Opportunities to turn grief into action

| January 23, 2025 | 0 Comments

Local donation resources abound

The devastation of the January fires has left many overwhelmed with emotion. But when calamities hit, communities have the opportunity to rise up and help. Locals came together almost immediately in January to aid those in need.

The Hancock Park Home Owners Association circulated donation information and put together a drive the first weekend of the fires. Clothing, hygiene products, childcare and pet supplies, luggage, towels and bedding and electronics were collected at a home in Windsor Square.

JULIE STROMBERG organized an effort to feed local firefighters.

Brookside residents, led by Sam Karim, collected items for the YMCA fire relief efforts. Gift cards, healthy snacks, water, microwaves, toys for young children and more were gathered. Julie Stromberg, of Brookside, spearheaded an effort to provide meals to firefighters at area stations.

The Miracle Mile Residential Association started a Go Fund Me page and matched donations received (up to $2,000). The association also worked to provide meals to firefighters and police. Through the association’s efforts, Los Angeles Fire Department Station 68 and the Los Angeles Police Department’s Wilshire Division received meals from Met Him at a Bar restaurant, 801 S. La Brea Ave. and Redbird, 114 E. 2nd St., the first weekend of the fire.

Another nearby group that stepped up immediately was the Hollywood Food Coalition, which focused on meals, masks, water and other essentials. Because the safety and needs of pets are a big concern during catastrophes like these fires, many groups, including Best Friends Animal Society, put their focus on that area of need. There were so many good efforts undertaken that the Chronicle could not begin to catalogue them all. But everyone involved should be proud and be thanked, if known.

As this issue goes to press, the fires are still burning. Aid and donations are still needed and welcomed. If you are interested in donating, there are many ways to do so. One is through the City of Los Angeles website for this disaster:  lacity.gov/lastrong. Another is the comprehensive site of L.A. Works. It lists many ways to help. See: laworks.com/2025fires.

Do note that good intentions can often overwhelm fire stations and shelters with more physical goods and donations than they can handle. The soundest advice — during any catastrophe — is to open our hearts by opening our checkbooks. Vetted organizations can then utilize donated funds in the most effective, efficient ways.

The list of organizations stepping up is long and is constantly evolving. A useful local source that is being updated regularly is Big Sunday, an organization founded in Hancock Park, with its headquarters office now located a bit to our east. Learn more about how one can help or receive help at bigsunday.org/lafiresresourcelist.

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