City’s West Hollywood Responds Program to Help Provide Support and Relief
By Dolores Quintana
The City of West Hollywood is rallying its community members to extend a helping hand to organizations in dire need of support as they strive to provide assistance to the devastated regions of Maui, Hawaii, in the aftermath of catastrophic wildfires. These fires have tragically claimed around 106 lives thus far and rendered thousands homeless, prompting an urgent requirement for shelter and emergency aid. The scale of destruction is evident in the loss of an estimated 2,200 structures, including the complete devastation of the town of Lahaina.
Responding to this pressing crisis, the City of West Hollywood is activating its city initiative, the West Hollywood Responds program. This endeavor aims to gather contributions to various agencies and organizations engaged in alleviating the plight of the affected individuals in Maui. The City has compiled a comprehensive list of these organizations, which can be accessed on its official website at www.weho.org/wehoresponds.
Embedded within the core values of the City of West Hollywood is a steadfast commitment to being responsive to public needs. In upholding this ethos, the City is resolutely dedicated to providing aid in times of humanitarian crises, no matter where they occur. The role of local governments and organizations in coordinating assistance for distressed communities is deeply acknowledged and embraced.
The origins of the West Hollywood Responds program date back to 2005 when the West Hollywood City Council established it as a localized disaster relief effort. The program’s inception was driven by a determination to extend assistance to the Gulf Coast region in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Since then, the program has been reactivated on multiple occasions, each time catalyzing active engagement and contributions from the community. Previous instances include supporting relief initiatives for Ukraine, aiding earthquake-stricken regions of Syria and Turkey, and more.
Jennifer Del Toro, part of the City of West Hollywood’s Community & Legislative Affairs Division, can provide additional insights about the West Hollywood Responds program. She can be reached at (323) 848-6549 or via email at jdeltoro@weho.org. For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, a dedicated TTY line is available at (323) 848-6496.
