As wildfires continue to impact the Los Angeles area, Project:Camp has mobilized to provide free, trauma-informed emergency childcare services to affected families. Leading these efforts is Madeline McClelland, a dedicated Camp Manger who understands that in times of crisis, children need a safe haven while their parents navigate the challenging path to recovery.
Project:Camp operates with remarkable adaptability, setting up their services wherever they're needed most at the time disaster strikes. For L.A. families who have been recently displaced or affected by the recent wildfires, providing children with structured activities and care while parents handle urgent logistics and recovery efforts is life saving.
Learn more about Project:Camp
In the midst of natural disasters, like the current L.A. wildfires, families face overwhelming challenges. The last thing parents need is to deal with complicated paperwork while trying to secure childcare services. Yet, this was exactly the hurdle Project:Camp faced with their previous registration system.
Imagine this. You have experienced a horrific natural disaster. You have your family and your phone. Someone shares a link to Project:Camp where you can drop off your kids and take your first shower. But there’s a line and it’s moving slowly.
Parents and guardians, already dealing with the logistics of surviving a natural disaster, had to complete multiple forms for each child – a process that added unnecessary stress to an already difficult situation. For families who had possibly lost their homes or been evacuated, having to fill out three or four paper forms per child created an additional burden at the worst possible time.
The organization initially attempted to manage registrations through Google Sheets to gauge camp attendance interest, but this solution fell short of providing the streamlined, efficient process needed in crisis situations. Sometimes they had to deal with paper, which required gathering rocks as paper weights.
Simply put, the process wasn't equipped to handle the rapid response required when serving communities in immediate need, like those currently affected by the L.A. wildfires. And Google Sheets is not HIPAA compliant, so entering Personal Identifiable Information (PII) or Personal Health Information (PHI) is not a good practice for sensitive data.
Today, as Project:Camp provides vital support to families in need, their registration process has been streamlined by using UnicornForms. Parents and guardians can now complete registration from wherever they are – whether that's a temporary shelter, a relative's home, or their phone while standing at the check-in desk.
The impact has been immediate and significant.
"The check-in process has evolved from filling out multiple paper forms to simply confirming a few details at the check-in table, reducing the process to about a minute," Madeline shares. This efficiency is crucial for families dealing with the aftermath of the wildfires, allowing them to quickly secure childcare while they handle urgent matters related to their displacement.
The mobile-friendly solution has proven particularly valuable for walk-up registrations, which are common in emergency situations. Parents can simply scan a QR code at the check-in desk and complete all necessary forms on their phones.
This accessibility means Project:Camp can focus on what matters most: providing children with a safe, engaging environment while their families navigate the challenges of natural disaster recovery.
Through this streamlined registration process, Project:Camp has enhanced their ability to serve communities in crisis. By removing administrative barriers, they can welcome more children into their program, providing crucial support when families need it most.
https://recovery.lacounty.gov/resources/
https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/california-wildfires/
https://www.lahsa.org/newsArticle/resources-to-support-those-during-the-la-fires
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