By Hilda Rico Valdez & Samantha Posa

The start of 2025 has brought about many unprecedented events. On January 7, the Palisades and Eaton fires ignited in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Numerous communities have been severely affected, with many being forced to evacuate their homes to escape the fires. Everyday resources such as clothes and water stay scarce as great numbers of people remain displaced. A number of smaller fires started in other areas, with some occurring within the San Fernando Valley, such as the Hurst Fire in Sylmar.

In the aftermath of the devastating fires, many clubs at Granada Hills Charter (GHC) have taken action to deliver their support to impacted communities. Charity events, resource distribution, and business partnerships have all been organized by clubs to raise funds and supplies. Despite the fires occurring outside of the Granada Hills area, GHC students had the drive to care for the communities most impacted by the fires.

From January 27 to 31, GHC’s Robodox held a wildfire aid drive to provide a variety of different supplies for those in need. They collected over 100 miscellaneous items such as toiletries, blankets, toys, and nonperishable foods were collected and donated to the well-known organizations of the LA Food Bank and the Downtown Women’s Center.

“We chose to hold this drive because robotics as a whole emphasizes the importance of community, and our team has the motto of ‘engineering a brighter future,” Robodox Business Executive and junior Tiffany Kurniawan said. “In order to secure that brighter future for everyone, we felt a responsibility to help other people in our city thrive. In addition to donating the obvious necessities like non-perishable food and toiletries, we chose to include toys to help kids retain a sense of normalcy in these unfortunate circumstances. The Robodox team hopes that our contributions help our fellow Angelenos get back on their feet.”

Bee the Hope, led by president junior Neil Rayamajhi, prides itself on serving Los Angeles communities through volunteering. The club also fosters leadership skills in its members through hosting these philanthropic opportunities. From January 9 to 11, the club hosted a donation drive at Chatsworth Foursquare Church to raise supplies for both fire victims and firefighters, garnering over $10,000 worth of goods.

“We organized drives and donated food to various fire stations to help the first responders, while also helping by donating clothing items and hygiene products to those who have been displaced by the fire,” Rayamajhi said.

Along with direct donations contributed by members of the club and others, Bee the Hope also collaborated with a number of both local and large businesses such as Pita Pockets and Olive Garden to provide more funds toward supplying relief. This successful outreach led to even more support for the cause.

GHC’s Key Club division has worked to assist local communities affected by wildfires. Club members volunteered at the NoHo Home Alliance and at the Hand Brewed Beer in Chatsworth, distributing food, water, and clothes to homeless individuals who lived in the affected areas. They also helped sort the many donations that were dropped off in the donation distribution center.

“We were surrounded by mountains of donations and streams of people bringing in items and individuals sorting them,” club president and senior Camila Cruz Ramirez said. “It was nice to see that so many people from the community came together to help after such a devastating event.”

The club members were determined to create a safe environment for the homeless ensuring that they received meals and drinks. Their main mission was to offer comfort and support to the victims of the wildfires. Through their volunteer work, they constructed a strong sense of community within themselves and the residents that were impacted by the fires.

GHC’s Take Action Club partnered with their president’s father’s salon, Union Salon, to collect and donate clothing and beauty supplies to residents living in the Pasadena and Altadena areas. Displaced residents were also offered free hair and beauty services.

“We hope to make an impact by providing items and hope to families that have gone through this disaster,” club president and junior Alexandra Zaldivar said. “Physically, we are donating things that they have lost, but emotionally we hope to raise their spirits and help in any way that we can.”

In these difficult times, it is important for people to come together to assist others. The efforts made by these clubs demonstrate their dedication in bringing the impacted Los Angeles community together. Their initiative in stepping up to provide aid to those affected by the fires emphasizes why people need to look out for each other out in times of need.