each. To use the offer, enter voucher code OCSAFE26 before requesting a ride.

A U-Haul spokesperson said the company is also offering disaster relief assistance for Orange County residents displaced by the chemical leak evacuation. The company said it is making its 30-day free disaster relief program available to affected residents, including free self-storage and U-Box container use. The offer includes free delivery and pickup of U-Box containers to shelter locations and is available at 11 U-Haul company facilities across the North Orange County area.

LA Fitness is also opening its Southern California clubs to evacuees and first responders affected by the Garden City evacuation orders, offering access to workouts, showers and space to rest. The company said evacuees may also bring a friend.

“As a Southern California-based fitness brand with clubs throughout the region, we wanted to offer our facilities as a place for people to decompress, recharge, and access basic amenities during a difficult time,” media relations representative Andrea O wrote in an email.

Planet Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness earlier announced similar assistance is available to those evacuated.

For a list of evacuation centers, see the websites for the cities of Garden Grove and Anaheim.

In addition, the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa is available for RV parking.

California State Parks, however, said on social media that evacuees should not plan to stay overnight at state beaches as parking lots are not approved evacuation centers and don’t have facilities or resources to accommodate overnight guests.

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