A Handful Of Useful Resources For Fire Victims & Those Who Want To Help

PASADENA HUMANE

I lived in Pasadena for 13 years and in that time adopted several cats from Pasadena Humane, so the organization is very near and dear to my heart. Following the Eaton Fire, the facility took in hundreds of displaced and injured animals and is currently in need of monetary donations as it continues to provide emergency services and shelter. Locals who come across injured wildlife can text the society for assistance at (626)344-1129. For help with all other animals, contact animal control at (626)792-7151 ext. 970.

Endless Instagram scrolling has led me to many other fabulous rescue groups also in need of donations, including The Labelle Foundation (currently offering free pet care and supplies), Animal Wellness Foundation (run by vet Annie Harvilicz, who is housing countless displaced pets), In Defense of Animals (a group working on the frontlines to provide emergency aid and safe haven), & Friends of Normie (which is seeking fosters for over 100 displaced cats they rescued combing fire-ravaged neighborhoods). Cleo & Hooman is also busy compiling a database to reunite lost animals with their owners and Vetster is offering free virtual vet appointments for pets of fire victims.

With so many scrambling to find shelter, the Hotel Association of Los Angeles has compiled a helpful list of lodgings offering discounts to those displaced by the fires. (Most properties also accept pets.) The list is organized via a Google spreadsheet and updated regularly. The city of Anaheim has also put together a similar resource for local hotels offering special rates, as has Visit Greater Palm Springs for desert-area lodgings doing the same. Those looking for more long-term stays can contact Cohost of the Desert, an Airbnb property management firm that is going above and beyond welcoming fire victims to the valley.

In my previous life, I documented filming locations and historic places for nearly two decades on my blog Iamnotastalker. So many of those sites have tragically fallen victim to the fires – a devastating blow to the rich fabric of the city. The Los Angeles Conservancy is currently assessing the scope of the damage and asking for help from locals who can provide boots-on-the-ground information by filling out Fire Impact Forms detailing notable lost sites. The data will help the Conservancy determine where to allocate resources as the city rebuilds.

Wildfires are something I’ve had the luxury of never really having to worry about. But after seeing that the Eaton Fire had stretched to within one literal block of my former Pasadena residence, I realized how woefully underprepared I had been. Not only do I now have a go bag prepared for emergency situations, but Watch Duty has secured prominent placement on my phone. The highly regarded app provides vetted real-time fire alerts far more detailed and timely than those furnished by other outlets, offering a small bit of peace of mind in emergency scenarios.

Looking to volunteer? Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network has you covered with a detailed spreadsheetchronicling daily volunteering opportunities across L.A. County. Updated regularly, the list catalogs countless ways to offer support, from sorting through donations at various dropoff centers to transporting goods to local shelters to translating opportunities. Organizations needing volunteers can also submit requests via the same document.

Seconds Market has devised an inspired way to help by connecting donors wishing to contribute clothing to the many in need. Sign up online and the company will match and put you in touch with a like-sized fire victim, creating an extremely intentional and personalized way to donate, as well as offering a “sense of normalcy and hope” to the countless affected. So far over 75,000 people across the country have signed up to be matched with a person in need! As a veritable clotheshorse myself, this program speaks to my heart. Sign-up info for both donors and applicants can be found here.

In a similar vein, 14-year-old Pasadena resident Avery Colvert created Altadena Girls to help her friends and schoolmates through this trying time. The teen has amassed a huge collection of clothing, toiletries, makeup, and beauty products (much of it brand new!) at a “neatly categorized” boutique-like Boyle Heights warehouse, where fire victims can “shop.” Colvert told the L.A. Times, “I started this to help girls affected specifically by the Eaton Canyon fire who lost their homes feel like themselves — and feel confident again.” Her efforts have inspired a similar Altadena Boys pop-up to assist males in need.