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Learn MoreMonths after the LA wildfires, our Stand-Up for LA partners are helping communities build long-term resilience
If there’s one thing that’s become clear in the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires, it’s that recovery has many facets — some obvious and some more hidden. That’s why we are pleased to partner with three organizations deploying smart approaches for creating a better future for the city. From training young people in wildland disaster recovery to improving access to vision care and supporting local community leaders affected by the fires, each of these efforts has an eye toward long-term recovery and supporting low-income kids and families as they rebuild.
The Student Conservation Association recruited 45 young people from underrepresented communities to train at the US Forest Service Wildland Fire Academy, a unique school that’s addressing the growing wildfire crisis by teaching key fire suppression tactics and fuels reduction. At the academy, students will learn how to map forests, thin out brush, and set up safe, controlled burns in national forests — all of which prevent fires from growing in intensity and spreading. With the training they receive at the academy, students will also qualify for firefighting jobs in their area, and open up opportunities for them to pursue civil service and climate resilience careers.
Helen Keller International, on the other hand, is taking on a specific, often-forgotten aspect of healthcare. In communities impacted by the wildfires — especially Altadena, Pasadena, and Monrovia — many optometry offices were damaged or have closed. As a result, many residents have had trouble replacing lost or damaged glasses, with those on MediCal running into limits on their annual eye exams. With Stand-Up for LA funding, Helen Keller International’s California Vision Program is offering no-cost eye care to families affected by the fires, providing exams and glasses to those who need them and referring others on for specialist care.
For 35 years, Echoing Green has supported emerging leaders with bold ideas for social change — and their Community Care Fund has been essential, helping fellows who are facing disasters and political crises that put them at risk. With Stand-Up for LA funding, Echoing Green will support three fellows affected by the fires — two who lost their homes and one displaced because of environmental toxicity. Both fellows who lost houses have a long track record of supporting the communities most affected by the fires: Sissy Trinh is a community leader in Altadena whose nonprofit serves the neighborhood’s Southeast Asian population, and Brandon Smith runs the The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, which sets up formerly incarcerated individuals for success in fire prevention fields. Bolstering these young leaders will create a flywheel effect, bringing opportunities to others, too.
Read more about first responders and community heroes supported through Stand Up For LA in part one of this series: First on the Frontlines.
