Organizations across Southern California, including religious communities and businesses, are actively assisting residents and first responders affected by the wildfires.
The Southern California Christian Church Council has been consistently delivering relief supplies to wildfire victims.
Rev. Sam Shin, president of the council, stated, “Last week, we rented a truck and delivered 25 boxes of N95 masks, along with water, soap, blankets, and wipes, to the LA Dream Center and YMCA.”
He added, “We are preparing to send about 1,800 packs of Korean instant noodles to affected areas. Additionally, we are coordinating with the Korean church community to collect canned goods, diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, large trash bags, socks, and undergarments for distribution.”
![Relief supplies being unloaded from a truck organized by the Southern California Christian Church Council [Courtesy of Sam Shin]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/image-10.jpg)
The Won Buddhist temple in Los Angeles is also contributing to relief efforts. Eunseong Yang, the head of the temple, said, “Members from various temples across the U.S. are gathering donations. Once the funds are collected, they will be delivered to the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles or organizations assisting wildfire victims.”
Mainstream religious groups are also taking action. According to NBC News, volunteer Moninder Singh, a member of United Sikhs, has been providing warm meals at a Sikh temple Gurdwara in Covina to wildfire survivors. “Seeing the bright faces of victims when we share tea is comforting for us,” Singh remarked, noting that the temple also plans to distribute samosas, a traditional South Asian dish.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu temple in Chino Hills, has initiated relief activities. Volunteer Mehul Patel shared that shortly after the fires broke out, the temple gathered and delivered water, first-aid kits, and sleeping bags to a disaster relief organization in Pasadena. Patel emphasized the Hindu principle of Seva, or selfless service, as the driving force behind their efforts.
The Muslim community in Altadena has also faced significant losses. The Masjid Al-Taqwa mosque was completely destroyed in the recent Eaton Fire. Established in the 1970s, the mosque was a central gathering place for local Muslims. Former imam Jihad Saafir shared that the mosque served a diverse group of worshippers, bringing together families from various ethnic backgrounds. A crowdfunding campaign on LaunchGood has raised over $700,000 to support rebuilding efforts.
In the restaurant industry, humanitarian chef José Andrés, through his nonprofit World Central Kitchen (WCK), began providing hot meals just hours after the wildfires started. Several restaurants, including Felix Trattoria in Venice, have joined in with donations and volunteer efforts.
In Huntington Beach, the Calico Fish House turned into a donation center, offering free meals and essential supplies to victims. Owner-chef Andrew Gruel explained, “Over three days, more than 300 volunteers helped gather $200,000 worth of donated goods.” He also highlighted a Bakersfield farmer who delivered 1,000 pounds of meat and diapers via trailer to assist the effort.
BY YOONJAE JUNG [jung.yoonjae@koreadaily.com]
