Grantees
2024-2025

Visit this page frequently throughout 2024-2025 as we add this year's grantees!

Check out our past grantees: 2022-2023 & 2023-2024

Explore our map of grantees below, containing all firewood banks funded to date.

LEGEND
tribal organizations
faith-based organizations
non-profits/governmental/other

private business with non-profit arm

Alarneq Qugtarvik

Alakanuk, AK

Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 42 Homes
Funding: $9,989

As a start-up firewood distribution program, Alarneq Qugtarvik will be governed by the Alakanuk Tribal Council. The Alakanuk Tribal Court will assign individuals to serve their community service time to gather and process the wood for the program. Grant funds helped the program purchase fuel, PPE, four chainsaws, four log splitters, and four wheelbarrows.

Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps
Wood For Life Program

Flagstaff, AZ
Cords Per Year: 600
Homes Served Per Year: 500
Funding: $10,000

The Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps Wood For Life Program was funded in both 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. The Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC) is a program of the 501(c)(3) Conservation Legacy. ALCC has been formally involved in processing and delivery of firewood since 2019. The ALCC program is a key partner of the Wood For Life Initiative (WFL). The firewood project is coordinated by the ALCC-Wood For Life Project Manager who oversees coordinators, managers, and crews. Their key partners are the United States Forest Service, the National Forest Foundation, the Navajo Nation Chapters as well as the Hopi Tribe Villages. They have a total of 3 full time staff, 2 seasonal, and 12 Americorps Individual placements. This year's grant helped them purchase an ox cart and a goose neck trailer.

Baptist Men "Woodchucks"

Lansing, NC
Cords Per Year: 40
Homes Served Per Year: 40
Funding: $15,000

Renewal Grant Previously funded in (4).png

The Baptist Men "Woodchucks," a program of the First Baptist Church of West Jefferson, was first funded in 2023-2024. Due to the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, they received a special grant this year to help with relief aid. The Baptist Men "Woodchucks" shared with us the impact flooding has had on their community:

"The impact that flooding had in Ashe County is the devastation to our infrastructure, homes, businesses, and complete communities flooded and some even washed away. Many roads and driveways have been washed out or compromised which will make wood deliveries tricky. Homes and businesses have been flooded and are requiring basements and living space to be torn out. Power has been disrupted, crews are working hard to replace poles and remove fallen trees. Due to all afore mentioned, our school district is unsure when schools will be reopening. Woodchucks had approximately 20 cords of stockpiled seasoned wood washed away and one of our splitters was submerged in floodwaters."

This special grant helped the Baptist Men "Woodchucks" purchase a new log splitter, logs, and a dump trailer.

Barnardsville Alliance Firewood Bank

Barnardsville, NC
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 40 Homes
Funding: $15,000

Hurricane Helene's devastation in western North Carolina was the catalyst for the creation of the Barnardsville Alliance Firewood Bank. The leader has worked closely with ROAR's firewood bank program and decided that their neighboring county of Buncombe would benefit from the creation of its own firewood bank. Barnardsville Alliance is a community-based organization that operates on the principles of mutual aid and collective decision-making. They currently have 6-8 committed volunteers. Along with the support of ROAR, they are partnering with the Big Ivy Community Center to build a firewood distribution hub. In the future, they will focus on sustainable forest management to keep their woodshed full and their forests healthy. The grant helped them purchase PPE, a log splitter, two sheds, three chainsaws, a tool shed, and funds to cover a small stipend for 1-2 people for administrative and coordination purposes.

Beaverhead Community Wood Bank Ministry Inc.

Dillon, Montana
Cords Per Year: 150
Homes Served Per Year: 50
Funding: $10,000

The Beaverhead Community Wood Bank Ministry Inc. (BCWBM) is an independent, all-volunteer 501(c)3 charity that "brings gifts of firewood to warm our neighbors in need" in Beaverhead County, Montana. They were previously funded by the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2023-2024. The 7-member Board of Directors includes a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and three at-large members. The firewood bank began as a ministry of St. James Episcopal Church in 2008. Upon retirement of the priest who organized the firewood bank, the BCWBM incorporated as an independent charity in 2015. Key partners in the firewood bank work include United Way of Beaverhead County, Beaverhead Foundation, local banks, and the Montana National Guard’s Youth Challenge Academy (MYCA) at the University of Montana Western in Dillion, MT. They have 40+ volunteers. This year, the grant allowed the firewood bank to purchase logs, liability insurance, and PPE.

