Shutterfly Donating Camp Fire Victims Photo Books, Money

REDWOOD CITY, CA -- If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Shutterfly has written the book on goodwill.

Hosting 40 billion photos in its 20th year, the online image publishing company has come up with an idea as bright as the cheery photo books it produces. With its own employees in the Chico manufacturing plant on Fair Street impacted, the Redwood City-based publisher will allow victims of California's deadliest, most destructive wildfire and their family members to make free photo books to maintain their memories. The offer extends to the other massive wildfires in Southern California.

"We are standing together," Shutterfly spokeswoman Sondra Harding told Patch. "Any family impacted by this tragedy will have their lasting, precious memories."

The idea is that, of the hundreds of people displaced from the nearly 20,000 structures demolished, family members of the victims probably have photos they can use to rebuild their loved ones' lives.

"We want to be there in the hard times, so it's one less thing for them to worry about," Harding said.

Shutterfly will also donate $150,000 to relief efforts for the devastating Butte County wildfire that obliterated the town of Paradise. The money will be split between the American Red Cross and an Employee Hardship Fund in which the company is matching workers' contributions up to $75,000. Dozens of staffers lost homes in the unprecedented destruction that was ignited on Nov. 8 at Camp Creek and Pulga roads.

Shutterfly's first order of business when the blaze broke out involved "making sure they were all accounted for," Harding added. Eighty-eight people lost their lives in the wildfire -- with that number climbing each week as search crews take on the arduous task of digging through the remains.

The Chico plant houses the Lifetouch business, a U.S. school photography operation.

"Our hearts go out to our employees and their families in Chico. We're fortunate to have a program in place to support employees in need with individual grants," Shutterfly President Christopher North said. "Our promise has long been to preserve our customers' photos for free in the Shutterfly Photo Cloud. For families impacted by the California fires, as you begin to rebuild -- whenever that is -- we'll also help recreate your most important memories, reprinting your prints and photo books free of charge."

"I think it's a good idea," said Sunnyvale native Frank Matoes, who lost his home in Paradise a little more than a year after his Santa Rosa house burned down. Matoes was beginning to put pictures together in Paradise following the Tubbs fire when he was quickly evacuated again.

Often times, pictures are among the first things people grab as they're scurrying out the door wondering if they'll return to a home. But the Camp Fire, for one, was so fierce, many ran out without anything other than the shirts on their backs.

Matoes said he'll ask his daughter and brother to share their pictures, so he can make a book.

"It's an awesome idea," Soli Castillo of Chico agreed. The Wags and Whiskers Pet Rescue manager told Patch a third of her employees lost their homes.

Families impacted by the wildfires are urged to reach out to Shutterfly customer service in a special department established for this role. If interested, email shutterflycares@cs.shutterfly.com .

--Images via Sue Wood, Patch