Los Angeles Wildfires Disaster Relief
January 27 to February 1:
The Wildfires Resource Hub
Written By Ida Eva Zielinska
Published #76 | Spring 2025 Issue
The Tzu Chi USA team is among all the service providers at the 2025 Wildfires Resource Hub in Pasadena, where a briefing takes place before it opens. Photo/Jaime Puerta
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As a key member of California Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (CalVOAD) and the Emergency Network Los Angeles (ENLA), Tzu Chi USA was invited to participate in the 2025 Wildfires Resource Hub (WRH), held at Kaiser Permanente’s Pasadena regional headquarters for six consecutive days, from Monday, January 27, to Saturday, February 1.
The WRH, co-hosted by CalVOAD, ENLA, and Kaiser Permanente and operating under the same guidelines as the government-led Disaster Recovery Centers, also invited representatives from federal and state government agencies, such as the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, the City of Pasadena, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as other nonprofit service providers, including the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, United Way, and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to join in serving the wildfire survivors.
In times of crisis, the true strength of a community is revealed through the compassion and support we extend to one another. We’re honored to partner with the many nonprofit organizations that play such a vital role in immediate relief and long-term recovery.
The goal of the WRH was to provide direct assistance, resources, and vital information in a one-stop location, where those affected by the 2025 LA wildfires could meet with national, state, and local community-based organizations. The resources offered included financial aid, non-perishable food, fresh produce, air purifiers, wildfire recovery information, a kids play area, free childcare, a wellness and relaxation zone, and more.
Tzu Chi is very active here in this event, mobilizing all areas of volunteers to come here to help. We provide financial aid. We also provide food, blankets and other wellness services.
Among the aid Tzu Chi provided at the WRH were free prescription glasses made possible by a Tzu Chi Vision Mobile Clinic stationed at the site. Kaiser Permanente also had its mobile health vehicle and ambulance on-site to provide services.
On January 27, the first day the WRH was operating, Tzu Chi USA also held a press conference at the San Gabriel Valley Service Center. As part of the event, 30 Chinese American leaders from the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Los Angeles (CCBA) invited Congresswoman Judy Chu, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and Board Trustee of the Mountain View School District Cindy Wu to visit the Service Center and learn more about Tzu Chi’s ongoing wildfire disaster aid efforts.
Tzu Chi Medical Foundation CEO Stephen Denq, Tzu Chi Educational Foundation CEO Debbie Lee, Los Angeles Fire Relief Distribution Team Leader Martin Kuo, Director of the San Gabriel Valley Service Center James Chen, and other volunteers accompanied the guests throughout their visit to the Service Center, a key distribution site for the wildfires disaster relief mission.
To offer support, CCBA President Norman Nie made a donation on behalf of 27 overseas Chinese associations that are part of the CCBA. Debra Boudreaux, CEO of Tzu Chi USA, accepted the donation on the organization’s behalf and also informed the guests that as of January 26, Tzu Chi USA had distributed a total of $740,100 in cash cards, benefiting 690 households affected by the wildfires.
Congresswoman Judy Chu commended Tzu Chi’s distribution procedures, calling them “truly amazing!” “When the fires broke out, I immediately took a flight back from Washington, D.C., to extend care to those affected at the shelter set up at the Pasadena Convention Center. When I arrived, I saw that Tzu Chi volunteers were already serving the survivors,” Chu said, praising Tzu Chi volunteers. “I am grateful for Tzu Chi volunteers’ extraordinary proactive and compassionate service and for the CCBA’s generous donation that will help take care of the wildfire survivors.”
We believe there are 20,000 that have been made homeless because of the wildfires. So they don't have even the most basic of things. Actually, it is the donations that they need the most, the monetary donations, just as a way for them to survive during this time, right after the fires.
Tzu Chi has always been at the forefront of every emergency. Whenever we have our fires or floods or other calamities the ‘Blue Angels,’ as they're called, come together and devote a lot of their time and energy to provide those services that FEMA or state cannot do at this moment. You know, we're very grateful.
Read more about Tzu Chi at the WRH in our feature story, “Love Converges at the 2025 Wildfires Resource Hub.”
Distributions at Tzu Chi Service Centers During the Wildfires Resource Hub
To complement its aid activities at the Wildfires Resource Hub, Tzu Chi also conducted its fifth distributions on January 30 at both the service center in West Los Angeles and the one in El Monte.
“They trust us. They open the door to their life story. We hope we can support them in long-term recovery to rebuild their community,” Tzu Chi USA Charity Department Deputy Director Renee Chao, who was on-site at the San Gabriel Valley Service Center in El Monte, said, as care recipients, so vulnerable and emotional post-disaster, trustingly opened their hearts once again.
“I’ve been in the neighborhood for 30 years. Everybody knew everyone. You watched the kids grow up. It was great, and now it’s completely gone. It’s a minefield,” Wylda Faye bemoaned.
“We got a call at 3:30 in the morning. A neighbor two blocks away said, ‘Our street’s on fire. You better get out!’ So, within 30 minutes we jumped in the car and left,” Norman Merino recounted. But then, there was an annex to his story. “We found out an 80-year-old woman had slept through the whole thing and was left behind. So, me and another neighbor, we went back to get her and by that time the whole street was on fire. Every few seconds, you heard an explosion. The neighborhood was just on fire. We… We got her, put her in the truck…” Merino recalled, choking back tears, his heart brimming with gratitude.
Claire Dorotheo, who lived with her partner and his son in Altadena until their home burned down after 15 years there, reflected on her hopes, now shattered: “I was planning to really dig some deep roots there. I was wanting to grow old there…” Despite this sorrow and all the material losses, she did find something to hold onto.
The sense of community that I feel here is probably the biggest thing that I've received. I feel the love of everybody here. There are good people here that want to help and that… that's real. Love is real.
At the fifth distribution in West Los Angeles, the sentiments were the same, as was the moral support received. “It brings tears to my eyes. Not because I lost everything we own, but because of the kindness,” Pamela Nelli told the volunteer team. Nichama Ventovim described his experience at the distribution by highlighting the hugs: “When I cried, all the ladies came and gave me lots of hugs and… calmed me down to feel better. The hug is very important because it comes from the heart and helps you cope with the situation you are in.” Hilary Vlastelica concurred: “The human contact is… For me, it’s very important. I… I’m so moved by it. It’s just the most beautiful part of humanity.”
They're just looking for comfort. These families here, they really need our support and I feel like being here, it's brightening everybody's day.
By the last day of the Wildfires Resource Hub, the Palisades and Eaton fires, which were not yet 100% contained, had collectively destroyed over 16,200 structures, including homes. The urgency to continue assisting those impacted and seeking emergency relief was clear, and Tzu Chi USA would provide additional distributions on three consecutive Sundays, beginning on February 2.
