The Santa Ana winds have slowed and weather conditions have improved across the Greater Los Angeles area, helping crews of some 8,500 firefighters as they push to contain more than 40,000 acres of blazing wildfires.
Live updates may be giving communities across Southern California a chance to catch their breath for the first time since the flames ignited January 7, but despite the progress being made to put the fires out, the recovery efforts are only just beginning.
As of Thursday morning, more than 40,000 acres have burned, destroying over 12,300 structures, killing 24 people and leaving dozens more missing. Evacuation orders and warnings remain for more than 170,000 people in L.A. County, and as the Greater Los Angeles area continues to burn, certain numbers are expected to rise.
Facilities including the Rose Bowl Stadium and the Pasadena Convention Center are currently serving as evacuation shelters where several nonprofits and volunteers are providing food, water, emergency supplies, medical services and more.
Donations of everything from clothing to children’s toys have flooded in from all over to a point that the City of Pasadena issued the following statement on Instagram: “The City of Pasadena and all of the first responders across the city are incredibly grateful for the donations of food and other items. However, at this time, we are overwhelmed with the amount and we are no longer accepting additional donations.”
While food, water and necessary household items are helpful, what communities across the Greater Los Angeles area need most is funds to help them rebuild.
A long road to recovery lies ahead for Southern California, but there are multiple ways the meetings and events industry is offering support. Here are five meetings industry organizations collecting donations for those impacted by the Southern California wildfires.
Destinations International
The Destinations International Foundation launched the Destinations International Los Angeles Wildfire Recovery Fund with a donation of $10,000 January 12, and more than $100,000 was raised in the first 72 hours.
To make a donation, visit https://login.destinationsinternational.org/donate-now.
Meetings Industry Fund
The Meetings Industry Fund (MIF) has helped numerous communities impacted by recent natural disasters, from the fires in Maui to Hurricane Helene.
Donations have allowed MIF to give funds to pay mortgages, rent, utilities, car payments and more for meetings industry professionals in need.
Now, MIF is focused on collecting donations and providing resources for the California wildfires.
To make a donation, visit https://themeetingsindustryfund.org
MPI
The MPI Foundation, with support from MPI, offers help to members who have been affected by natural disasters through its Natural Disaster and Hardship Relief fund.
To make a donation, visit https://www.mpi.org/foundation/relief.
SEARCH Foundation
The SEARCH Foundation is a community of event professionals dedicated to assisting individuals in the meetings industry that are experiencing crisis through direct financial support. On the foundation’s website, industry professionals can find wildfire relief resources as well as make a donation to help recovery efforts.
To make a donation, visit https://searchfoundation.org.
SITE Foundation
Administered through the SITE Foundation, the Moira Hearn Fund offers financial assistance to SITE members experiencing financial difficulties.
To learn more about the fund and make a donation to the SITE Foundation, visit https://siteglobal.com/moira-hearn-fund.
