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The Los Angeles wildfires have left a devastating scar, leaving lives disrupted and neighborhoods shattered, but it has also illuminated the love, care, and resilience of Angelenos.

 all of you to tell us about the people who stepped up in ways big and small to support one another during a time of crises.

We then randomly selected ten community heroes from your nominations on our 

 post. We’re sending each of them $100 gift cards to 

 as a small token of our appreciation. Now, we're grateful to share the inspiring and moving submissions we received.

A huge thank you to all of the nominators and nominees.

Meet the randomly selected #ThankYouAngelenos community heroes:

Los Angeles Artists Yield: Union for Distributing Aid 

was nominated for the great work their artists are doing.

 was nominated for persevering in delivering food to those in need in spite of all the road closures encountered.

 was nominated for dedicating their time to coordinate mask drops, volunteers, and aid distribution for affected neighbors.

was nominated for their tireless work to secure a safe location for families to return to in-person learning.

was nominated for never stepping down nor shying away from expressing how many of us feel through her art. She got active and made huge strides in helping all affected by the fires.

 was nominated for their incredible impact on the community. During the LA fires, they delivered hot meals, clothing, shoes, and even blow-up beds to those affected.

was nominated for leading many on the ground efforts supporting Deaf and disabled survivors with Off The Grid Missions, including helping to open two donation centers with medical supplies for disabled folks and making deliveries.

for being a great community leader in Los Angeles– from helping out with fire victims to hosting the “BIGGEST WATER FIGHT.”

was nominated for their love, grace, and support for those affected by the Eaton fire.

And, below are some of your other inspiring nominations:

 was nominated for her work with the Red Cross and her passion and dedication to helping others in their time of need.

 was nominated for their constant support of the community, during the fires and always.

 was nominated for always stepping up to feed those in need, now and for decades.

 was nominated for their long hours dedicated to cooking up hot meals for firefighters.

 was nominated for creating a space in her home to help out the running community.

 was nominated for volunteering to support other restaurant's efforts during her free time.

 was nominated for always helping everyone in the community.

 was nominated because at just 9 years old she knew how to step up and raise money for her favorite skate shop (Paliskates) that burned down in the Palisades fires. She was competing at CASL Nationals in skateboard street and told her parents that for every trick she made, she wanted a certain amount donated to help the shop. She placed second overall. Nailed her tricks and then made her parents show her the online donation amount to Paliskates.

 was nominated for being instrumental in supporting efforts to make a meaningful impact on those in need.

 was nominated for his day in and day out efforts volunteering and managing the overall volunteer efforts at his local YMCA.

was nominated for her consistency and bravery in keeping the community connected to all the ways we can be of service to the Black community and families affected by the fires. She pivoted the focus from celebratory events and parties to mutual aid efforts and continues to align her large following with the regrowth and healing of Los Angeles.

 were nominated for their work during the wildfires and beyond.

 was nominated for serving free meals to the community, including veterans.

Thank You, Angelenos – Honoring Our Community Heroes

Wildfires are currently affecting communities across LA County, but in challenging times like these, our strength lies in coming together. Below, you'll find critical information for Angelenos, including emergency response and evacuation guidance, tools for tracking fire activity, health and safety tips, support for those impacted, and more.

If you know of additional resources that could make a difference, please email us at 

Los Angeles Wildfires: Volunteer & Support Guide

 for ways to help including volunteering and donating.]

Sign up for LA City’s Emergency Alert System 

 for essential resources ranging from live notifications, disaster assistance, individual assistance, and more.

New fires and life threatening emergencies: Call 

Police non-emergency services: Call 877-275-5273.

Fallen trees or wind related hazards: Call LA County Public Works at 800-675-4357.

 for older and disabled adults from the Los Angeles County Department of Aging and Disabilities.

Disability Disaster Access & Recovery Center

: Assistance for individuals with disabilities or older adults.

Disaster Safety for People with Disabilities

, including the “6 P’s”: people/pets, papers, prescriptions, photos, personal computers, and plastics (ID/cards/cash).

If you find injured wildlife, please text the 

 wildlife helpline at 626 344 1129. If you find 

, including dogs and cats, please call Animal Control at

Due to the ongoing Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, the following shelters are 

available for animals affected by the evacuation orders

 for pets affected by the LA Wildfires, and free pet food and supplies.

, a free tool designed to provide official safety information directly from local authorities during emergencies like wildfires.

, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, offers a free app which alerts you of nearby wildfires and firefighting efforts in real-time.

 - A tool to highlight resources available to those whose lives were impacted by this year’s wildfires

South Coast Air Quality Management District

 recommends to use N95/P100 masks outdoors; keep windows closed and use HEPA air purifiers.

 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

L.A. County Fires Safety Tips for Outdoor and Indoor Safety including Tips for Cleaning, Breathing and Pets

 from the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

: Keep fridge closed; perishable food is safe for 4 hours without power, frozen food for up to 48 hours if the freezer is full.

 if you lost food during a recent outage, for a possible reimbursement.

If you currently receive CalFresh benefits and lost food due to an electrical outage, fire, or need to evacuate you could get credit back on your EBT card. Click here for ways to file your 

Apply for FEMA assistance (temporary housing, emergency needs, or repair grants) at 

, via the FEMA app, or by calling 800-621-3362. 

