United Way Stands with Stillwater Community After Wildfires

Andrea’s grandparents thought their Stillwater home was safe. “The fire was to the west,” she said. “But by 6 p.m., it had started raining fire. All the yards were on fire.” On March 14, 2025, wildfires impacted around 200 properties in Payne County, Oklahoma, damaging or destroying over 100 homes. “I’ll never forget my mom FaceTiming me,” Andrea said. “It was there one day, and gone the next.”

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The house had been a community gathering spot, with neighbors coming for dinner or dropping in unannounced. “A lot of people are going to miss this house,” she said. “But people have rallied around. The neighbors are still delivering mail. Friends and acquaintances keep sending gift cards. It’s something to make things a little easier.” Andrea’s family is financially stable, but they’re surrounded by people who aren’t. “Nobody really knows what to do, but everybody tries,” she said. “That’s what’s most important.” 

Within 24 hours of the fires, United Way established the Stillwater Strong Relief Fund to support residents with long-term, unmet needs. More than 1,500 donors raised $550,000 to be distributed through the Stillwater Community Foundation, a dedicated task force ensuring aid goes where it’s needed most.  

While neighbors offered bottled water and snacks on sidewalks, United Way organized the centralized relief effort. The emergency distribution center, where families came for essential supplies, was created and operated by United Way, powered by community donations and volunteers. 

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“I remember seeing lotion,” said resident Andrine Sufrhan. “And I hadn’t had lotion in a week.” It was a small thing, but it felt like everything.

Andrine and her husband, professors at Oklahoma State University, lost their home too, so friends took them in. Before they even visited their property, their students had been there.

“They brought us pizza. One of them said, ‘We took a video - do you want to see?’” Andrine recalled. The students offered comfort and manpower, sifting through the ash for hours. “They didn’t wait to be asked. On Monday, there were 12. Tuesday, there were 19,” she said. “They weren’t looking for plates. They were looking for the irreplaceable stuff.”

The same sense of urgency and empathy rippled through the community, and United Way helped mobilize it. By centralizing donations and organizing distribution, United Way, the City of Stillwater, and other community partners ensured that resources reached where they were needed most.  

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 Kimberly and her family didn’t know how bad it was until it was too late. “I was trying to find my daddy’s Bible,” she said. “I really thought we’d be back.” She managed to escape with her dogs and a few photos, but nothing else.

“We had no communication,” her husband added. “There wasn’t much info unless you ran into a fire officer. It was chaotic, but the fast evacuation saved lives.” Though overwhelmed, they found themselves among the fortunate. They were able to return to a small secondary home that hadn’t burned. Many of their neighbors lost everything. “

For families like theirs, the Stillwater Strong Relief Fund offers not just financial assistance, but structure, clarity, and support—essential in the uncertain months ahead. “I think people will keep helping,” Andrea said. “We’ll rebuild. And I have full confidence everyone affected has people who are going to help them through.”

In Stillwater, the response didn’t stop when the fires were out. It turned into something deeper: a long-term commitment to recovery, organized and fueled by neighbors, volunteers, and United Way.