Six Months After the Los Angeles Fires: Direct Relief’s Commitment to Long-Term Recovery

The wildfires that swept through Los Angeles in January prompted an extraordinary outpouring of support—even as the disaster was still unfolding. Thousands of individuals, businesses, and foundations turned to Direct Relief to assist those affected, placing their trust in the organization to respond quickly and effectively.

That trust carries a clear obligation: to ensure every contribution directly benefits the people and communities for whom it was intended. Direct Relief remains fully committed to transparency and accountability—to those whose generosity made this response possible, and to those still working to recover.

This report outlines the assistance provided over the past six months—both urgent and sustained—and reaffirms Direct Relief’s commitment to helping communities recover, rebuild, and prepare for the challenges ahead.

Direct Relief’s response began within hours of the fire’s first spark, with an initial focus on lifesaving support. This included the rapid deployment of prescription medications to shelters, the delivery of field medic backpacks to first responders, and the distribution of more than 140,000 N95 respirators to protect residents and emergency personnel from smoke and airborne hazards.

By the Numbers

(as of July 1, 2025)

$12.7 million in medical and financial assistance provided across the Los Angeles region over the past six months, including:

• $8 million in funding to 65 community organizations—from search and rescue teams to school-based groups supporting students coping with trauma
• $4.7 million in donated medical aid and supplies, including:
  • 146,000+ defined daily doses of medications for respiratory conditions, diabetes, mental health, cardiovascular issues, and skin-related injuries
  • 140,000+ 3M-donated N95 respirators
  • 16,000+ full-body protective gear kits for residents returning to burn zones

Evolving to Meet Shifting Needs

Since the wildfires began on January 7, 2025, Direct Relief’s approach has evolved alongside the communities it serves—shifting from urgent relief to sustained investment in recovery, health access, and locally led solutions.

This ongoing support has included:

• Mobile medical outreach in fire-affected neighborhoods, delivered through trusted partners like AltaMed Health Services, Medical Mission Adventures, and Venice Family Clinic
• Mental health services, including school-based crisis counseling, enrichment programs, and trauma-informed classroom recovery initiatives
• Community care for youth, seniors, and families navigating trauma, service disruptions, and prolonged displacement
• Rental assistance for displaced residents, recognizing that stable housing is foundational to long-term health and recovery

Direct Relief’s wildfire response is not a one-time deployment—it is a sustained, community-anchored effort. For many still rebuilding—physically and emotionally—recovery remains an ongoing challenge.

Six months after the wildfires, emotional and psychological needs remain acute—especially among children and families facing prolonged disruption and loss. Recognizing this, Direct Relief has made targeted investments in trauma care, school-based mental health services, enrichment programs, and culturally responsive outreach through community partners and public-school foundations.

“Frankly, the whole community has been traumatized. Every time you look at the scorched mountains, it affects you.” 

– David Spiro, Director of Development at the Pasadena Educational Foundation

To support students, educators, and school communities across fire-affected areas, Direct Relief awarded $1.5 million in grants—$500,000 each to:

• Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation
• Pasadena Educational Foundation
• Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation

These grants are supporting:

• Crisis counseling for students, families, and school staff coping with trauma
• Summer enrichment programs serving more than 1,000 children across impacted districts
• Classroom recovery tools like calming corners and therapeutic storytelling
• Wellness resources for educators, many of whom lost their homes
• Climate resilience planning to help schools prepare for future wildfires and disasters

“You can’t teach a child unless you touch their heart…We want to help kids handle their emotions in a healthy way.”

– Sara Mooney, Interim Executive Director of the LAUSD Education Foundation

Read More: Mental Health Support, Summer Enrichment, and Mini-Grants Meet Growing Needs After L.A. Wildfires

To further support young people outside the classroom, Direct Relief awarded $300,000 across three local organizations providing trauma-informed mental health care:

• Foothill Family received $100,000 to expand counseling for 150 children and youth, along with parent education and wellness programming for another 150 individuals
• Hope Now Community Resource Center received $100,000 to serve transitional-age youth and seniors in Altadena and Pasadena, offering mental health access, case management, mentoring, and a summer youth program
• Young & Healthy received $100,000 to provide free, play-based family therapy for children ages 2–12 affected by the Eaton Fire, delivered in safe, developmentally appropriate settings with caregiver involvement

These efforts are designed to meet children and families in the places they already turn to for safety—schools, local nonprofits, and trusted community spaces—ensuring no one has to navigate trauma alone. 

Bolstering Healthcare Access in Fire-Affected Communities 

In addition to delivering emergency medical aid, Direct Relief has invested in long-term health infrastructure and outreach to ensure care remains uninterrupted for residents affected by the wildfires.

