The CGI Community Responding to California Wildfires: How You Can Help


Members of the CGI community are on the ground in California responding to the wildfire emergency and delivering on urgent needs — whether that’s food and water; emergency and medical supplies; providing assistance to those who have lost their home and livelihoods; and so much more.

On January 21, CGI convened partners from California and across the country to share information and jumpstart collaboration responding to the Southern California fires. Representatives from the California Governor’s office, humanitarian responders, frontline workers, and corporate and nonprofit leaders came together to discuss the immediate needs and the long-term clean-up and rebuilding efforts. Responders indicated the most immediate need on the frontlines is housing and cash resources to cover people’s basic needs; as well as stressing the need for equitable recovery efforts systemic change to meet the needs of all communities impacted by the fires.

You can help — we encourage you to read more about what CGI’s partners are doing on the ground, and see how you can support their efforts.

 

Photo Credit: Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE)

 

Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE)

CORE, which operates globally but is based in Los Angeles, immediately deployed an emergency response team to support people through devastating wildfires. Their active response includes distribution of cash vouchers to people in need; free resources including N95 masks, hygiene kits, and respiratory checks; helping people with FEMA applications and supporting immigrant communities in Los Angeles through translator support; and assisting local shelters with WiFi, charging stations, and cellphone batteries.

Learn more about CORE’s efforts to respond to the California wildfires, and support their efforts, here

 

SoCal Fire Fund

CGI partner CORE has also partnered with the CAA Foundation, EIF, and LA Unified School District in launching the SoCal Fire Fund, which is focused on helping vulnerable individuals and families rebuild in the aftermath of the fires. Formed specifically to respond to the January 2025 wildfires, this fund will provide Flexible Funding Assistance to help the most vulnerable with things like temporary housing, food, medical care, and transportation; Case Management Support to help people access government and local resources and individual support to repair, rebuild, and restore livelihoods; and Well-being and Educational Resources to help students and schools with transitional educational and well-being services.

Learn more about the SoCal Fire Fund here

 

GoFundMe

CGI commitment maker GoFundMe immediately mobilized their dedicated crisis response team to support fundraisers created to help individuals and families affected. GoFundMe launched a centralized hub housing all verified fundraisers related to the wildfires, which is updated by their Trust & Safety team with more fundraisers as they are verified, and also features non profit organizations who are mobilizing in response. More than $50 million has been raised on GoFundMe from donors in all 50 states in support of wildfire-related fundraisers on the platform.

Visit GoFundMe’s California Wildfire Fundraiser Hub here

 

Direct Relief

Direct Relief is distributing medications, N95 respirators, and more to impacted communities across Southern California. Direct Relief is also coordinating with local and regional agencies and organizations, as well as health centers and free clinics in and around Los Angeles.

Learn more about Direct Relief’s efforts, and support their work, here

 

Americares

Americares is actively delivering medicine, masks, safe drinking water and relief supplies for wildfire survivors throughout southern California, and is prepared to provide emergency funding and deploy medical staff and disaster mental health specialists as needed. As the wildfires spread, Americares immediately contacted more than 70 partners throughout the region, including 24 health organizations in Los Angeles that serve low-income, uninsured patients, and deployed an emergency response team to Los Angeles to deliver aid and coordinate shipments. Within the first week, Americares and Primo Brands also partnered to deliver truckloads of water to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for distribution to area residents.

Learn more about what Americares is doing, and how you can support their work, here

 

World Central Kitchen

World Central Kitchen (WCK) has deployed a Relief Team to Southern California to support first responders and families impacted by wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Their teams and partners have mobilized across the region to provide nourishing meals to people in need.

Read more about WCK’s efforts, and support their work, here

 

Team Rubicon

Since January 8, Team Rubicon volunteers—known as Greyshirts—have been assisting the communities struck by or in the path of the fires by distributing much-needed supplies to survivors, offering homeowners education in protecting their homes from fire, and providing just-in-time mitigation services to communities not yet affected. Greyshirts are communicating with local emergency managers and preparing for the long, difficult recovery once the fires have been extinguished.

Learn more about Team Rubicon’s efforts and support their work here

 

Blooming Health

Blooming Health, a leading technology platform that supports community-based organizations through targeted communications, has partnered with the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging to assist older adults affected by the wildfires. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Blooming Health is providing its platform at no cost to the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging for this purpose. Blooming Health’s platform provides the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging with the ability to rapidly disseminate critical information across multiple channels, such as text, phone, and email, and in 80 languages, ensuring accessibility for the diverse populations across Los Angeles. Blooming Health is also offering its services at no cost that include targeted text messages, voice calls, and emergency alerts to ALL community organizations across the LA region. If you are interested, reach out to them via team@gobloominghealth.com.

Learn more about how Blooming Health uses its technology to alert senior populations to urgent threats here

 

Center for Disaster Philanthropy

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) supports a network of local nonprofits and relief efforts with expert advice and financial resources. CDP’s California Wildfires Recovery Fund supports communities across the state as they work to rebuild and recover from wildfires, giving grants to nonprofits and community groups throughout California to help families and communities recover.

Learn more and support CDP’s California Wildfires Recovery Fund here

 

Airlink

Airlink is using their network of airline partners to help emergency personnel, healthcare professionals, logisticians, and program staff reach key relief sites through airports including Los Angeles (LAX) and Hollywood Burbank (BUR) without delay; and anticipates deploying additional responders as conditions improve and it becomes safer for more nonprofits to send their teams and initiate their responses; as well as supporting aid shipments including hygiene kits, surgical masks, and N95s.

Learn more about Airlink’s response, and how you can support, here