Beaverhead Community Wood Bank Ministry.jpg

Brandt Services

Monticello, UT
Cords Per Year: 110
Homes Served Per Year: 120
Funding: $10,000

Brandt Services was first funded by the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2023-2024. They are a husband and wife team that has been serving their community since 1984. Usually serving the elderly population, they have also provided heating assistance to the Ute Tribe and the State of Utah. Organizational partners include the Wood for Life Program, Aneth Chapter, LDS Eastland Branch, LDS Monticello Branch, and the Navajo Ministries. This year's grant helped them purchase logs, liability insurance, and a forklift engine rebuild kit,

Chama Peak Land Alliance

Tierra Amarilla, NM
Cords Per Year: 100
Homes Served Per Year: 165
Funding: $14,999

Chama Peak Land Alliance (CPLA) is a nonprofit organization. Main organizational partners of the firewood bank include the Upper Chama Soil & Water Conservation District and the Forest Stewards Guild. One of the main goals of CPLA is forest health. The firewood bank in the Tierra Amarilla area began in 2017, and CPLA began helping with the operation in 2020. They work with two to four volunteers to coordinate deliveries and pick-ups. The grant helped CPLA purchase logs, labor, and PPE.

Chesapeake Church

Huntingtown, MD
Cords Per Year: 25
Homes Served Per Year: 80
Funding: $5,000

Chesapeake Church's firewood bank was first funded in 2022-2023, the first year of the Firewood Bank Assistance Program. Firewood For Families, the ministry program run by Chesapeake Church, has provided free firewood to families in the community for over 20 years. Events are volunteer run and distribute approximately 25 cords of wood each winter to approximately 80 families a year. At their firewood events they average 100-130 volunteers working. The funding received this year purchased a log splitter and log lift, as well as additional PPE.

Community Firewood Distribution for Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Community Members and Tribal Members

Craig, AK

Cords Per Year: 400
Homes Served Per Year: 125
Funding: $10,000

Community Firewood Distribution for Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Community Members and Tribal Members was first funded in 2022-2023 (under the name Shaan Seet, Inc.), the first year of the Firewood Bank Assistance Program. Shaan Seet, Inc. (the fiscal sponsor for the firewood bank) is an Alaskan Native Village Corporation that serves Craig, Alaska, the largest town (pop. 1036) on Prince of Wales Island. Established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Shaan Seet’s mission is to develop economic opportunities for their community while perpetuating their native culture. In this part of Alaska, wood is the only source of heat for many households. The grant this year helped them purchase a dump trailer.

Community Firewood Distribution for Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Community and Tribal Memb

CommunityWorx Firewood Ministry

Maryville, TN
Cords Per Year: 150
Homes Served Per Year: 35
Funding: $14,995

The Firewood Ministry is one of the four programs operated by CommunityWorx. A faith-based nonprofit, CommunityWorx has been involved in coordinating local mission work in Blount County, TN, since 2004. In 2018, the Firewood Ministry was added to the services offered to Blount County community members in need. The firewood bank was started after a large oak tree had to be cut down in the Director’s yard. At the same time CommunityWorx began getting calls from people in need of firewood to heat their homes. They now have 38 volunteers. Grant funds purchased PPE, 2 wood splitters, and a shed to store firewood bank tools.

Crossfire United Methodist Church Wood Ministry

Yadkinville, NC
Cords Per Year: 30
Homes Served Per Year: 25
Funding: $14,999

The Crossfire United Methodist Church Wood Ministry was first funded in 2023-2024. Due to the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, they received a special grant this year to help with relief aid. The Wood Ministry shared with us the impact flooding has had on their community:

"Helene was devasting to Wilkes and the mountain counties west. All have been declared disaster areas. Supplies are still being delivered by helicopter, ATV, and mules. Power, water, roadways and bridges have been disrupted or destroyed. Their has been an overwhelming response to bring water and food, Gasoline, kerosene and propane are in much shorter supply. The most recent response from the UMC district was for seasoned wood. Crossfire can supply wood but needs additional capacity, means of loading and unloading the collapsible pallet containers for wood, and a trailer to move multiple pallets at a time."

This special grant helped them purchase a log splitter, a pallet trucks, a trailer, tractor tires, and a camera system to increase security of the wood lot.

Diné Bá'ádeit'į́ - For the People

Tuba City, AZ
Cords Per Year: 160
Homes Served Per Year: 350
Funding: $10,000

Diné Bá'ádeit'į́ was first funded by the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2023-2024. They are a 501(c)(3) organization, formed to help their community by embracing the teachings of their elders. The purpose of the organization is to provide wood to warm homes of elders living on the Navajo and Hopi Reservation. Many elders in the communities live in remote rural areas with limited resources to acquire their household needs, such as firewood. Fire plays a huge factor in offering warmth, cooking food, and purifying hauled water for many community members during the cold seasons that many do not have. Organizational partners include the Wood for Life program and the Nature Conservancy of Arizona. They have been distributing firewood for 4 years. They routinely have 30-50 volunteers who come from outlying communities to help. The grant helped the firewood bank to purchase chisels, two chainsaws, chainsaw bars, and tires.

