Stay tuned to 89.9 KCRW and KCRW.com for continuing coverage of the emergency fire and wind conditions currently facing LA County. This page will be updated regularly with new resources. If you have additional tips or resources to share, please send them to newsletters@kcrw.org. Visit kcrw.com/firehelp for additional resources, including emergency preparedness guides and how and where to get help for a variety of needs if you’ve been impacted by California wildfires.
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Best practices | General resources | Volunteer opportunities | Donation opportunities
Updated Jan. 14 at 6:54 p.m. PST
Best practices: How to help effectively
Watching this week’s events unfold, it’s hard to not want to take action. While donating items or showing up to sites IRL may feel good, make a point of checking whether that’s actually what’s needed. Managing donated objects can become overwhelming for organizations, especially when they exceed demand, while volunteering for large-scale relief efforts may require special training or time and logistical commitments that may not be realistic for you. Both efforts can still be effective — just make sure to do your homework first.
In times of crisis, providing financial support can be a direct and effective way to support both individuals and communities in need. But how much, to whom, and when should you donate? That’s up to you. Check out Charity Navigator’s helpful Giving 101 guide for a clear breakdown on how to get the most bang out of your buck.
They’re also a good resource for vetting and verifying charitable causes. Which you’re going to want to do. Unfortunately, scammers are already out there.
"You’ve got scams taking place, you’ve got GoFundMe that are not legitimate," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger at a news conference on Friday.
The Better Business Bureau has published this handy list of tips for donating to Southern California wildfire relief efforts, including how to vet organizations, review crowdfunding requests, and understand the phases of disaster relief.
Below, you’ll find a running list of donation and volunteer opportunities vetted by KCRW.
General resources
- Find volunteer opportunities by date, location and need via Mutual Aid LA's in-person volunteer opps spreadsheet. For donations and other contributions, check out their spreadsheet of resources by location and aid type. If you have anything to add to their list, reach out by commenting on this Instagram post.
- Find resources by location with this interactive mutual aid map.
- Sign up for #CaliforniansForAll to get information about volunteer opportunities and ways to get involved in your community.
Volunteer opportunities
Food, clothing, and supply preparation + distribution
- School Supply Drive: drop-off essential school supplies, new or gently used (i.e. pencils, pens, backpacks, notebooks, paper) at 1050 S El Molino Ave, South Pasadena. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 11-16.
- Hope the Mission is hosting an Emergency Donation Drive between Monday, January 13th and Wednesday, January 15th. Items will be received at all Hope thrift stores during business hours, as well as its HQ and warehouse buildings. It’s requesting clothing, new and used for both adults and children, shoes, baby supplies, cleaning products, and small household appliances. Items will be distributed via free shopping coupons.
- Pasadena Community Job Center – Seeking volunteers to help receive items and sort and distribute goods. Also accepting item donations like clothes, hygiene products, and medicine. Get more info on Instagram. (Pasadena)
- Flintridge Center – Sort and distribute donations (Pasadena)
- No Res Gourmet - Cook, package, and distribute meals (Marina Del Rey and Azusa)
- L.A. Dream Center – Sort and distribute donations, direct traffic, meal preparation (Echo Park)
- Union Rescue Mission – Help in the kitchen (Downtown)
- +COOP – Sort clothing and supplies, make deliveries (Fairfax District)
Animals and fostering
- Pasadena Humane Society – Seeking those who are able to foster a dog or a cat for at least one week; email foster@pasadenahumane.org if interested. (Pasadena)
- Sante D’Or Foundation — Currently in need of temporary fosters for displaced cats. (Los Feliz/Atwater)
- Best Friends Animal Society – In need of fosters for any amount of time (Sawtelle)
- LA Animal Services – In urgent need of fosters and adopters. Adoption fees waived through Sunday, Jan. 12. (Citywide)
Food and item preparation and distribution
- Pasadena Community Job Center – Seeking volunteers to help receive items and sort and distribute goods. Also accepting item donations like clothes, hygiene products, and medicine. Get more info on Instagram. (Pasadena)
- Flintridge Center – Sort and distribute donations (Pasadena)
- No Res Gourmet - Cook, package, and distribute meals (Marina Del Rey and Azusa)
- Union Rescue Mission – assist in the kitchen (Downtown)
Donation opportunities
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For communities:
- The Santa Monica Community College Disaster Support Fund helps support SMC students, faculty, and staff who have been impacted by fires across LA County. The fund will help provide temporary housing, food, water, clothing, transportation, medical supplies, school materials, and emergency funding to support immediate needs.
- Mutual aid directory of Latine families displaced by the wildfires
- GoFundMe community partnership fundraiser for the Pasadena/Altadena African American community
- GoFundMe directory of displaced Black families
- The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) relief fund is supporting Black residents and small businesses.
- Musicians and music workers: A running list of donation links and resources for those impacted by the wildfires
- MusiCares Foundation: Offering anyone who works in the music business for 3 years or longer immediate assistance. $1500 financial assistance and $500 food vouchers.
- We Are Moving The Needle: Microgrants to support early and mid-career producers, engineers, and creators who have lost studio space or gear due to the wildfires
- Sweet Relief Musicians Fund: Financial relief towards the loss of equipment, medical bills from the resulting events, and living expenses
- National Day Laborer Organizing Network/Pasadena Community Job Center: Providing emergency relief for the day laborer community, including temporary shelter, food, water, and emergency kits.
- Project Hope: Providing support for shelters, health clinics, and healthcare workers serving under-resourced communities
- California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund: Provides both immediate relief and long-term recovery support to vulnerable communities, including low-wage workers and immigrant families
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For families and individuals:
- GoFundMe dedicated page of fundraisers for those affected by the Southern California wildfires
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For first responders:
- Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation: Sends donations directly to first responders
- Watch Duty: Did you know this app we’ve all relied on is a nonprofit that runs on donations and a team of 200 volunteers?
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For animals:
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For disaster relief and recovery aid: