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Direct Relief Bolsters L.A. Fire Response with Emergency Funding to Frontline Organizations

Twenty-two community organizations focused on health in the Los Angeles area will receive $1 million emergency operating grants for L.A. wildfire response.

News

California Wildfires

In response to the Los Angeles County wildfires, Direct Relief delivered requested medical supplies on Jan. 14 2025 to local search and rescue teams. .Twenty-two organizations, including search and rescue groups, will be receiving emergency operating funds to support their efforts to respond to the wildfires. (Mason Poole/Direct Relief)
By Paul M. Sherer

Direct Relief is providing $1 million in emergency operating grants to local organizations responding to the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The grants are part of its comprehensive relief effort that also includes the delivery of essential medications, emergency supplies, and N95 respirators to communities impacted by the disaster.

“These initial emergency operating grants recognize that local organizations with already tight budgets have been working nonstop to support their communities amid the terrible destruction of the wildfires,” said Annie Vu, U.S. emergency response lead at Direct Relief. “These funds serve as a stopgap to sustain their operations and staff, and address the unexpected costs of the response, while complementing Direct Relief’s ongoing provision of essential medical resources and supplies.”

The grants were awarded to safety-net healthcare providers, mobile clinics, search and rescue teams, reproductive health organizations, and other nonprofits including the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, or CCALAC. Many of these organizations have been partners of Direct Relief for over 20 years and have also received material aid, including essential medications and emergency supplies tailored to meet their patients’ needs.

“Direct Relief’s support is vital for community health centers on the front lines, helping ensure clinics can stay operational, support their staff, and continue providing critical services when their communities need them most,” said Louise McCarthy, CCALAC’s president and CEO. “Community health centers are often the first and only source of care for many Angelenos, serving one in five L.A. residents. In addition to the loss of homes and livelihoods, wildfires bring an overwhelming surge of needs—ranging from respiratory issues caused by smoke to the disruption of ongoing treatments for chronic conditions.”

Direct Relief’s support for Via Care Community Health Center is an example of this targeted support. In addition to a $50,000 grant, Direct Relief has supplied Via Care with thousands of N95 respirators to distribute to patients and staff affected by wildfire smoke. Via Care, which operates clinics across Los Angeles, deployed its mobile medical unit to disaster response centers, offering medical care, mental health counseling, and treatment for wildfire-related conditions such as respiratory issues and burns.

“While our clinics remain unharmed, some of our staff members and patients have been displaced by this environmental catastrophe, and numerous patients have lost their source of income and are struggling to access care due to limited resources,” said Deborah Villar, Via Care’s president and CEO. “We deeply appreciate Direct Relief’s support, which will help us continue to care for our community.”

Direct Relief’s response, including donated medicines and supplies and an initial $1 million in emergency operating grants, is made possible through donations from thousands of individuals and businesses from around the world. Direct Relief adheres to a strict policy ensuring that 100 percent of all designated contributions are used exclusively for expenses related to the specified program or emergency.

“It will take years for affected communities to recover from these devastating wildfires, and Direct Relief’s grantmaking strategy will ultimately focus on long-term needs, but these front-line groups have immediate needs that we can help meet thanks to the generosity of Direct Relief’s supporters,” Vu said.

Based in Southern California, Direct Relief is uniquely positioned to support wildfire response efforts and plays an integral role in California’s official emergency response framework, ensuring that critical resources reach those in need quickly and efficiently.

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