Yvonne Garcia forgot to save Mr. Guacamole.

While hurriedly evacuating her Altadena, California home last week, the mother of two didn’t consider grabbing her 13-year-old daughter’s cherished avocado toast Squishmallow stuffed animal. She believed the family would be back soon. However, upon discovering that their home had completely burned down last Tuesday, the loss of her daughter’s beloved toy deepened the devastation.

“They kept asking questions like, ‘Why us? Why this? Where did our stuff go?” said Garcia, referring to her daughter and her 7-year-old son.

A few days later, she was amazed to see a post on Instagram about a team of volunteers committed to helping find exact replicas of stuffed animals that children lost in the fires. Just ten minutes after Garcia submitted her details to a Google spreadsheet, someone reached out and got a replacement Mr. Guacamole on its way to the family’s temporary residence at Garcia’s brother-in-law’s home in San Dimas.

“It was heartwarming to know that someone, no matter how far away, cared about a child who had lost everything and wanted to send something to comfort them – that meant a lot.”

This initiative was led by Ashley Reckdenwald, a physician’s assistant from New Jersey and founder of Working Mom Notes, a community for parents, who aimed to relieve some of the burden faced by those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires.

As thousands are displaced, various community groups, businesses, and individuals—including Reckdenwald—have found creative ways to aid families in distress, such as organizing stuffed animal drives, providing free therapy, and raising funds for service workers affected by the fires.

Here are some of the innovative ways individuals are supporting Angelenos after the wildfires.

Aid for housekeepers and nannies who lost employment

Numerous homes in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding areas have been destroyed in the fires. Many service workers, such as housekeepers, landscapers, nannies, and caregivers for the elderly, are now unemployed.

The Los Angeles nonprofit One Voice has launched a fund to assist these workers. All donations will help individuals from these communities cover their rent, food, and necessities as they seek new employment, according to Tanya Lopez Brooks, a founding board member of One Voice.

“We aim to ease the stress for fire victims and their families, alleviating the anxiety and worry for those who have lost their jobs,” Brooks shared. “It’s a holistic approach to support the entire community.”

Design professionals provide housing assistance

The Expert, a home shopping platform connecting clients with top designers, launched a hotline offering one-hour free video consultations for those who have lost their homes. Over 120 design professionals have volunteered more than 950 hours to assist individuals with their concerns about rebuilding, offering practical advice on construction, and enhancing temporary dwellings without considerable expense, said CEO Leo Seigal.

They also plan to develop a public registry of over 300 housing experts—including designers, contractors, and architects—who will provide complimentary or discounted services for people displaced by the fires.

Photographers help recover lost memories

Local photographers have offered their talents free of charge to assist those who lost valuable family photos in the wildfires, aiming to provide comfort and joy.

Rachel Gray, a family and wedding photographer from Malibu, is collaborating with makeup artist Veronica Sinclair to offer free maternity photoshoots for pregnant women who lost their homes. Recently, she received her first request from a husband wanting to gift his 8-month-pregnant wife a moment of joy amid their turmoil, but he couldn’t afford a photoshoot.

“I wanted to help mothers who have been displaced or lost their homes, bringing them joy or space to process their grief,” Gray expressed.

Other photographers throughout the city, which boasts a vibrant creative scene, are providing similar support. Andrew Max Levy, a photographer based in LA, recently advertised on Instagram that he would take new family photos for anyone who lost theirs in the fires. He expressed that the offer would remain open indefinitely. His post reached around 500,000 people, prompting a wave of support from others in the industry, including film labs, producers, and makeup artists.

Movies as an emotional escape

When the fires hit Altadena, the owners of Vidiots, a nonprofit cinema in nearby Eagle Rock, recognized that many would need a space to temporarily escape the emotional toll of the disaster.

On Monday, after receiving a generous donation from the production company Neon, Vidiots started screening films at no charge to provide a comforting distraction. They plan to continue this initiative through the end of January and potentially into February.

“Offering this to our younger community members was essential – to give them a chance to step out of sadness for a little while,” shared Maggie Mackay, executive director of Vidiots.

More creative ways people are offering support:

LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund: The Getty Museum and an assortment of arts organizations have established a fund to aid artists affected by the fires.

Fund for the music community: The Recording Academy and nonprofit MusiCares have created a $1 million fund to support fire victims with five or more years in the music industry.

Altadena Girls and Boys: An eighth-grade girl from Pasadena initiated the Altadena Girls donation drive that provides essential and luxury items to teenage girls who lost their homes. This prompted local boys to start a similar venture, collecting items for young boys.

Free therapy: The boutique Call Your Fam is linking fire victims with therapists providing complimentary sessions. Over 800 therapists have volunteered to offer these services; interested individuals can fill out a form for assistance.

Complimentary moving services: The company Lugg is offering no-cost moving services to individuals affected by the fires who need to relocate.

Vintage shop donating clothing: Quirk Vintage in LA is providing at least 10 free clothing items to wildfire victims. Their store is open weekly from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Grooming for pets: The pet salon Wag N’ Swag is offering free grooming services on Jan. 18 for the pets of first responders and those impacted by the wildfires.

Hotel accommodations for people and pets: The Stand Up For Pits Foundation is covering the cost for 20 hotel rooms for three days for individuals with pets who have been displaced. For inquiries, email info@standupforpits.us.

Makeup donations: The local mutual aid organization We Are Neighbors and Friends is collecting unused makeup and skincare products for the Black and Brown community.