SOW & SAMO: Building Greener, Safer Grounds

Wildfire relief

San Fernando Valley

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Wildfires in Los Angeles disproportionately affect lower-income and underserved communities, who often lack resources for effective wildfire prevention and recovery. In the 2025 wildfires, over 323,000 residents were affected, with at least 74,000 being Latino, representing about 1 in 4 of those impacted. These communities face compounded challenges due to preexisting health disparities, limited access to insurance, and inadequate disaster preparedness. Addressing this issue is urgent as climate change intensifies wildfire frequency and severity, making community-wide preparedness essential for safety, resilience, and equity.
Source: UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, January 2025
https://knowledge.luskin.ucla.edu/2025/01/23/data-brief-wildfires-and-latino-communities-health-economic-and-preparedness-challenges/?utm

Our initative, focuses on supporting low-income Latino and underserved residents most affected by wildfires. We will offer bilingual workshops on wildfire prevention, evacuation planning, and home safety, alongside resource hubs supplying soil testing and fire-safe materials. Volunteers and interns from our pre-existing internship program will be trained to lead outreach and sustain efforts. This program uniquely addresses barriers like language, insurance, and resource access, empowering residents to better prepare for and recover from wildfires. By combining education, resources, and local leadership, we aim to build safer, more resilient communities facing increasing wildfire risks.

If successful, our project will increase wildfire preparedness and resilience in underserved Los Angeles neighborhoods, reducing risk and improving safety for over 75,000 residents. In the short term, we will build community capacity through education, resource distribution, and local leadership development. This foundation will enable sustained peer-to-peer wildfire preparedness networks beyond the grant period.
Long term, we plan to expand the model to additional high-risk communities across LA County, partnering with local agencies and organizations to integrate wildfire readiness into broader climate resilience and public health initiatives. Our work will help create a county where vulnerable residents have equitable access to the tools and knowledge needed to withstand wildfire threats, making LA safer and more resilient in the face of growing climate challenges.