When the Eaton Fire broke out, hundreds of evacuees from Altadena and surrounding areas sought refuge at the Pasadena Convention Center, where five event halls were quickly transformed into emergency dormitories. More than 550 people arrived—many without their medications or basic medical supplies—needing urgent care.

Among the first to respond was the team from AltaMed Health Services, a nonprofit community health center with more than 55 years of service in Pasadena. Despite losing one of their own clinics to the fire—and with many staff members displaced from their homes—AltaMed mobilized immediately. Staff volunteered to provide triage, treatment, medications, and coordinate urgent transport for high-risk patients.

“These are our patients. Our neighbors. They trust us in our clinics, and they need to know we’re out here with them.”

– Fernando Fierro, Vice President of Nursing Services at AltaMed

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Recognizing AltaMed’s vital role both in crisis and recovery, Direct Relief awarded over $1 million to support the organization’s response and long-term outreach. The funding supports:

• Three mobile health units to expand care in fire-impacted neighborhoods
• New staff members, including nurses, outreach workers, and a project manager to meet increased patient needs
• Culturally responsive recovery planning, guided by a newly established Community Advisory Board
• Point-of-care services, such as blood pressure and glucose screenings, immunizations, care navigation, and development of a centralized community resource hub

The initiative is expected to reach more than 20,000 patients, with a focus on those most affected by the fire—including older adults, individuals in temporary housing, and AltaMed’s existing patients.

“When a disaster happens, health care doesn’t stop. It can’t stop.”

– Fernando Fierro, Vice President of Nursing Services at AltaMed

Spotlight Stories

To help stabilize individuals and families displaced by the wildfires, Direct Relief awarded $500,000 to The Change Reaction, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing direct rental assistance and other housing support services.

“Stable housing is the foundation for recovery, and this funding will make a critical difference in the lives of many families struggling to get back on their feet. We are deeply grateful for Direct Relief’s generous support, which will allow us to continue to help those facing housing insecurity after the wildfires.”

– Wade Trimmer, President of The Change Reaction

Read More: As Altadena Homeowners Navigate Life Day to Day, Post Fire, Cash Support Becomes a Lifeline

In addition to emergency rental aid, The Change Reaction connects Los Angeles residents displaced by the fires with case management, mental health care, and access to critical resources—ensuring housing is not just a roof, but a launching point for long-term recovery.

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In Malibu, where wealth often masks deep inequities, the Boys & Girls Club has redefined what disaster response looks like—serving not just youth, but the broader community in the wake of the Franklin and Palisades Fires.

From January through early June 2025, the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu’s disaster relief center recorded over 3,300 visits, distributed $2 million in essential goods, and provided case management and mental health services to residents from 119 zip codes—many of them commuting workers or families living in informal housing who are ineligible for traditional assistance.

“Money helps, things help, but ultimately, what people need to recover is a connection to their community and to know they’ll be supported.”

– Ethan White, Data and Development Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu

Read More: From After School to Aftermath: Boys and Girls Club of Malibu Filling Gaps in Fire Recovery

To support this expanded role, Direct Relief awarded $250,000 to fund integrated mental health services and long-term recovery support for fire-affected families.

What began as a youth mentorship program has evolved into one of Malibu’s only social service providers—employing licensed therapists, training graduate interns from UCLA and Boston College, and offering school-based mental health and wellness programs.

The people they serve often fall outside traditional disaster aid systems: domestic workers, renters, and families living in converted garages or trailers—many without the documentation required for federal or state relief.

“These are the people who maintain $100 million homes, but they’re invisible in most disaster plans.”

– Ethan White, Data and Development Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu

In a region with no hospital, limited public transit, and minimal infrastructure, the Boys & Girls Club has filled critical gaps—proving that trusted, community-based organizations are essential to disaster recovery.

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Recovery from a disaster of this scale isn’t measured in weeks or months—it’s measured in years. Across Los Angeles County, some of the most difficult challenges are only now emerging: emotional trauma, housing instability, disrupted healthcare, and disconnection from vital services.

Direct Relief’s decades of experience responding to wildfires and other disasters has revealed a clear and recurring pattern: recovery is never linear, never quick, and never one-size-fits-all. It is layered, prolonged, and locally rooted. This understanding shapes Direct Relief’s approach—one that looks beyond immediate relief to support the long-term rebuilding of health systems, the strengthening of community networks, and preparation for future, compounding crises.

With California’s fire season now a year-round threat, Direct Relief’s support is designed to meet urgent needs today—and strengthen readiness for the challenges ahead.

Looking ahead, Direct Relief will continue to support: 

• Expanded access to mental health care through mobile clinics and school-based services
• Housing stabilization and financial assistance to help prevent displacement
• Ongoing distribution of essential medical resources to frontline providers
• Community-led recovery strategies that strengthen long-term resilience

Direct Relief remains committed to the people and communities affected by the Los Angeles fires—today, tomorrow, and for as long as recovery requires.