Local philanthropists Greg and Jody Perlman on Tuesday, with help from the Change Reaction Platform and GoFundMe, distributed checks and gifts to hundreds of families displaced by the Palisades fire and struggling with expenses. I gave you a card.
The Perlmans, who made their fortune in real estate, have long been known for their philanthropy in Los Angeles. In 2021, they profile in Los Angeles Jewish Journal The title is “Introducing a couple who donate their assets to boost the City of Angels.'' The family's strategy is to avoid donating to large organizations with high costs, and instead direct funds to individuals in need through Change Reaction. platform.
For the victims of the Palisades fire, the Perlmans donated $1,000 checks to families who were forced to evacuate but still have homes they could theoretically return to someday. Each homeless family was given $2,500.
On Tuesday, a chilly January night with Santa Ana winds blowing, Palisades residents who applied for relief lined up outside the YMCA in Sawtelle to register and pick up their checks.
Before the donations were distributed, there were talks by local faith leaders, many of whom lost their homes save for a cross in the sanctuary — including John Shaver of the Community Methodist Church, which was gutted in the fire. This included a pastor.
Change Reaction was supported by many other faith leaders, especially Rabbi Zushe Kunin. Chabad of the Palisadeswere informing the community about opportunities to apply for assistance. Several religious leaders were recognized for their work at the event.
Tracy Park, a first-term Los Angeles City Council member, broke down in tears during her speech as she described how difficult it will be to deal with the scale of devastation in the community when residents return. But she was also determined to help residents rebuild their communities, she said.
For many local residents, the fires have been not only traumatic but also humiliating. Some people lost everything they owned in the fire, and some even lost their fire insurance literally days before the disaster. That's thanks to state policies that have forced insurance companies to cancel policies or leave California altogether.
Even those who managed to save their homes suddenly found themselves in financial trouble, having to come up with funds for long-term accommodation at inflated prices as thousands entered the rental market all at once. There wasn't. A family that has been generous to others for years now finds itself in need of donated clothing, food, and cash.
“We donate directly to people in need, and there is no one more deserving, especially at this time,” Jodi Perlman told Breitbart News.
The relief was evident on the faces of many residents, as was the trauma. For most people, the gathering was the first time they had met face-to-face since the evacuation. People couldn't stop sharing their stories about the fire. Some were stories of neighbors helping neighbors, but many were also stories of being abandoned by city leaders and public services while watching their homes burn.
There will be a calculation. For now, there is some relief and hope.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. he is the author of Agenda: What should President Trump do in his first 100 days?available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of Trumpian Virtues: Lessons and Legacy of the Donald Trump Presidencynow available on Audible. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
