After the devastation of the Palisades Fire, many surrounding communities have come together, offering support and resources to those affected. From fundraising efforts to charity drives, hundreds of individuals are working to rebuild and restore what was lost.
Sophomore Oliver Ghiassi, along with four of his peers, hosted a resource drive called Threads of Hope. They encouraged anyone negatively impacted by the fires to visit the Bank of Montreal Stadium throughout the week of Jan. 13.
“We all recognized the great loss that the Palisades community was facing, and we thought that providing them with clothing and toiletries would be the best way to help,” Ghiassi said.
The organizers utilized social media to increase the drive’s outreach to potential donors and recipients.
“We did everything in our power to let people know what was going on and where,” he explained. “We used numerous social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to raise awareness.”
Ghiassi said he was shocked by everyone’s generosity and the amount of donations.
“We received an overwhelming amount of donations, it was even too much for seven buses of people,” he said. “In the end, we had to donate a few bags to the Salvation Army.”
According to Ghiassi, responses to the resource drive from the fire victims varied.
“Some people were over-appreciative, while others were obviously in too much pain to speak,” he said.
Ghiassi and his team hope to expand the Threads of Hope organization to include book and school supply drives in the near future.
“I believe we could start helping people get back to where they were before,” he explained. “Not only clothing and hygiene wise, but also with the necessary materials they need to participate in school.”
However, every individual follows a different path on their road to recovery. For example, sophomore Antonella Finci, a fire victim herself, found support through her community in a different way. A GoFundMe campaign that a friend of the family created for them raised more than $56,000.
“I didn’t even know about the GoFundMe until a few days later, but my family and I were all so touched by our friend’s gesture and thoughtfulness,” Finci said. “People who we haven’t talked to in years were donating which was really heartwarming.”
Finci explained that when she was evacuating, she and her family were not aware of the severity of the Palisades Fire.
“When we got the evacuation warning, my mom just told me to pack a pair of pajamas and a toothbrush,” she said. “She thought that we’d be back home the next day.”
Finci explained that she was unprepared for how quickly everything changed.
“When my dad told me that our house burned down, I refused to believe it,” she said. “I saw the video and immediately started sobbing.”
Finci is grateful for all the support she has received during her family’s hardships.
“We were all shocked by the amount of money collected in the end,” she said. “It just really goes to show how far a community can go in times of need.”