Dine Baadeiti Wood Bank Activity 2024.jpg

Dot Lake Village Firewood Bank Program

Fairbanks, AK
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 4 Homes
Funding: $10,000

Dot Lake Village is a small native tribe. They have many residents and tribal members in their village that utilize wood as a primary source of heat. Many of these individuals are below the federal poverty limit or are elderly. This start-up firewood bank will coincide with their newly created food pantry. They have 5 committed volunteers. Grant funding will help Dot Lake Village purchase PPE, a chainsaw, construction materials for a shed, a wood splitter, and additional insurance.

Downeast Wood Bank

Blue Hill, ME
Cords Per Year: 45
Homes Served Per Year: 155
Funding: $4,985

Downeast Wood Bank was first funded in 2022-2023, the first year of the Firewood Bank Assistance Program. The Downeast Wood Bank is a volunteer group that operates with 15-20 consistent regulars. The Blue Hill Heritage Trust offered the land where the firewood bank processes their firewood. They serve as their fiscal agent for the firewood grant. The grant this year helped them purchase logs, a wheelbarrow, and chainsaw chains.

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Wood Program

Cherokee, NC
Cords Per Year: 375
Homes Served Per Year: 65
Funding: $15,000

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Wood Program serves the three county service area of Swain, Jackson, and Haywood in North Carolina. Their main organizational partners include Tsali Manor Elders Program and H.E.L.P. (Handicap & Elderly Living Program). They have been operating for 35 years. The grant helped them purchase a log splitter, a chainsaw, PPE, signage, fuel, and a carport for equipment storage.

Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe Wood Program

McDermitt, NV
Cords Per Year: 300
Homes Served Per Year: 78
Funding: $15,000

The Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe Wood Program has been distributing firewood to their community since 2022. Five staff members support the program. The grant helped the program purchase PPE, two chainsaws, a wood storage shed, trailer, and fuel for deliveries and equipment.

Fort McDermitt Paiuite-Shosone TribeWood Program.jpg

Four Mile Fire Protection District Community Wood Lot

Boulder, CO
Cords Per Year: 51
Homes Served Per Year: 900
Funding: $10,000

The Four Mile Fire Protection District began their firewood bank when they worked on a landscape-scale mitigation project in Sunshine Canyon at a multi-acre residential property in the summer of 2023. Their main partners are Boulder County, Boulder County Wildfire Partners, Colorado State Forest Service, and the Boulder West Wildfire Authority. The wood lot is self-serve, but they have made deliveries to community members who were unable to retrieve the wood on their own. The grant helped them purchase signage, gloves for crew members, chainsaw chains, cutting shirts, two chainsaws, and supplies to build a fence arround the wood lot.

Four Mile Fire Protection District Community Wood Lot.png

Gold Country Senior Services Senior Firewood Program

Grass Valley, CA
Cords Per Year: 251
Homes Served Per Year: 180
Funding: $10,000

Gold Country Senior Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit near the Tahoe National Forest. They first received funding from the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2023-2024. Since 1979, the Senior Firewood Program has provided extra warmth to low-income seniors by delivering firewood for winter. The program was started by 3 men who worked in the milling industry. At the end of the season, these volunteers would take logging trees that could not be used commercially, split them, and deliver them to elders who could not split their own wood. They have a paid staff member to manage the 48 volunteers, including scheduling, overseeing, and appreciating their dedicated volunteer list. The grant helped the firewood bank budget for volunteer mileage, fuel for splitters and chainsaws, PPE, fire extinguishers, materials to build a mobile shade awning to cover the splitting area, and liability insurance.

Goochland Rotary Club Woodchuckers

Manakin-Sabot, VA
Cords Per Year: 60
Homes Served Per Year: 35
Funding: $9,573

The "Woodchucking" program of the Rotary Club of Goochland is one of their largest and most impactful community service projects. The program began in 2003 after Hurricane Isabel left many trees uprooted. Members of the rotary decided to cut and remove these trees for the community and found 6-8 families that could benefit from the firewood. Last season, 40 members volunteered their time to the project. They partner with GoochlandCares, a non-profit that screens and qualifies community members for the firewood bank. Grant funding is going towards purchasing a wood splitter, a chainsaw, repairs for their firewood bank truck, and gas cards for delivery drivers.

Greenagers

South Egremont, MA
Cords Per Year: 25
Homes Served Per Year: 7
Funding: $4,925

Greenagers was first funded in 2022-2023, the first year of the Firewood Bank Assistance Program. Greenagers is a non-profit that was started to help get youth out into the outdoor landscape. They provide training in farming, forestry, and other environmental skills. To them, the firewood bank is great for building skills and teaching public service. The students learn how to safely use a chain saw and splitter. They have a small, mobile sawmill and also learn how to use a tractor and drive a dump truck. According to Farm Manager Sarah Monteiro, “hands down the wood chores are one of the favorite tasks. I think because it's instantly gratifying.” This year's grant helped them purchase a chainsaw, a chainsaw battery, a trauma kit, log splitter, log splitter cover, and a splitting maul.

