Financial support is pouring in for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires, as famous celebrities, leading tech companies and billionaires come together to lend a helping hand.
Federal and local assistance programs are working to compensate survivors with temporary shelter and funding for necessities during this difficult time. However, additional support from famous movie stars, musicians, technology entrepreneurs and global corporations will further assist Los Angeles fire survivors in their recovery journey.
Here is a list of donations made by famous people and companies over the past week:
Leonardo DiCaprio
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio posted on Instagram that he will donate £819,000 ($1 million) to support “urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts” in Los Angeles. Initial assistance will immediately benefit the Los Angeles Fire Department and the California Fire Protection Association.
The ecologist will donate to his organization’s Re:wild Rapid Response programme. “LA wildfires are devastating our city,” the Oscar-winning actor stated on his Instagram Story.
The 50-year-old actor added that this conservation organization is “uniquely positioned to respond to environmental disasters and emergencies.”
Beyoncé
Meanwhile, Beyoncé’s BeyGood Foundation also wrote in an Instagram post that it has pledged £2.04 million ($2.5 million) to help affected families during the recovery phase.
The foundation will donate the money to the Los Angeles Fire Relief Fund, which works tirelessly to help affected residents during the raging wildfires.
“The fund is intended to assist families in the Altadena/Pasadena area who have lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to meet the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires,” the foundation’s post said.
Paris Hilton
Celebrity Paris Hilton has joined the cause by launching an emergency fund through her nonprofit 11:11 Media Impact to support wildfire survivors who have lost their entire homes. Hilton will contribute £81,970 (US$100,000) to the fund and will make a further personal donation of up to US$100,000.
Hilton is also among the victims who lost their homes in the fires. “My heart goes out to everyone affected by the devastating fires here in Los Angeles,” she wrote. Instagram. “As I lost my home in Malibu, my thoughts are with the countless families who have lost so much — their homes, their treasured keepsakes, the communities they loved, and their sense of stability.”
“As a mother, I cannot imagine the pain and fear of not having a safe place for your children,” she added. “I ask others to join me in doing our part to support these families.”
Eagles
Rock band Eagles recently Announce They have pledged £2.04 million ($2.5 million) to the upcoming FireAid gala for Los Angeles fire victims, scheduled for January 30 at the Intuit Dome. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the rock band will be part of the concert or not.
The event, billed as an “evening of music and solidarity,” is produced by the Irving Azoff family along with Live Nation and AEG Presents.
All proceeds from the concert will go directly to an organization launched to rebuild Los Angeles’ infrastructure and support displaced families.
Mark Zuckerberg
The world’s second richest person and Meta Platforms founder Mark Zuckerberg, along with his wife Priscilla, donated £1.63 million ($2 million) to the cause.
Their pledge will directly benefit relief services on the ground.
Furthermore, Meta donated another $2 million to companies like the Pasadena Humane Society and the American Red Cross to help affected families.
Steve Ballmer
Billionaire and Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie Announced yesterday The Palmer Group will pledge £12.29 million ($15 million) in emergency funding for families affected by the bushfires in the Altadena region.
The Palmer family is also co-hosting the upcoming FireAid Gala in partnership with the Azoff family.
YouTube and Google
On January 15th press releaseGoogle and YouTube announced that they will contribute £12.29 million (US$15 million) with Google.org to companies such as the American Red Cross, Los Angeles Emergency Network, and the Institute for Nonprofit News.
Technology companies will continue to support future rebuilding efforts in partnership with industry peers.
Amazon
In a Blog postOnline retail and artificial intelligence player Amazon said it will donate £8.19 million ($10 million) to national disaster response organizations, including the Red Cross, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the Habitat For Los Angeles Wildfire Fund.
The donation comes from Amazon’s entertainment unit, Ring and Whole Foods Market.
Amazon has been actively involved in relief efforts, donating more than 145,000 essential items to 17 local organizations.
It will also provide emergency responders with AWS cloud technology and drone support to improve response times and response strategies to ongoing wildfires.