Clio Health Second Deadline 25

GoFund LA Shares the Stories of Los Angeles Residents Hit Hard by the Wildfires

Here's how you can help

A few days into the Los Angeles wildfires, Dani Calogera saw an Instagram video about a man named Walt Butler that moved her to tears.

The 83-year-old’s Altadena home of over 60 years and all of his possessions were destroyed by the flames. And his children were trying to raise money through a GoFundMe they set up to secure temporary housing for Walt, rebuild his house and replace his vehicles.

After donating, Calogera, a marketing executive and founder of the What/If consultancy, wondered what more she could do to help more people. And she decided to use her storytelling skills and the power of social media to ‘shine a spotlight on the fundraising campaigns of residents who may need a little extra help getting their story out there.” So, along with Amy Israel, president of television at The North Road Company and various volunteers, Calogera launched GoFund LA on Instagram.

“In the first 48 hours, it reached nearly 100,000 individuals on Instagram and has been supported by celebrities such as actresses Amanda Seyfried, Katie Lowes and Mia Maestro, to name a few. While we cannot directly attribute donations,” says Calogera, pointing out that GoFund LA is not affiliated with GoFundMe. “Since launch, the first 10 families we’ve spotlighted have raised an additional $125,000, with three families meeting their goal.”

If you want to help, Calogera says you can start by following @GoFundLA and choosing an individual or a family in need to amplify using your social media network.

Donations can be made directly to the GoFundMe accounts of the affected people. “Do for one family what you wish you could do for all,” Calogera says. “If we each used the power of our networks to channel even $10 to a family in need each day, it could have a tremendous impact on helping them rebuild their lives.”

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Go Fund LA (@gofundla)

You can also submit information about people in need of support to: submissions@gofundla.org.

Clio Health Second Deadline 25