Funds Raised by Hollywood for Los Angeles Fire Victims Spark Debate
The recent Fireaid concert, which took place on January 30th, had an impressive lineup across two stadiums and reportedly generated around $100 million in public donations aimed at aiding the victims of the Palisade and Eton fires.
However, there’s ongoing controversy regarding the proper allocation of these funds. Local ABC affiliate KABC-7 has indicated that the received funds are actually being utilized by the organizations, but critics argue that none of the money directly reaches fire victims; instead, it’s primarily channeled to nonprofits. Firefighters, too, only indirectly benefit through these organizations.
Recent reports suggest some groups that received Fireaid funding have only weak ties to the fire-affected communities, with their missions being quite tangential. For instance, the California Native Voting Project, a political nonprofit, aims to encourage Native American participation in politics. Fireaid claims it supports “evacuated and affected native families, healing and mental health services, and the distribution of key health and safety resources.”
Census figures show that the impacted areas had only a small number of Native American residents—16 in Pallisard and 46 in Altadena, which was affected by the Eton fire. While the voting project is marketed as nonpartisan, it has radical political leanings, including actions like the removal of the Christopher Columbus statue and opposition to federal immigration laws.
Another recipient, Calvolunteers, is a national organization operated by the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and funded by taxpayers. Their role, as stated on the Fireaid website, revolves around providing “increased training and scholarships for volunteers assisting with benefits navigation services and wildfire repair.” It’s unclear why funding would come from donor contributions instead of state resources.
Some recipient organizations have indeed provided valuable services, including direct relief to households. However, others appear less beneficial. For example, the California organization Idepsca received funding to support “displaced people affected by the fire,” focusing on organizing and educating immigrants dealing with community issues.
