Red Cross Still Helping After California Wildfires; $36 Million+ Cash Assistance Provided to Fire Victims

The road to recovery from this disaster may be long,

but so too is the commitment of the Red Cross and  partners to help

In January of this year, devastating wildfires burned for days across the greater Los Angeles area. By the time these fires were contained, more than 17,000 homes had been destroyed or severely damaged, with over 200,000 residents forced to evacuate ahead of the fast-moving flames.

Hundreds of American Red Cross volunteers and employees worked with our partners to immediately open shelters and travel through the burned out neighborhoods, delivering meals, water, relief supplies, basic health services and emotional support for residents facing heartbreaking loss.

Six months later, the Red Cross is still supporting people affected by these deadly fires. We have provided direct cash assistance for the most severely affected survivors, as well as $5.4 million to support community recovery and resilience, including Response Impact Grants to community partners like the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, 211LA, Radio Bilingue and the Hope Crisis Response Network.

$36.6 MILLION CASH ASSISTANCE In addition, thanks to the generosity of donors, the Red Cross has just concluded an additional financial assistance program in Los Angeles, disbursing millions of dollars to families affected by the Eaton and Palisades Fires. The intent of the program was to “bridge the gap” between the initial response phase and when other recovery programs become available. The additional assistance gives those recovering the ability to determine what needs are most pressing. For some, it’s housing. For others, food security or childcare. For others, it’s replacing essential tools or materials to be able to resume working.

Since the program began in April, over $36.6M in additional financial assistance has been provided to more than 11,400 households. The assistance was delivered initially via direct outreach to survivors who previously received Red Cross assistance – those who stayed in our shelters, were supported by the Shelter Resident Transition (SRT) team, or received our first round of financial help, Immediate Assistance.

To ensure everyone affected had a chance to receive assistance, starting April 22, enrollment sites opened across Los Angeles, staffed by Red Cross caseworkers both from the Los Angeles area and across the country. Their purpose was to help people with homes located inside the Palisades or Eaton Fire burn zones determine their eligibility and enroll in person. From the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu to the Pasadena Job Center to the Altadena Library to Lake Avenue Church, these sites enabled people to ask questions and, for some, receive assistance directly in their bank accounts in just a few minutes. Many hugged their caseworkers or expressed shock when receiving the text confirming the deposit of funds in their accounts.

IT’S ABOUT HOPE One such experience was shared by Michael Leirer, who had deployed from his regular role as a community disaster program manager in Virginia to serve as a caseworker in Los Angeles. He describes the moment that sticks with him from the program:

“Yesterday something happened that completely changed the course of my day. A man in his late 50s walked in and I greeted him at my desk. There was a look in his eyes that said he needed a win. He was dressed like he’d just come from work, probably after sitting in the hot sun, but he still greeted me with a kind smile.

“He handed me his documents and we began working through his case. The required questions clearly stirred deep emotions — likely trauma from the fire — but he stayed calm. I added some humor and eventually he cracked a smile, though his eyes welled up like he was bracing for rejection.

“When I told him his case was approved, he let out a quiet celebration. When he saw the assistance instantly deposited, he froze, then smiled through tears and gave me a huge bear hug like we'd known each other for a lifetime. It’s moments like these that remind me why I do this work—it’s about more than assistance; it’s about hope.”

SUPPORT TO CONTINUE The Red Cross Long-Term Recovery team in Los Angeles will continue supporting recovery for up to three years. This includes Long-Term Recovery grants to local community organizations to help them scale up to meet the need or launch a new program. Together, the Red Cross will work alongside these organizations to conduct necessary recovery work, such as smoke and ash remediation, disaster case management, food security, multi-lingual information sharing and more.