When wildfires tore through Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Altadena, they left behind more than just charred landscapes and ruined buildings. The destruction extended beyond homes, businesses, and schools, it affected every cohesive element that kept those communities together.
For many residents, the devastation was deeply personal. The close-knit nature of those areas meant that nearly everyone knew someone affected by the fires. Alix Gucovsky, president of the Venice Surf Association, reached out to the community for help. She and other Venice surfers had been collecting donations out of their backyards, but she quickly realized they needed a larger space.
However, Stephanie Inouye from the Santa Monica Surf Association was able to find a location at 1207 14th Street, formally the Klassy Konnections beauty salon and adjacent to Unleashed pet store. The space was generously donated by the owner of the building that has stood for 100 years.
If Inouye’s name sounds familiar, it’s because back in October, she was honored by City Council for an incredible and selfless act of bravery when she and two others ran into a burning building and saved the life of the elderly resident who lived inside.
“[Alex] reached out to me and I then reached out to Janet Gallagher, who owns the building … and she said, ‘Oh, this is for the fire relief first responders, go ahead and take the space,’” Inouye said. “The Venice folks ended up getting a different space at the old Snapchat building on Venice Boulevard and that became the Venice helping hub and I became the Santa Monica helping hub.”
Inouye says that at first the site served as a very useful storage area for countless pallets of water and emergency supplies. First responders and troops from the National Guard were camping out, “So they needed things like toothpaste, toothbrush, socks, underwear, you know, hand warmers, essentials like that. So we became like this little drop station for all the first responders,” she said.
The Malibu Surfing Association, led by Jessica Lent, also joined forces, contributing supplies and support. These organizations are all led by women, driven by a shared sense of purpose and a passion for their communities and what began as a grassroots effort soon turned into a much larger, coordinated community response.
What began with handmade banners and grassroots organizing quickly turned into a large-scale community effort. Just 24 hours later, hundreds of local residents arrived, donating food, clothing, toiletries, and other essential supplies in an overwhelming show of support.
The effort quickly grew beyond a simple donation center. Volunteers from neighboring areas, including Venice and Malibu, joined in, helping to organize supplies and distribute aid. More than a relief effort, the hub became a space for connection and support, highlighting the strength and unity of the local community.
“We got the space on January 10 and the very next day, a bunch of people came in and made makeshift signs and posted it, just once, on Instagram and then hundreds of people showed up from Santa Monica and donated stuff. It was really quite incredible,” Inouye said.
“Every day after that, people from the community would come in and ask ‘what do you need? What do you need me to do? I'll do a drop.’ I didn't schedule anything. People just came in with their trucks, laid up and then they would go and drop to all the first responders,” Inouye said.
As fire victims arrived at the Helping Hub, many shared heartbreaking accounts of losing homes that had been in their families for generations. Despite their profound loss, what stood out most was their generosity; many chose to volunteer and donate whatever they could, even as they faced their own hardships.
That spirit of giving quickly spread throughout the community. Neighbors and friends stepped in, offering donations and their time and providing support in any way possible. Many volunteers took time off work or adjusted their schedules to ensure the hub remained operational.
“In the beginning people weren’t really focussed on shopping for anything because everyone was in trauma, and people who came in were, you know, traumatized. There was a lot of crying, and it was pretty heavy, and a lot of reunions were happening where neighbors were bumping into each other and seeing each other again and that was so heartwarming,” Inouye said. “And then a lot of the people whose homes had burned down were volunteering. They come in and volunteer. It's incredible.”
“We were going for a month straight, seven days a week, which was pretty hardcore,” Inouye said, adding, “Then we moved to five days a week and then to just weekends … and now it's all by appointment only. But every Saturday and Sunday, I'm booked from open to close with appointments for all the different people who have suffered because of the fires.”
Just last week, the team held a produce distribution event in association with the World Central Kitchen at the Renew Church at 1302 14th St where local farms had donated massive amounts of fresh food for communities impacted by the fires and Inouye very much hopes they’ll be able to organize more in the near future. The best way to make an appointment is to follow the links on the Santa Monica Helping Hub Instagram page at instagram.com/smhelpinghub/
scott.snowden@smdp.com