Great Oaks Firewood

Summerville, SC
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 100 Homes
Funding: $10,278

Great Oaks Firewood is a non-profit that has gathered 5 active volunteers to begin the firewood bank. They have verbal commitments from 7 more. Their mission statement reads, "Empowering communities with warmth and sustainability, our firewood bank strives to efficiently distribute and manage firewood resources, ensuring equitable access while promoting environmental stewardship and community resilience." Grant funds will help Great Oaks Firewood purchase 3 chainsaws, 2 log splitters, PPE, and a grapple attachment.

Greater Buffalo Run Valley United Methodist Church Firewood for Good Program

Bellefonte, PA
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 20 Homes
Funding: $10,000

The Firewood for Good Program is a faith-based church community outreach project of the Greater Buffalo Run Valley United Methodist Church. They have four core volunteers. They will utilize the lessons learned from their popular food pantry to build a successful firewood bank program. The grant helped the start-up firewood bank purchase two chainsaws, PPE, a log splitter, and a dump trailer.

H.O.M.E., Inc. Wood Bank

Orland, ME

Cords Per Year: 25
Homes Served Per Year: 25
Funding: $4,970

H.O.M.E., Inc. Wood Bank was first funded in 2022-2023, the first year of the Firewood Bank Assistance Program. Winters are hard for fishermen, farmers and other seasonal workers in rural Maine. In 1970, after witnessing people living in their cars, Carmelite Sister Lucy Poulin, began Project H.O.M.E. (Homeworkers Organized for More Employment. Her vision initially was a homeless shelter that supported cooperative crafting (knitting, sewing, etc.) as a means for low income rural community members to earn extra income. H.O.M.E. began building and repairing simple houses, sided and shingled with wood and heated by wood stoves. Their firewood bank was born out of their housing effort. Today Project H.O.M.E. uses a low barrier application and provides one cord of wood each season for families. This grant this year helped them purchase logs and PPE.

Hinton Rural Life Center

Hayesville, NC
Cords Per Year: 476
Homes Served Per Year: 210
Funding: $10,000

Hinton Rural Life Center's firewood bank was funded in both 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. They are a Christian retreat center located in southern Appalachia. Their community outreach efforts led them to see that one of the barriers to people accessing stable housing is poor credit scores due to unpaid heat bills. In 2013, Hinton decided to start a firewood ministry to provide heating to community members in need. The ministry has grown tremendously. On “Firewood Wednesdays” in colder months, Hinton volunteers or “woodchuckers” are in the wood lot processing and loading wood for those who physically and/or financially need support. This year's grant helped purchase liability insurance, fuel for delivery vehicles and equipment, maintenance for their firewood bank tractor and truck, totes, and a used side x side.

Hughes Wood Program
(Hudotl'eekkaakk'e Wood Program)

Hughes, AK
Cords Per Year: 100
Homes Served Per Year: 42
Funding: $15,000

Main organizational partners for the Hudotl'eekkaakk'e Wood Program are the HVC Wood Vendor Program, TCC Energy Assistance Program, City of Hughes Biomass Program, and the Yukon-Koyukuk School District. They have 1-3 committed volunteers. In their area of Alaska, winter temperatures can get down to -60 degrees Fahrenheit. With heating oil prices high (~$13 a gallon), having a firewood program is a life or death service. The grant helped purchase PPE, materials to build a tool shed and a wood shed, three chainsaws, axes, and logs.

Integral Youth Services

Klamath Falls, OR

Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 60 Homes
Funding: $10,000

Integral Youth Services (IYS) is a faith-based non-profit organization that has partnered with Klamath and Lake County Action Services, Ridgewater, Oregon Department of Forestry, Lake of the Woods, and community members to collect firewood, identify low-income and seniors who would benefit most from the free firewood, and distribute this firewood. The grant helped IYS purchase a log splitter, a utility trailer, PPE, and materials to help season wood (wood pallets & tarps).

Koho4Hopi

Kykotsmovi, AZ
Cords Per Year: 1000
Homes Served Per Year: 2500
Funding: $10,000

Koho4Hopi was funded in both 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. They are a non-profit that was started by Matt Honanie and his wife to help the Hopi people. The Kayenta Coal Mine had recently closed and people didn’t have a reliable source of energy to heat their homes. Today they are partners in Wood for Life, a partnership that uses wood from forest restoration efforts to fuel indigenous communities that rely on firewood to heat their homes. The grant this year helped them purchase a used trailer to transport logs that will primarily be used for ceremonial purposes.

