How to Help Event Professionals Affected by LA Fires

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting and event professionals are among the many who have been devastated by the wildfires raging in Los Angeles. Here are some disaster relief resources that can help.

The wildfires continue to devastate the Los Angeles area — as of today they have already caused the deaths of 24 people, demolished 12,000 buildings and homes, and burned more than 60 square miles. And, with winds expected to continue to howl through the area through Wednesday and the Palisades and Eaton fires continuing to blaze, the danger isn’t over yet.

Fortunately, downtown LA has escaped the brunt of the wildfires, and the Los Angeles Convention Center is continuing to hold meetings and events as scheduled, according to this report. But that doesn’t mean that meeting and event professionals in the greater Los Angeles area have escaped personal devastation from the fires.

To help those who have been displaced from their homes due to recent wildfires, HotelPlanner has mobilized its call center teams to operate 24/7 to help residents find alternative shelter for themselves, their families, and even their pets. The company also is working to address request for proposals for teams who are coming in to support and assist in recovery efforts, such as firefighters and restoration crews.

Another resource affected planners in the LA area can turn to is the SEARCH Foundation, which was founded 28 years ago to help event, meetings and catering professionals in need due to illness or catastrophe. This organization is ready to extend help, having put together a special resource page just for meeting, event and catering professionals who need help due to the LA fires. Meeting pros can apply for help by filling out a simple form on that page. SEARCH also has collated an extensive list of related resources and LA wildfire support sites, from FEMA to the Red Cross to the California Department of Insurance.

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Destinations International also had jumped into action by launching a Los Angeles Wildlife Recovery Fund, which in just 72 hours post-launch already had raised more than $100,000 to provide relief and support to the LA community. Among those who have committed $10,000 to the fund are Visit Baltimore, Visit Greater Palm Springs, IMEX Group, Visit West Hollywood, Visit Anaheim, Visit Newport Beach and Hunden Partners. Among the $5,000-level donors to date are Longwoods International, Meet Boston and Visit Seattle. Donations are welcome from DMOs and convention and visitors bureaus, but also individuals, says DI. Donations can be made directly through this website. A full 100% of all donations will go directly toward recovery efforts in the affected areas.

“We are deeply moved by the outpouring of support from Destinations International members and partners, as well as the broader tourism industry,” said Don Welsh, President and CEO of Destinations International. “This recovery fund underscores the strength of our community and our shared commitment to standing with Los Angeles in its time of need.”

The Destinations International Foundation will work closely with Adam Burke, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, and Kristin McGrath, CDME, Executive Director of Visit Pasadena, to identify the most impactful allocation of funds in the coming weeks and months.

There also are a plethora of other ways to support relief and recovery efforts  — Discover Los Angeles has compiled this information on how to help — but be sure to thoroughly vet the charity as, sadly, disasters also seem to spawn fraudsters looking to gain from other people’s tragedies. One site that vets charities is Charity Navigator — check its Where to Give Now page for a list of organizations it says are well suited to help those in need from the LA wildfires.

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Image courtesy of Freepik