Wildfire donations and volunteering: How and where to help

Written by Andrea Domanick

A volunteer distributes food and supplies organised by World Vision International to people affected by the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California, U.S., January 10, 2025. Photo credit: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Updated Jan. 24 at 8:20 p.m. PST

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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Emergency updates, disaster relief, ways to connect, and how to help — the California Newsroom, a partnership between KCRW, LAist, PBS SoCal, and CalMatters, is here to deliver free, reliable, and essential local news and updates.

Best practices | General resources | Volunteer opportunities | Donation opportunities

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.
  • Visit KCRW Music Relief for a centralized hub of resources and ways to help, by and for the LA music community impacted by the wildfires.

Volunteer opportunities 

Food, clothing, and supply preparation + distribution 

  • YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles – Help sort and distribute supplies, support families directly, or assist in programs for youth and adults. Contact your local YMCA to find out about the most current volunteer opportunities or email volunteer@ymcaLA.org for more info. They'll also be hosting a Day of Service on Jan. 25 recognizing local fire stations. 
  • Love Hour's "Love Bank" – Check their IG/stories daily for updates and ways to help
  • Reading Rhythms has launched a personalized book drive to help fire victims rebuild their libraries.    
  • 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

Food and item preparation and distribution


Donation opportunities