Last Green Valley Firewood Bank

Dayville, CT
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 10 Homes
Funding: $9,971

Last Green Valley Firewood Bank receives wood from local tree companies that aren't able to use the wood due to its shape and/or size. Last Green Valley says that their mission is "...to be a source of heat in the community during the darkest and coldest times of the year." The grant helped them purchase a log splitter, a chainsaw, PPE, a wheelbarrow, smoke detectors, and a tool shed.

Marshall Traditional Council Firewood Bank

Marshall, AK
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 50 Homes
Funding: $10,000

This start-up firewood bank has 2-3 committed volunteers and a Firewood Coordinator. They will operate as both a self-serve and a delivery style firewood bank. Elders and single parents within the community are prioritized when it comes to wood distribution. The grant helped them purchase PPE, 2 chainsaws, an ATV trailer, and a toboggan sled,

Marshall Traditional Council Firewood Bank.jpg

Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council "Woodies"

Idyllwild, CA
Cords Per Year: 52
Homes Served Per Year: 140
Funding: $14,579

Woodies is the volunteer arm of Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council (MCFSC), a non-profit organization dedicated to community fire resilience in the San Jacinto Mountains and surrounding areas. Their main community partner is the Idyllwild Help Center. They describe their mission as, "...two fold; reduction in the amount of biomass and energy usage generated by small scale timber operations and, in turn, provide a source of free firewood to community households who are categorically low income." They have 23 active volunteers. The grant helped the Woodies purchase a chainsaw, gasoline, a solar generator, an electric wheelbarrow, and PPE.

Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council Pic.jpg

Nahata Dziil Firewood Bank

Sanders, AZ
Cords Per Year: 100
Homes Served Per Year: 30
Funding: $9,993

The Nahata Dziil Firewood Bank was previously funded by the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2023-2024 as a start-up. It is a collaboration between the Nahata Dziil Commission Governance and Painted Desert Energy. This year's grant allowed the firewood bank to purchase a tool shed, log splitter, a utility trailer, tarps, and three axes.

Native Village of Chitina

Chitina, AK
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 20 Homes
Funding: $10,000

This start-up firewood bank has three committed volunteers. They will operate as both a self-serve and a delivery style firewood bank. Elders within the community are prioritized when it comes to wood distribution. The grant helped the Native Village of Chitina purchase PPE, a chainsaw, liability insurance, and essentials for equipment maintenance (e.g. bar oil, fuel, and chainsaw chains).

Nativity Woodbank

Bend, OR
Cords Per Year: 400
Homes Served Per Year: 65
Funding: $10,000

Renewal Grant Previously funded in (3).png

The Nativity Woodbank was previously funded in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. The firewood bank is sponsored by the Nativity Lutheran Church in Bend, OR. They have an established board who meets to help make firewood bank decisions. Community partners of the firewood bank include several tree service companies, City of Bend Parks and Recreations, Boy Scout Troops, Deschutes County Community Justice, school sports teams, and local media outlets. The firewood bank began in 2005, initially providing firewood to homeless camps during a particularly harsh winter. During the summer, they have 12 core volunteers. During the winter, this number increases to 27-35. This grant helped them purchase equipment maintenance, fuel, logs, and a log splitter.

New Life Church Polson

Polson, MT
Cords Per Year: 65
Homes Served Per Year: 65
Funding: $9,753

The wood ministry is under the supervision of New Life Church Polson. The church has existed for over 50 years and the wood ministry is going into its 8th year. They deliver 90% of their wood and all within a 15 mile radius. They are located within the Flathead Indian Reservation. The grant helped the wood ministry purchase a chainsaw, logs, and PPE.

No Loose Braids Firewood

Pocumtuck/Nipmuc Territory
(so-called Ashfield, MA)
Start-up Bank
Projected to Distribute 10 Cords
Funding: $9,994

No Loose Braids Firewood is supported by Tiny Seed, an organization that empowers community-led projects that conserve the environment, encourage creativity, and strengthen communities. They have 10 committed volunteers from their tribal community. The firewood distribution program is one of many projects by No Loose Braids as they "aim to teach the original ways and create a space for Indigenous folks to step out of colonization, and colonized thinking, to reconnect with ancestral knowledge, strengthen bonds of reciprocity, and bring balance back tour People and the Earth." The grant helped them purchase a shipping container, two log splitters, two chainsaws, and PPE.

