Sammanfattande statistik
Fas 1: Omedelbar respons
Early January 7th, the Santa Ana winds sparked wildfires throughout many areas of LA County. Most devastating, the Palisades and the Eaton Fires, destroying tens of thousands of acres of land in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena, and Pasadena. Hundreds of thousands had to evacuate, with a state of emergency being declared almost immediately. Thousands of homes and structures were destroyed, devastating entire neighbourhoods, as well as taking the lives of 31 people. Our GEM USA West team was on the ground right away, and has been supported by our GEM HQ in order to provide the most robust effort. This disaster has completely destroyed communities, and our teams are working diligently to deliver hope and support indefinitely.
Hjälp med kontantkort från BStrong
In collaboration with BStrong, the cash card program was immediately implemented to provide evacuees with financial support. Cash cards are distributed to assist with urgent needs, such as gas, food, children’s supplies, clothing, and/or whatever else is needed most at that moment. The GEM BStrong team visited various locations throughout the area including shelters, evacuation points, and distribution sites to deliver cards. To date, over $500,000 in direct financial assistance has been provided.
Fördelning av stöd i LA County
GEM & BStrong have been providing Family Necessity Kits and other immediate needs for families who have been impacted by the fires. These supplies are being distributed throughout LA County in order to reach as many people as possible. We have constantly been distributing supplies such as food, water, hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, and all other goods requested by affected families. Furthermore, larger scale distributions of phase 2 items are taking place, such as home supplies, mattresses, and other longer-term goods. GEM also has been hosting and participating in distribution events throughout the county, providing aid, resources, cash assistance, and other support to affected residents.
Kortsiktigt boendestöd
We empathize greatly with those who have lost their homes and have been displaced due to this disaster. GEM & BStrong are working closely with displaced individuals and families to provide rental assistance funding for housing support during this time. Through this initiative, hundreds of people have been provided safe and reliable long term housing.
Verktygsprogram
Många av dem som har förlorat allt drabbas nu ytterligare av att de inte kan arbeta med sina hantverksyrken på grund av att de har förlorat sina verktyg. GEM stöder hantverkare genom detta initiativ genom att förse dem som har förlorat sina verktyg med helt ny utrustning så att de kan återuppta sitt arbete och få inkomst.
BIDRAGSPROGRAM FÖR SMÅFÖRETAG OCH HANTVERKARE
Som ett svar på de många företagare, konstnärer och entreprenörer i Los Angeles County som fått sina försörjningsmöjligheter förstörda, har GEM implementerat sitt Small Business Grant Program. Detta program hjälper dem som förlorat sina företag med ekonomiskt stöd för att kunna starta om sitt arbete, återfå inkomst och återvända till sitt hantverk.
Fas 2: Långsiktigt stöd
Long term infrastructure is in place to support the Los Angeles community indefinitely. We have established warehouse space in LA County to properly respond to the aftermath of these fires. Our smart partnership model allows us to quickly deploy large scale aid support into the region, and will support GEM’s commitment to uplifting these communities well into the future. GEM works with partners nationwide to fill our warehouses with necessary supplies, in order to deliver the most amount of aid to the greatest number of affected residents.
Partners
