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The Amador Community Foundation has been giving out $500 Walmart gift cards to employees who lost their jobs after a fire destroyed Ampine, a particle board plant in the community of Martell.

"We just want to be available to provide whatever assistance we can to bridge the gap so they can get back on their feet," foundation executive director Kathleen Harmon said.

A fire sparked at Ampine on July 25, while about 40 employees were on site.

"To our surprise, we looked in the warehouse and there was a wall of flames," said Jose Mancia, an electrician at the plant.

Everyone made it out safely. Still, the fire destroyed the last remaining particleboard plant in the state, just a week away from its 50th anniversary.

"It was a little surreal. I couldn't believe it was gone," Brandie Cupit said.

He is among the more than 100 employees suddenly out of a job. He stopped by the Amador Community Foundation office on Monday to pick up a gift card.

"Their work is so specific. It’s not easily transferrable to another type of employment, so it feels good to just be a little bit of a gap funding for them while they’re looking," Harmon explained.

She said the foundation used money it already had available in a disaster relief fund in order to purchase the gift cards.

"I was blown away," Cupit said. "$500 goes a long way. It’s unreal. $500 goes a long way. It’s gonna help a lot of people."

The company that owns Ampine, Timber Products, said its insurance has been assessing the damage and it's still too early to know if they will be able to rebuild or not.

The Amador Fire Protection District is still investigating what caused the fire.

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