North Idaho Firewood Rescue

Sagle, ID
Cords Per Year: 59
Homes Served Per Year: 70
Funding: $7,000

The North Idaho Firewood Rescue first received a Firewood Bank Assistance Grant in 2022-2023. The bank purposefully named itself the North Idaho Firewood Rescue because their goal was to “rescue people who were cold and in dire need of firewood.” Sagle, Idaho had a firewood program for veterans, and the North Idaho Firewood Rescue program began to help support the general public with wood heating assistance. They became a nonprofit in 2019. The grant this year helped them purchase a storage shed, chainsaw maintenance, and advertisement for the firewood bank in the local newspaper.

One Spirit Red Shirt Firewood Bank

Rapid City, SD
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 30 Homes
Funding: $9,978

One Spirit is a nonprofit organization that assists Lakota peoples living on Pine Ridge Reservation, the poorest Native American reservation in the US. This start-up firewood bank has one volunteer that works remotely to assist with connecting requests for firewood to the delivery team and fundraising. One Spirit Red Shirt Firewood Bank describes their mission in the following way: "During sub-zero winters, families living on the reservation often lack adequate heating sources, safe wood-burning stove systems and inadequately weatherized houses. The majority of homes on Pine Ridge Reservation rely on wood-burning stoves as their sole source of heat and for cooking needs. One Spirit hires Lakota workers to cut and deliver loads of wood to homes in need. We also hire contractors to make repairs to stove equipment to help ensure that they operate safely and reduce the risk of fires inside the home. The addition of a firewood bank will be successful as it will provide needed heat and fuel to families that have few if any options, aid our current Basic Needs Programs and help prevent suffering and even death on the reservation." The grant helped the firewood bank purchase logs, perform wood stove repairs and replacements, a wood splitter, PPE, and a chainsaw.

Project F.I.R.E. - Cullowhee United Methodist Church

Cullowhee, NC
Cords Per Year: 75
Homes Served Per Year: 125
Funding: $7,500

Cullowhee United Methodist Church's Project F.I.R.E was first funded by the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2022-2023. They are nestled within the Western Carolina University's campus, making it not unusual for a student to drop their book bag to chip in with the firewood bank work on their way to class. They partner will multiple groups on the campus as well, including the Construction Management Department, Pride of the Mountains Marching Band, and the Timber Sports Club. They source their firewood from sawmills, arborists, and individual church and community members. To qualify for firewood, the recipient must be 60+ years old and must use wood as your primary heating source. The grant this year helped them purchase

Renewal Grant Previously funded in (2).png

Project F.I.R.E. - Jackson County Department on Aging

Sylva, NC
Cords Per Year: 75
Homes Served Per Year: 160
Funding: $7,500

Project F.I.R.E (Fuel Intervention for the Rural Elderly) was first funded by the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2022-2023. They are run by the Jackson County Department on Aging. It falls under local county government and has a program coordinator and a program aide. They partner with local arborists and sawmills for log donations. Other organizational partners include local churches and service organizations. They have been distributing wood since the early 1990s. Grant funds this year helped them purchase two wheelbarrows and two log splitters.

R2 & Company LLC

Cobb, CA
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 10 Homes
Funding: $10,000

R2 & Company LLC is a for-profit business partnering with the Scots Valley Band of Pomo Indians. Together, they will serve the Cobb Mountain community. R2 & Company will supply the resources and personnel to make the initial start-up happen with the goal of volunteers from the tribe eventually taking more ownership over the firewood bank. They have plans for partnering with two other local tribes, as well. R2 & Company was created post-2015 severe fire outbreaks, where they assisted in the cleanup and forest health efforts. The grant helped them purchase PPE, 2 chainsaws, additional chains, a log splitter with a log lift, and a cant hook.

Red Feather Development Group

Flagstaff, AZ
Cords Per Year: 200
Homes Served Per Year: 200
Funding: $10,000

Red Feather Development Group was first funded in 2023-2024. They are a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization that has been serving tribal communities for 30 years. Their mission is to fortify the longevity and operational capacity of Community Strong, an indigenous led firewood bank serving the Hopi and Navajo nations with firewood and heating security. Community Strong focuses on the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests in Arizona, part of the Southwestern Region of the National Forest System (Region 3). This year's grant helped them purchase a dump trailer, two chainsaws, and chainsaw chains.

Rocky Mountain Warm Hands Initiative

Boulder, CO
Cords Per Year: 33
Homes Served Per Year: 28
Funding: $5,000

The Rocky Mountain Warm Hands Initiative was first funded by the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2022-2023, the first year of the grant program. Their main organizational partners are the city of Boulder and United Power. They have 6-8 regular volunteers. Most of the wood they get comes from wildfire mitigation efforts around the Denver and Boulder area. Grant funds helped them purchase a used tractor with a loader bucket.

