Statement from FireAid:

There has been an increasing amount of misinformation being shared online about the distribution of FireAid funds. We want to address concerns and be certain that Angelenos and the thousands of donors who generously contributed have a transparent view into how FireAid is putting their dollars to work. Key information is below. The Los Angeles Times contacted over one hundred organizations that received FireAid funds. They reviewed the beneficiaries’ grants as well as how they spent the money and they determined “FireAid was an urgent lifeline in the worst of the disaster and beyond.” Their investigation documents the impact FireAid has had to date.

In addition, FireAid has tasked Latham & Watkins to conduct a comprehensive review of FireAid's governance and grantmaking process. This review will also include assessing whether recipient organizations are using funds in alignment with FireAid's stated purpose and commitments.

• In the wake of the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires which were estimated to have caused $250B in damages, FireAid brought together the LA community and raised approximately $100 million to help fire survivors recover and rebuild — quickly, efficiently, and with dignity.
• To most effectively deliver aid to the community as quickly as possible, we partnered with vetted and trusted local nonprofits who had the capacity and infrastructure to directly reach the individuals in need. This assistance provided food security, housing, resources for schools and more directly to individuals in the affected communities.
• To date, FireAid has distributed two rounds of funding totaling close to $75 million to organizations helping people on the ground and expect to distribute the remaining $25 million by the end of the year. The funds address the urgent needs from individuals in our communities— from immediate financial assistance, to childcare, groceries, mental health and housing and rebuilding public spaces as well as fire prevention. The grants have been distributed to more than 160 frontline nonprofits, schools, and local organizations which were identified and selected by FireAid. We then enlisted Goldman Sachs’ GS Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund to check that each organization was a US 501c3 public charity in good standing with the IRS and to distribute the grants to those organizations. Each recipient organization is required to report on fund usage to FireAid to ensure full transparency and impact. The year-end results, which are due in December 2025, will be audited by FireAid’s auditor, KPMG.
• FireAid along with our community partners will continue publishing additional information documenting how the funds are directly reaching survivors.
• The early results are powerful and personal. Hundreds of thousands of families, workers, students, and volunteers have already been directly helped.

The full list of organizations, broken down by category, can be found HERE but below are just some of the examples of what these non profits have done with donations from FireAid and other sources to directly help survivors.

• The Change Reaction provided direct relief to 2,500 individuals for rental assistance, furniture, work tools, clothing, support to get vehicles and remediation support.
• LA Regional Food Bank distributed over 50 million pounds of food and household essentials to families cut off from basic necessities.
• Project CAMP provided 10 free, trauma-informed camps during the wildfires for kids impacted by both the Altadena and Palisades fires. Camps were focused on making sure kids had a place to process and play while schools were closed, which allowed parents to navigate disaster services and go back to work. To-date, over 1,100 campers as well as their parents and families were served providing almost 12,000 hours of free childcare.
• Through the support of FireAid funding, 211 LA was able to expand its staffing capacity to meet the urgent needs of families displaced by the 2025 wildfires and to provide direct care coordination services to more than 3,500 impacted households. With FireAid funding, 211 LA was able to connect families to critical support including temporary housing support, financial assistance, connection to FEMA resources, and long-term recovery planning.
• Bet Tzedek Legal Services deployed additional paralegals and estate planning teams to help homeowners denied by FEMA or insurance and those needing new legal documents destroyed in the fires.
• The YMCA of Metropolitan LA served 15,000+ individuals and families; used 15 YMCA locations as distribution hubs for food, essential items, & clothing; distributed $300,000 in gift cards and financial support through Y and partnerships; provided 2,000+ individuals free access to Y centers for showers, etc.; served 7,000+ meals; provided emergency childcare to 600+ children; provided access to safe spaces for 300+ teens.
• Westside Food Bank, Project Angel Food, OBKLA, and others provided daily meal support to seniors, individuals with chronic illnesses, and displaced residents across impacted neighborhoods.
• Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges delivered direct payments to hundreds of displaced students and staff, helping them stay in school and secure housing.

While there is much more work to do, the money raised through FireAid is delivering much needed assistance to as many people as possible, to foster healing and help LA recover stronger than before.