Months after FireAid, victims still need help
An investigation by journalist Sue Pascoe suggests millions raised during the star-studded FireAid concert may not be reaching directly to wildfire victims.
The backstory:
Pascoe, editor of Circling the News, has been digging for answers as she was among the Southern California residents who lost their homes to the Palisades Fire.
"A reader sent me a little note and said, 'I've never seen any fire aid money,'" Pascoe said. "There's 12,000 people basically… homes gone. Those people probably wanna know where the money is."
The FireAid concert was held earlier in the year to raise money for the wildfire survivors. The concert series – held at Intuit Dome and Kia Forum in Inglewood – featured big names like Billie Eilish, Earth, Wind & Fire, Katy Perry, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many others.
$100M FireAid concert funds under scrutiny. Where has the money gone?
The funds raised came from ticket sales, sponsorship, donations and gifts. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie Ballmer also pitched in, vowing to match all the pledges received in an announcement earlier in the year.
What they're saying:
Pascoe said she reached out to the Annenberg Foundation, who she says oversees the wildfire funds. According to the Circling the News editor, the organization got back to her and referred Pascoe to the Los Angeles Clippers' communication chief Chris Wallace.
FOX 11 reached out to Wallace following our interview with Pascoe. In a statement, Wallace said every dollar was set aside for the community and that "not a single dollar" was spent on administrative costs.
Below is the full statement issued by Wallace:
"As a newly formed 501c3, FireAid does not have the capability to make direct payments to individuals and that was never the plan. To deliver aid into the community, we partnered directly with trusted local nonprofits who have the capacity to reach the communities in need, to provide food security, housing, and resources for schools. Each dollar was intended for the community, and a stipulation of the funds was that not a single dollar was spent on administrative costs."
Where is the money going?
What we know:
Earlier in the spring, it was revealed the money raised during the concerts would be distributed in phases.
The first round of grants – which were distributed in February – provided $50 million in relief to more than 120 nonprofit organizations. Officials said the grants supported families, displaced homeowners, foster youth, seniors, small business owners, first responders, artists, and others with emergency housing, food assistance, trauma counseling, direct financial relief, childcare, and animal welfare services.
In the second phase of grants, FireAid officials said earlier in the year that the upcoming round focuses on long-term recovery and restoring "stability, connection and well-being across entire communities."
The $25 million will go towards supporting initiatives around financial and housing stability, mental health and trauma services, and community infrastructure. Additional funding will also go toward environmental remediation, soil testing, permitting support, sustainable rebuilding efforts, and educational support for students. Aid was also given to small businesses and displaced workers.
Phase 3 takes in applications for nonprofits looking to receive a grant from FireAid. Those looking to apply can click here for more information.
A full list of organizations, broken down by category, can be found here.
The Source: This report used information provided by journalist Sue Pascoe, the Los Angeles Clippers and previous FOX 11 reports.
WildfiresIntuit DomeLos Angeles ClippersPacific PalisadesAltadenaLos Angeles CountyCalifornia