Rocky Mountain Youth Corps Wood Bank

Taos, NM
Cords Per Year: 100
Homes Served Per Year: 100
Funding: $15,000

The Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC) Wood Bank partners with the Carson National Forest, Taos Ski Valley, Americorps, and other northern New Mexico land managing agencies. The Corps' Conservation Program contributes to the replenishment of the firewood bank. They have been distributing firewood for 15 years. RMYC sees the firewood bank as an initiative that not only benefits individuals and families facing heating challenges but also addresses overgrown forests and supports land management agencies projects. Grant funds will go towards purchasing a wood splitter, a cant hook, 7 chainsaws, a shipping container for storage, and 18 smoke/CO detectors for firewood bank recipients.

Royal Order of the Red Suspenders (RORS)

Salem, OR
Cords Per Year: 120
Homes Served Per Year: 225
Funding: $10,000

The Royal Order of the Red Suspenders was first funded in 2023-2024. They are a non-profit firewood ministry of Salem Alliance Church. Since 2001, they have provided wood to folks for heating their home when financial and/or life challenges prevent them from purchasing the needed wood. They focus on delivering a ½ cord of wood before Christmas and another ½ cord afterward to help “fill the gap” in heating needs. The grant this year helped purchase a vertical log splitter.

Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR)

Marshall, NC
Cords Per Year: 11
Homes Served Per Year: 24
Funding: $14,049

ROAR was first funded by the Firewood Bank Assistance Program in 2022-2023, the first year of the grant program. Due to the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, they received a special grant this year to help with relief aid. ROAR shared with us the impact flooding has had on their community:

"We have towns and neighborhoods without power or water. We have people without homes or jobs. We have seen entire towns, roads, small businesses, and bridges destroyed. Now, with the cold temperatures setting in and longer term impacts starting to become very real, we are wanting to also ensure our neighbors have free firewood available to heat their homes this winter, especially while they navigate storm recovery. Most people are facing limited capacity, including arborists we work with to source seasoned wood who are covered up volunteering
their time toward clearing downed trees from peoples’ homes and roads."

This special grant helped ROAR purchase much needed PPE, a shed, two log splitters, a trailer, and covered the purchase of seasoned wood and labor.

San Pasqual Tribal Firewood Bank

Valley Center, CA
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 30 Homes
Funding: $9,992

The San Pasqual Firewood Bank will be a tribal focused bank that will serve the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians. They will work closely with the San Pasqual Public Works Department and the San Pasqual Fire Department. Valley Center is prone to wildfires and high winds. This start-up firewood bank will be able to provide emergency firewood during power outages due to the wind and allow the start-up to install "Best Management Practices" to manage areas that pose an increased fire risk. The firewood bank also helps create seasonal work opportunities for the community. The grant helped them purchase PPE and provided funding for two laborers.

St Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church Wood Bank Ministry

Fortine, MT
Cords Per Year: 125
Homes Served Per Year: 80
Funding: $10,000

This Wood Bank Ministry was previously funded in both 2022-2023 and 2024-2025. Since 2011, St Michael & All Angels Wood Bank Ministry has supplied supplemental firewood to low-income families, veterans, elderly and people with disabilities. They began after seeing gigantic log piles being burned despite the fact that many people needed it to heat their homes. They also were inspired by the Dillon, Montana wood bank led by Priest Harry Nealy. During the winter months, approximately 50 volunteers join together every Saturday from 9 am to noon to process firewood. According to Pattiann Bennett, “Our firewood bank has grown and evolved over the years, but the best part is that it is so much fun.” This year, the grant allowed the wood ministry to budget for a wood processor rental for five days, labor for local sawyers, and an excavator and skid steer.

Tan Oak Park Firewood Bank

Occupied lands of Wailaki People
(so-called Leggett, CA)
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 20 Homes
Funding: $10,000

The Northern Mendocino Ecosystem Alliance (NMERA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and the Tan Oak Park Firewood Bank is a project under their umbrella. Their main organizational partners are CalFire, Redwood Forest Foundation, and Elk Ridge Tree Service. The have 15 committed volunteers. The grant helped them purchase chainsaws, chainsaw maintenance supplies, and PPE.

Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians

Shush:u Wuké
(so-called Tuolumne, CA)
Cords Per Year: 125
Homes Served Per Year: 150
Funding: $15,000

The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians is a sovereign nation that is dedicated to upholding social and economic stability through self reliance and the promotion of the health, safety, and welfare. Most of the tribal homes have a wood stove as the main source of heat, and wood is often used for cooking as well. The firewood distribution program also supplies wood for ceremonial community gatherings. When firewood is available for the season, the tribal government office sends out a mass text to all 498 enrolled tribal members. The priority for firewood distribution is as follows: Elders, households with small children, and single family households. The grant helped the program purchase four chainsaws, two log splitters, bar oil, and chainsaw chains.

