As part of its continuing efforts to aid survivors of the devastating wildfires that roared through Southern California in January 2025, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently hosted a six-day, multiagency resource center where dozens of organizations gathered to facilitate hope and provide survivors a wide range of resources in a single location.
The resource center, hosted at the Pasadena California Stake Center during the second week of May, was held in collaboration with the American Red Cross, Emergency Network Los Angeles and its network of providers. Together, they aimed to support roughly 2,500 households, reported a May 17 news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Said Michael Flood, board chair for Emergency Network Los Angeles: “One nonprofit, one church, one faith-based organization can do something, and everyone does respond. But really, the response is so much more effective when everyone comes together.”
The services offered to wildfire survivors by the various nonprofit and public-sector organizations present at the resource center included: debris removal and cleanup services, emotional and spiritual care, housing and employment guidance, legal and insurance guidance, financial assistance and more.
Latter-day Saint volunteers and young missionaries played a key role in helping manage cases and distribute items, such as air purifiers, hygiene kits and meal kits, in bulk. According to the Church, more than 1,200 local members contributed over 7,000 hours of volunteer service between this and two previous six-day resource center periods.
“The volunteers that we’ve had from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been really critical,” Flood said, adding that because a lot of them “spent time in other countries or are from other countries,” they were also able to aid in language translation.
Pasadena California Stake President Shaun Jorgensen said: “This event has been our opportunity as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to stand in the Savior’s stead and reach our hands out to lift others up in this community around us.”
According to Valerie Cox, who provides community outreach with Hope Crisis Response Network, one of the organizations present at the resource center, wildfire survivors are “overwhelmed with the process of trying to live.” Thus, receiving help from those who might be able to “steer them to the next step is super important,” she explained.
“These types of events are very important to survivors because hope is built on the cognitive thought that there is a step forward, there is a difference ahead for me.”
Zara Ciccotelli, a survivor of the Eaton Fire, found such hope seeing how many people were still willing to help. She expressed her gratitude for the center’s comprehensive support.
“It’s really amazing and heartwarming that so many people are putting their own time and effort into helping us,” she said. “We were worried in the beginning that all the help would kind of dwindle and not go on, but today there’s still a lot of people, a lot helping, and it’s very nice. I think there is hope.”
Expressing her support, Alexis Helgeson, community recovery specialist for the American Red Cross, said: “We have not forgotten about you. We aren’t moving on, and we’re going to get through this together.”
She emphasized the ongoing commitment required to help the community heal and recover.
Having recently driven street after street through the burn zones, President Jorgensen said he and his family spotted flowers blooming and grass sprouting amid the rubble. He testified of this as a sign of God’s love and care.
“It’s emblematic that there’s hope, that Heavenly Father’s mindful of us, that He will help us to rebuild, He will help us to grow and learn from this experience and to love and serve each other.”
Learn more about how the Church has extended ongoing relief to those affected by the wildfires in Southern California this year. Also, see how impacted individuals and families are embracing faith, hope and resilience.