Contact your Congressional member’s office for help with forms or additional assistance.

Local Assistance & Disaster Resource Centers

 will be open to the public daily until further notice. Assessor staff will be on-site at two locations to help property owners file Misfortune & Calamity Relief Claims and provide support.

 City of Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department

 has compiled a list of resources available for businesses and workers impacted by the Los Angeles City Wildfires.

 is offering assistance with wildfire-related insurance claims. Call 800-927-4357.

 is providing vital and property records access for those affected by the fires.

 is providing grants to local newsrooms reporting on California wildfires

Emergency Shelters & Housing Accomodations

, in partnership with 211 LA, is offering free temporary housing to those displaced by the Los Angeles wildfires.

Hilton, American Express and 211 LA have announced a plan to provide 

vouchers to people impacted by the fires to stay, free of charge

Access LAHSA’s 24-hour emergency shelters through the 

 offers services for vehicular homelessness: Call/text 323-210-3375 or email warmline@safeparkingla.com.

, text DRC and a zip code to 43362 (4FEMA).

, text SHELTER and a zip code to 43362 (4FEMA).

 is a program that provides immediate food assistance for victims of natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, or fires.

 is working with government agencies, nonprofit and faith-based partners and others to respond to the fires throughout Los Angeles County.

 has organized a map and list of free food distribution from 60 partner agencies on the front lines of social services and hunger relief.

 is distributing free hot meals to the public at the following locations in Southern California in response to multiple active wildfires near Los Angeles.

Department of Recreation and Park Support Camps

 provide a supportive and safe environment for children and families impacted by the Palisades fires.

 is offering FREE drop-in programs at select recreation centers. Available for children ages 5-12, and providing a safe environment during school closures.

Los Angeles City Community Investment for Families Department

’s FamilySource Centers (FSCs) are open to support families during this critical time.

 across our county are offering services ranging from emergency child care services to food distributions, and much more.

 designed to provide valuable information and resources during natural disasters from LAUSD.

. Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn has also authorized suspending fares while wildfire conditions exist.

Big Blue Bus has suspended fare collection

 has resumed service, and rides are free.

Residents in Los Angeles County who’ve been ordered to vacate their homes can get a credit from 

 to get to an evacuation site. The $40 will only be valid for trips to an active shelter and by using the code WILDFIRE25.

 is offering a $10 one-way ticket on its Pacific Surfliner to help Southern Californians reach their destinations. Purchase discounted tickets online using the code V505 by Friday Jan. 17 and are valid for trips between Jan. 13 and Jan. 24.

 provides free, 24/7 multilingual crisis counseling at 1-800-985-5990.

LAUSD Student and Family Wellness Resource Line

, students and families can call 213-241-3840 (Monday - Friday, 7 am - 6 pm) for mental health support for students and families.

Resources to Support Firefighters & their Families

 from the Center for Firefighter Behavioral Health.

 from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers resources to help children and families cope with disasters (

 from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

Mental Health and Wellness Resources - Wildfire and Windstorm

 from the Los Angeles County Office of Education, and 

, powered by Peer Health Exchange, is a web app co-designed with young people to provide youth with safe, inclusive, evidence-based, and identity-affirming health resources and information.

 has a free store for fire relief, offering no-cost clothing to those that need it.

 Los Angeles Wildfires: Safety & Support Guide for Angelenos

Our VaLAntine’s Day Match is still going, and we still have $5,000 in matching funds available!

Double the love, double the impact! 

So today, we aren't saying "goodbye" to Lauren Song, but rather, "see your work soon" in galleries, movies, and in the products and productions of anyone reading this who hires Lauren to do graphic design and illustration work.

Lauren completes on January 31 their second consecutive term with us as the Goldhirsh Foundation and LA2050 Design Fellow.

During that period, you've seen their works across our social media platforms and elsewhere.

(For a deeper dive, visit the Gallery page of our website (

) featuring Lauren's work, as well as those of their predecessors.)

Lauren has created extraordinary works such as those seen in the recent LA2050 Zine Vol. 1; the iconic LA location posters for the 2023 LA2050 Grants Challenge; the Pop Art / comic book style-inspired "action" works for the 2024 LA2050 Grants Challenge; the pun-rageous VaLAntines Day cards series; multiple LA2050 "Birthday Book" e-books.

In one of those e-books, we tasked Lauren with coming up with a way to indicate from which countries various consul generals and honorary consuls hailed from. Lauren could have taken a cliched path and used flags or national crests, but instead, they hand drew the national flower of each nation in the book. So good, and so creative.

Internally, we learned from Lauren, as they hosted a "Design Corner" segment during our weekly team "Original Content and Social Media" meeting. During these segments, they'd share, for instance, typography they were inspired by, or historical infographics they'd be studying, or zine imagery from eras past and present.

In Lauren's non-LA2050 hours these past two years, their projects included being the illustrator of the short film, 

Here's the announcement of Lauren's starting time with us: 

https://la2050.org/blog/new-fellow-lauren-song-joins-goldhirsh-foundation-and-its-la2050-initiative

https://canvasrebel.com/meet-lauren-song/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-song-05b310172/

Thank you, Lauren, for spending your time with us and bringing so much great art and design to the LA2050 community!

LA2050 Blog

Thank You, Lauren Song!