Contributions for fire victims in Los Angeles are helping in the disaster zone and locally for those who are displaced
SANTA BARBARA, Calif - The generosity of community members miles away from the Los Angeles fire disaster zone is coming out with bags and boxes of donations.
It's been an amazing haul sorted and stacked inside the hall at All Saints by the Sea Episcopal Church in Montecito.
When the disaster needs were obvious following the devastating Los Angeles fires, a church member, Alex Perry, started the effort and the outpouring came with boxes and bags of contributions.
Messages were going out swiftly on social media.
It's been a combined drive of clothing and necessities between All Saints By the Sea and the Crane Country Day School nearby, which had a collection and made a delivery to the church.
The Rector Rev. Channing Smith said, "people were fast to volunteer because of their own experiences either in a fire or the debris flow themselves and they knew specifically what to give and what would be helpful." He said they mobilized fast. "There was no structure in place as we received these donations instead people would grab this and knew how to sort all this out," as he pointed to the tables of organized donations.
The donations were from all ages and their pets.
"Montecito has a sweetness and a generosity and a kindness to it that is unique. I wonder if our own experience seven years ago may have created a sense that we are all in this together and we are vulnerable to the extremities of life."
This effort is both immediate and there is a plan to be a resource as the fire victims relocate either temporarily or permanently and determine what their next set of needs will be in the weeks ahead.
The bulk of the donations have been overwhelming and the first phase has stopped for now except for two specific donations they re taking in. Those are air mattresses and cots.
Another immediate donation came from the Ace Rivington Clothing store in Santa Barbara.
Owner Beau Lawrence put a social media message out last week, asking for fire victims to write to him with a message, a mailing address and their size.
The fire victims saw it and with his staff, hundreds of pants and shirts are going out at no cost.
Lawrence said, "sometimes my heart moves a little too fast but I don't care. We are here to help and this is what this is all about."
The rapid response meets an immediate need.
"The power of our local community and the support behind it is just enormous. Just having all these people here to get these orders out is part of the magic of Santa Barbara," said Lawrence.
Each shipment also came with a hand written message.
