As fast as the fires spread, the Los Angeles’ community has moved just as quickly. In the recent ongoing California fires, many businesses, store owners, cafes and centers joined together to collect resources to issue to those affected by the fires.
Residents from Aldena, Pacific Palisades, Ventura County and the neighboring communities were quickly forced to evacuate from their homes. Communities from all over Southern California have been more than willing to help those directly affected by these natural disasters.
Communities from home shelters to cafes have been volunteering their time to gather resources, hand out food packages, and basic necessities for evacuees.
Corissa Hernandez, the owner of a local Mexican food restaurant called Nativo in Highland Park told ABC News, “I can’t even imagine losing everything I’ve worked for in my personal life, so I immediately went to social media and just put out a call for action.”
Hernandez was one of many that shared on social media that she was collecting donations and resources to distribute to those affected by the fires. She also received several responses back from other chefs and restaurants who helped Hernandez connect to shelters and evacuation centers.
Elise Hu/NPR
“It’s wild. There’s people out here that have just created a chain. And we’ve just been handing off and loading cars,” Sabrina Parnia, a volunteer at Anderson Munger Family YMCA in LA’s Koreatown, told Npr News.
Many volunteers sprung into action, doing what they can by filling up U-Hauls with materials, foods and resources to then distribute them to families and people. Centers are also connecting with other community organizations to expand and make these donations more accessible.
Even first responders from neighboring states and Mexico are aiding in the fight against these fires.
“Governor Gavin Newsom announced that more than 7,500 firefighting and emergency personnel have been deployed to protect California communities,” stated in a press release by the official website for the State of California.
Over 10,000 of Mexican firefighters were helping put out the Palisades fire, over 1,000 inmate firefighters and 135 from Houston, Texas.
By January 10th, just a few days after the fires on January 7th, tickets were sold out for a Blink 182 show at the Hollywood Palladium for February 13th. NBC7 San Diego stated in an article that 100% of the show’s ticket sales will go to Pasadena Humane Society, Cal Fire, the LAFD Foundation and the ARC Firefighter Fund.
LA FireAid Concerts will be held on January 30th with 28 performers at the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum. Gillian Zucker, the CEO of the Clippers organization had reached out to a few music artists that were interested in performing for FireAid.
Zucker had told APNews, “And by the weekend, it appeared, by the robust desire to help, the number of acts interested in participating would exceed the capabilities of a single building,”.
A line up of the artists performing at the Intuit Dome are Billie Elish, Earth Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting, and Tate McRea. The lineup for the Kia Forum are Alanis Morissette, Anderson. Paak, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day, John Fogerty Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks and The Black Crowes.
Ranging from out of state to neighboring cafes and restaurants, people can do so much to help each other in times of need. The LA community is gathering together to donate materials, donations, food supplies and are finding ways to distribute them with each other’s connections and resources. With also giving free meals to firefighters and first responders from street vendors, restaurants, taquerias and much more as a thanks from the community.
These fires have created many disastrous situations and have forced people out of their homes with nowhere to go but with the LA community connecting with each other, people do not have to go through these fearful events alone.
Written by Andrew Gomez, Staff Writer