Thrive Wood Bank

Simsbury, CT
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 5 Homes
Funding: $10,000

The farm where the Thrive Wood Bank will live was started with the mission to "restore connection between local people and their land through education." The firewood bank works with Simsbury Social Services to establish criteria of eligibility for recipients. The grant allowed the start-up to purchase insurance, a log splitter, logs, and fuel.

Village of Bacavi Wood Project

Hotevilla-Bacavi, AZ
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 120 Homes
Funding: $9,943

The Village of Bacavi is one of twelve self-governing Villages of the Hopi Tribe. The Community Service Administrator manages the firewood bank program. Red Feather Development Group delivers one to two truck loads of wood and the village employees process the wood to be distributed. Due to the closure of the Navajo Generating Station in 2019, tribal members have had to turn to other home heating sources besides coal. The Village of Bacavi Wood Project was put in to place to ensure the availability of heating fuel to village members as a part of their community services. The grant purchased PPE, a log splitter, and a 5,000 watt generator.

Village of Venetie

Venetie, AK
Cords Per Year: 100
Homes Served Per Year: 15
Funding: $14,929

The Venetie Village is a small native tribe. They have many residents and tribal members in their village that utilize wood as a primary source of heat. Many of these individuals are below the federal poverty limit or are elderly. Many in the area burn up to 15 cords of wood during the winter months. The grant funding will go towards purchasing shed materials to better cover their wood, a wood splitter, fuel for their chainsaws and splitter, and the rental fee for a firewood bank trailer.

United Natives

Flagstaff, AZ

Cords Per Year: 250
Homes Served Per Year: 250
Funding: $15,000

United Natives is a Native American-led national non-profit. Their efforts started with delivering PPE products during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. They partner with Navajo and Hopi communities (Leupp, Bird Springs, Tolani Lake, Teesto, Dilkon, First Mesa, and Second Mesa). They have one primary volunteer who whorks with 15-20 consistent community volunteers. The grant helped them purchase a wood log splitter, PPE, a chainsaw, fuel, rent for the wood lot, and social marketing maintence.

Warm Elders

Tséyaatóh
(so-called Bluff, UT)
Cords Per Year: 300
Homes Served Per Year: 250
Funding: $14,948

Warm Elders is a Native-owned non-profit whose work began in 2020 by Herbert Stash and his family. It began with helping their own relatives and quickly expanded as they recognized the broader community need. Their commitment to community values of teamwork, integrity, and empathy encouraged more volunteers to join the cause. Warm Elders registered as a 501(c)(3) in 2024, which formalized their mission to support Navajo elders in the Utah Territory and San Juan County. Their volunteer coordinator manages 15 local volunteers. They partner with local health clinics and groups, including the Red Mesa Chapter House, to identify their most at-risk residents. The grant helped them purchase gas for their delivery truck, PPE, a carport to serve as an equipment shed, and two log splitters.

Winema Firewood

Beatty, OR
Cords Per Year: 210
Homes Served Per Year: 147
Funding: $15,000

Winema Firewood is a non-profit that partners with a local food bank, Sprauge River Bridge Connection and the Klamath Tribes. The firewood bank began in 2021 when the President of the organization found out about a family that had run out of firewood mid-winter. He found 2 cords of wood for them and delivered it free of charge. Once word spread, it became apparent that this was not a unique situation- many needed emergency firewood to get them through the cold. The firewood bank's mission is, "To provide warmth and support to those in need by supplying free firewood, fostering community resilience, and promoting sustainable forestry practices." They have 6 full-time volunteers. The funding from the grant will allow Winema Firewood to purchase a chainsaw, a skid-steer track and grapple bucket, and gas for equipment.

Wiyot Tribe Men's Camp Woodyard

Loleta, CA
Cords Per Year: 70
Homes Served Per Year: 45
Funding: $10,000

The Wiyot Men's Camp Woodyard began as a repository for unused wood to provide essential materials for Men's Camp Activities which involved traditional building and ceremonies. It is now a general location for all Wiyot Tribal members to access and use the wood as needed. The woodyard has been open for over 10 years. Tribal elders have priority during the wood distribution. The grant helped purchase a trailer, two chainsaws, and a wood splitter.

Wiyot Tribe Mens Camp Woodyard Picture.jpg

Worth's Chapel Wood Ministry

Creston, NC
Start-up Bank
Projected to Serve 24 Homes
Funding: $9,997

Worth's Chapel Wood Ministry has 12 committed volunteers. Their main partner is the Blue Ridge Opportunity Commission of Ashe County, NC. Worth's Chapel already had a "fuel benevolence ministry" which helped community members with electric, gas, and oil. With the beginning of their wood ministry, they can now help their community members that heat with wood. The grant allowed the wood ministry to purchase a log splitter, a steel jobsite box, PPE, a utility trailer, and a trailer attachment to help haul wood.

Grantees 2024-2025