New local non-profit makes first donation to Nepal disaster victims
Lisa Marrone, owner of The Mobile Oil Changers, is building the Foundation for Natural Disaster Relief, based in Paso Robles. Photo by Paula McCambridge.
The Mobile Oil Changers funds the foundation
— A recent $50 donation to victims of the Nepal earthquake kicks off the stream of aid that will go to those who are suffering from the aftermath of natural disasters in coming years from a new, locally based non-profit organization.
The non-profit is the Foundation for Natural Disaster Relief, Preparedness, and Education, founded by Lisa Marrone of The Mobile Oil Changers.
The Mobile Oil Changers is a countywide business based in Paso Robles that comes to its customers, wherever in the county they may be, to change oil in their vehicles — business fleets of cars can call on the business too.
“I started this business to fund the other one,” Marrone said of her foundation work.“ About $5 from every job will go to the foundation and from there to life-saving charities.”
Marrone is a retired Cal Fire chief who wanted to expand on her work with the department. “I retired to start a business where I could potentially help save millions of lives instead of one person at a time,” Marone said.
“The bottom line is, this is what my whole life is about — being prepared,” she said. “As a child, I was in the Silmar quake, and my dad knew what to do; I saw that and it affected me. Then later, in the fire department, it was all about being ready, being prepared.”
Eventually, Marrone would like to have an office in every community to serve customers and build up the foundation to help more people in need.
“The education part of the foundation is about being able to take care of yourself,” she said. “Everyone should be prepared to take care of themselves for 72 hours following a natural disaster. That means three days of food, temporary shelter, water — everyone should have a three-day get-away bag with those items in it and a few others.”
Marrone said she wants to teach others to care for themselves, and lend a hand when they can’t.
“My story is: I provide a service so everyone can chip in and help everyone else,” she said. “It creates a sense of community.”
While that first $50 donation is a small one, Marrone said it marks the start of something big. “When we get to the point of donating a million dollars, I’ll look back at that 50 and know it started there,” she said.
For more information, go to www.themobileoilchangers.com or call (805) 238-2099.
