In early January 2025, Los Angeles County began to face a series of deadly wildfires. After burning through more than 40,000 acres of land, destroying more than 16,000 structures and displacing many thousands of families and communities. The fires consumed entire neighborhoods, leaving toxic debris and bringing destruction to houses, schools, community centers and places of worship—ultimately disrupting entire livelihoods. Though the fires were fully contained on January 31, entire neighborhoods have been demolished and others left uninhabitable due to the toxic contaminants and damaged water systems. Affected community members have experienced profound financial and property losses, significant disruptions to school and work attendance—resulting in a loss of wages—and enormous mental and emotional stress as lives have been upended.
As affected residents face the long-term implications of the fires—including displacement, exacerbated health conditions and extreme property and financial loss—there is a heavy mental and emotional toll. More than a month later, many affected Los Angeles residents are still working to navigate emergency paperwork and appointments with FEMA, insurance, work and housing while continuing to go to work, take children to school and otherwise live their lives. Long-term housing solutions remain scarce amid the backdrop of Los Angeles’ high-cost housing market; and there has been a notable increase in the number of unhoused individuals in Skid Row. Needs remain significant among affected residents, people at risk of or experiencing homelessness and the most vulnerable.
International Medical Corps, headquartered in Los Angeles, deployed an Emergency Response Team within 24 hours of the first fire outbreak. We immediately began operating in close communication with state, county and local responders—including the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) and the LA Mayor’s office— on coordination efforts. Since initiating our response, International Medical Corps has distributed 4,903 wound-care kits, more than 39,000 hygiene items and 35,600 KN95 masks directly to community members and displaced residents at both the Pasadena Convention Center shelter and the Santa Anita Park Way Community Distribution Center. International Medical Corps is working to quickly facilitate and distribute thousands of additional supplies to federally qualified health center partners and local organizations.
Over the course of our response, International Medical Corps deployed 58 medical and mental health professionals, including 34 nurses and 15 mental health professionals—many of whom are California and Los Angeles locals—to provide critical medical and mental health care in shelters and at community distribution centers and re-entry points. Though the direct medical and mental health services we provided within the shelters have concluded, International Medical Corps is continuing to work in Los Angeles. We are partnering with federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), free and charitable clinics, and social-service organizations reaching people at risk of or experiencing homelessness to identify and meet the needs of populations who have been most heavily impacted by the fires and remain the most vulnerable. However, many of our partner organizations have been impacted themselves in a number of ways, including suffering damage to facilities, equipment and supplies; experiencing a reduced workforce (as many staff have been directly impacted by the fires); and interacting with patients who do not have the time or financial means to prioritize medical care or other administrative needs. For FQHCs, a decrease in patient visits also decreases revenue, jeopardizing each health center’s capacity to keep their doors open in the long run—a critical concern, as FQHCs provide care to the most underserved and vulnerable communities. Moving forward, International Medical Corps is working to fill these gaps and will 1) provide ongoing funds to address housing needs; 2) cover health visit and prescription copays for patients; 3) support mental health programming; and 4) facilitate and hold emergency management training sessions to ensure access to care and necessary resources.
By supporting this project, you can help bring urgently needed medical care and supplies to the people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires as they rebuild and recover from this disaster.
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Your Support can Save Lives!
By supporting this project or creating a giving opportunity of your own, you can make a lifesaving difference for families affected by crises in the United States and worldwide.
With the support of our global community, in 2023, we:
• reached nearly 16.5 million people affected by armed conflict, natural disasters and disease outbreaks;
• delivered 9,331,598 primary healthcare consultations;
• trained 107,202 people on health, mental health, protection and nutrition-related topics; and
• assisted 2,375,098 people with vital nutrition support.
Join International Medical Corps in our mission to build a healthier and more hopeful world for all in 2024.
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*Please Note for Recurring Donations: Once we have determined that the community can continue to respond to the after-effects of this emergency without us, we will scale back our response efforts. At that time, we will redirect your future donations where they are needed most to help us respond to future outbreaks of conflict, disease or disaster.
