Written by Jennifer Chien
Edited by Ida Eva Zielinska
To help accelerate relief efforts for those affected by recent wildfires in Southern California, Tzu Chi USA volunteers were invited to station at two Disaster Recovery Centers in Los Angeles County, where they quickly established a presence on January 14, 2025. Their primary focus was to help those impacted register for assistance, streamlining the process for upcoming distributions of pre-loaded debit cards. Further demonstrating community support, the monastics of the Hua Shia Buddhist Association, located in Monterey Park, California, collected relief supplies from generous donors and gave them to Tzu Chi to collaboratively provide compassionate care and assistance.
Providing Support at Disaster Recovery Centers
In a coordinated effort to support disaster recovery, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), Los Angeles County, and the City of Los Angeles jointly opened Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) on January 14, 2025, at two locations: the UCLA Research Park West and the Pasadena City College Community Education Center.
The DRCs serve as centralized hubs where government agencies, non-profit organizations, and insurance and legal service providers can assist disaster survivors, including help with replacing vital documents, navigating federal and community-based aid applications, and accessing essential resources like relief supplies.
On the same day that these two DRCs were established, after being notified by FEMA, Tzu Chi USA swiftly mobilized its volunteers to provide on-site support at both, initiating the registration process for disaster survivors in preparation for distribution of Tzu Chi’s pre-loaded debit cards.
At one of the DRCs, Davina E. Mapes from Cal OES explained: “We are collaborating with Los Angeles County, state and federal entities to operate the Disaster Recovery Centers in Pasadena and Los Angeles, offering a range of resources to those affected by the disaster. These resources include assistance with replacing driver’s licenses, filing taxes, navigating insurance claims, and applying for various types of aid. Furthermore, social service agencies are extending help to address their immediate needs by providing food and temporary shelter.”
Debra Boudreaux, CEO of Tzu Chi USA, explained, “We began with a phase of trial operation today. As both a religious and humanitarian organization, Tzu Chi is here to provide on-the-ground support to those affected by the fires beginning today. Residents with homes that were completely lost, partially damaged, or experiencing other hardships due to the fire, can all register for help with us here.”
Volunteers Whose Homes Were Destroyed Remain Dedicated to Helping Others
During a visit to the DRC at the UCLA Research Park West on January 14, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass made a point of visiting the Tzu Chi booth to express her sympathy to Tzu Chi volunteers Flora Yeh and Shouliang Huang, both of whom had lost their homes entirely in the recent fire. Huang’s dedication particularly moved Mayor Bass, as despite losing all his belongings except for the clothes he wore that day, he was there to serve others in need.
Huang remembered the harrowing moments of the mandatory evacuation from the house he had called home for so long. “I had lived there for nearly five decades and retired in that house over ten years ago,” he shared. “On January 7, we received the evacuation order from the City of Los Angeles. Initially, I was reluctant to leave, but the dense smoke made breathing difficult, so we decided to evacuate. In our haste, we hadn’t grasped the speed and intensity with which the fire would spread,” Huang recounted.
“My wife’s older sister, whose home was north of ours where the fire initially broke out, had sought shelter with us. I wanted her to stay a bit longer to assess the situation, but learning of the fire’s severity, we made the difficult decision to evacuate. The only place we had to go to was my son’s home nearby, where we sought temporary refuge.” he said.
“We left with only a few articles of clothing because all we saw was the thick smoke on the hills from our house, but not the fires,” Huang continued. Perhaps the family still held on to hope, but not for long. “Later that evening, a neighbor called to inform us of their own evacuation and the dire situation. The following morning, he returned on his bicycle and delivered the devastating news: ‘It’s all gone! Your house is completely destroyed! Burned to the ground!’”
Our entire home is gone, reduced to ashes. Now, all I have left are the clothes on my back, so it’s like starting completely from scratch.
Despite losing his home and becoming homeless himself, Huang continued to serve as a volunteer and assist fellow disaster survivors. He explained, “I used to volunteer with Tzu Chi in the past, participating in various relief efforts during my free time, but became less active due to career commitments. When I heard from Flora Yeh that Tzu Chi needed help here, I felt compelled to come and contribute.”
Other Organizations Join the Relief Effort Through Donations
On January 14, the Hua Shia Buddhist Association, based in Southern California, joined the aid effort. This Buddhist community of monastics and followers had collected relief items from various sources, which they then donated to Tzu Chi USA to support its compassionate activities. Venerable Masters Hung En, Wei Tang, An Cheng, and An Nien of the Association presented the donation of funds and essential supplies, which Tzu Chi USA CEO Boudreaux accepted on behalf of Tzu Chi.
Venerable Master An Cheng explained, “We recently held an Offering to Buddhas and Celestial Guardians Dharma service, during which we gathered our community to pray for those affected by the disaster. Our members generously contributed funds and essential supplies, including bottled water, quilts, blankets, masks, hygiene products, and clothing. These items have been arriving over the past few days, and we are humbly offering this contribution to provide some comfort and support to those in need.”
Tzu Chi’s work in this area has been truly remarkable. They have been quietly providing assistance in disaster-stricken areas, going beyond simply delivering supplies to addressing long-term development and post-disaster management and helping communities rebuild. Their efforts are truly commendable, and I am deeply moved and offer my sincere admiration. We are contributing what we can to offer a small token of support.
Furthermore, on the morning of January 14, Fashion City International Corp. generously donated 100 cases (containing 2,640 bottles) of soy milk imported from Taiwan to Tzu Chi for distribution to those affected by the fires.
Tzu Chi USA will continue to participate in ongoing relief efforts in response to this wildfire disaster in various ways. “Tzu Chi volunteers will maintain their presence at the Disaster Recovery Centers until their closure at the end of the month, ensuring ongoing support for those in need,” CEO Debra Boudreaux stated. But that is only part of the plan.
“Tzu Chi USA will soon be holding its first distribution of pre-paid debit cards and essential supplies such as food, clothing, and shoes to assist disaster survivors. Our dedicated medical team, composed of practitioners specializing in traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, dentistry, and ophthalmology, will also be present at the Centers to offer medical assistance,” Boudreaux said. Additionally, “Given that five schools were completely destroyed in this fire, Tzu Chi’s Great Love Preschool and Tzu Chi Academy in Walnut, California, stand ready to provide temporary educational support to children of affected families, ensuring continuity in their learning.”
Tzu Chi USA volunteers are committed to providing every possible form of assistance to families deeply impacted by this disaster. Please join hands with Tzu Chi USA to help those affected, as our combined love and efforts are making a difference, bringing tangible aid and moral support to help ease distress during the arduous recovery process.
