On holding the hard & the joy together

And lots of ways to help those impacted by the LA fires 💛

We had a snow weekend this past weekend here in Nashville and it was just delightful. We don’t get a ton of snow compared to other parts of the country, but usually get one epic snow day/week. And the whole city shuts down and we see half the people we know in Nashville at the sledding hill and the girls get to play outside for hours and it’s just fun. Lucy reminded me that it was ‘Daisy’s first snow!’ which was a sweet reminder - love that we get to experience ‘firsts’ all over again. 💛

Something I’ve been thinking about a lot in the last year (shared about it in July here) and feeling deeply this week, especially with the LA area wildfires going on is: how do you hold the good and the hard at the same time?

While we had a cozy snow day in Nashville, friends in LA were looking for a place to live. While many of us have fun or relaxing weekend plans ahead, many others are walking through unimaginable loss, tragedy, grief, and shock. It can feel strange to have moments of good, moments of normalcy, while also being acutely aware and heartbroken that strangers and friends are really struggling and hurting right now. It feels strange to sit in the comfort of our own home, knowing others don’t have a physical home to return to today or potentially ever. I don’t have the answers…I’m donating and checking in and sharing resources and trying to hold space for the heavy and remain openhanded to the joy.

“Someone has always clinked a cocktail glass in one hemisphere as someone loses a home in another while someone falls in love in the same apartment building where something gives. The fact that suffering, mundanity, and beauty coincide is unbearable and remarkable.”

- Mari Andrew

WAYS TO HELP THOSE IMPACTED BY LA FIRES

Altadena Girls was started by an eighth grader whose school burned down. You can shop their Amazon wishlist to donate supplies specifically for teen girls affected by the Eaton Canyon fire. Here’s what the founder shared: “When disaster strikes, people only focus on basic survival needs. But for teenage girls who have lost everything, feeling like ourselves again is also really important for our mental health. Things like basic hygiene products to the makeup we wear every day help us feel normal in a time when everything else feels chaotic. I want to help other teen girls in my community rebuild their sense of identity and self-confidence during this difficult time.” 🥹

Here is an extensive Google Doc sharing GoFundMe campaigns to help displaced Black families in Altadena. I know it can feel overwhelming to see rows and rows of GoFundMe campaigns. And just imagine the overwhelmed those people the campaigns are for feel! But one tip I saw was to just pick one and double down on your support - donate and then ask friends to Venmo you $2 or $5 or more and then make a large donation to that one campaign.

Seconds Market is connecting donors with individuals needing clothing and other essentials. You can fill out this form indicating your size, gender, and age range and they’ll match you with someone in LA. From there, you ship your items to them!

Help find lost or rare stuffed animals for kids 🧸 💛 This resource made me cry (again) - to help parents and children affected by the wildfires recover lost or rare stuffed animals that hold sentimental value. If you're a parent looking for a specific stuffed animal, you can fill out the form and volunteers can offer to find and ship stuffed animals. Here’s the Google Doc!

Did you know that there are nearly 1,000 incarcerated firefights fighting the wildfires? It’s a voluntary program where these men and women earn between $5.80 to $10.24 per day, working in 24-hour shifts. Anti-Recidivism Coalition is setting up a scholarship fund to help individuals once they’re released (support for school supplies, housing, utilities, rent, as well as necessary equipment for those entering professional firefighting careers).

Here are a few other larger (and still very important) nonprofit organizations to support:

• Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation to support the brave firefighters

• Pasadena Humane helps injured and displaced animals

• Mutual Aid LA to support on-the-ground relief efforts

• Baby2Baby provides diapers, food, formula, and other hygiene products for children and families affected by the wildfires

• World Central Kitchen provides meals (they do amazing work worldwide!)

Several brands are helping those affected by the wildfires, including Chatbooks and Shutterfly reprinting photos, Babyletto donating cribs, Bobbie donating formula, and many more. Molly of @almostmakesperfect put together a detailed list of brands donating products HERE including links to fill out the form to request donations.

‘And for what it’s worth - if you have not lived through a natural disaster I can tell you that amidst all of the devastation, the people of LA are also experiencing the best of humanity right now. In these moments, it’s never the government that shows up first. It’s your neighbor. Your friends. Your community. It is through natural disasters that I have seen the absolute best in people and felt the most connected and cared for. It’s political viewed through a phone. In person, it’s the most human of experiences. The suffering is unimaginable but so is the humanity. When it comes down to it, we are good to each other in these moments. Hold onto that.’ - @things.I.bought.and.liked

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