Rebuilding LA Wildfire Survivors’ Sense of Home
After deadly wildfires devastated parts of Los Angeles earlier this year, Peace Winds has been supporting local organizations supporting survivors in the Altadena area. Thanks to contributions from donors in Japan, the U.S., and around the world, we recently issued one of our grants to Home Bank LA – an organization that is providing furniture, appliances, and other home goods to survivors who lost their homes and belongings.
Initially, evacuees were living in evacuation centers, hotels, or staying with friends and family. Many are still transitioning into their own apartments or rental units, and furnishing them is one of the most costly parts of the process. This is especially true for low-income families and those without insurance.
Staff and volunteers at Home Bank LA have stepped up to meet this growing need. The team manages a warehouse where it accepts donations of furniture and other home goods and distributes them to those in need. Gently-used items that need a little TLC get a fresh start thanks to volunteers who paint and refurbish them, and the organization purchases in-demand items like mattresses and bed frames when supplies get low.
So far, 130 families and individuals have furnished their homes with the help of Home Bank LA. Because the needs are so great, the organization expects to support another 1,200+ households over the next year. The team has received countless messages of gratitude from families who had been eating meals and sitting on the floor of their new homes because they could not afford tables, chairs, or couches.
Home Bank LA operates under the umbrella of A Sense of Home, an LA-based organization that has furnished homes for youth as they age out of foster care for the last 10 years. The organization aims to break the cycle of homelessness by fostering a sense of community care for displaced individuals.
The recent grant to Home Bank LA is part of the broader financial and in-kind contributions that Peace Winds has already made to local organizations assisting Los Angeles communities and shelter pets affected by the wildfires. Learn more about our response here. Donations can be made by visiting our donation page and selecting “Los Angeles Wildfires.” Your support helps us to continue our recovery efforts.
