In the aftermath of the wildfires that swept through LA in January, staff at Eagle Rock’s local businesses collected and distributed donations for those impacted by the fires, turning their workplaces – which were themselves affected by the fires – into emergency relief centers.
Amanda Salazar is the Director of Programming at Vidiots, a joint video store and movie theater. Salazar said the movie theater had to close down for four days as a result of the fire and that they began their programming as soon as they reopened.

Salazar said Vidiots partnered with Bob Baker Marionette Theater to bring a puppeteer and magician to the store and Humanitas, a nonprofit that aims to support film and television writers.
“[Humanitas] received a donation of hundreds of stuffed animal toys,” Salazar said. “They asked us if we could set up tables to give kids beautiful new stuffed animals.”
Salazar said that Vidiots screened 25 free movies—alongside free popcorn and drinks—over two weeks. Salazar said the movies were not only for the fire victims but for the whole community. According to Salazar, the screened movies included “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Perfect Days,” a zen Japanese drama about a public toilet cleaner who finds joy in the world around him.
“I think [it was an] opportunity and offering to be together and to be in a space where we were gathered to feel a collective hug of care,” Salazar said. “Movies can offer that care to us.”
Joshua Company is the manager at Skaf’s on York, a local Lebanese restaurant. Company said he was one of the first people in Eagle Rock to set up a donation center at his workplace.
Company said he resolved to do whatever he could to help out after the fires broke out because of his own personal connection to the Altadena community.
“I grew up here playing soccer in Altadena, so I have a lot of friends who live out there,” Company said. “I felt that I needed to do something to help out, as a human.”

According to Company, staff at Skaf’s focused on collecting emergency relief material such as food, clothing, hygiene products and other necessities, which were then donated to distribution centers around LA.
“During that time we had strangers drive by asking if they [could] help us take some of the goods over to the donation centers, which was amazing,” Company said. “We met people, we met new friends along that path.”
Sous chef at Queen St. Raw Bar and Grill Jennifer Velazquez said she started a donation program at her workplace, which aimed to distribute aid both to people who lost their homes in the fires as well as those helping with the cleanup of affected areas.
“A lot of the people risking their health to clean up after the fires belong to the undocumented community. We wanted to show our appreciation for them, so we ended up raising over $27,000 for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network,” Velazquez said. “It’s volunteer work, and they’re showing up to do it because they love and care for their community. That’s powerful.”
Velazquez said she and her coworkers at Queen St. felt let down by the way the authorities managed the fires but felt very proud of the way the local community responded.
“I’m from LA and people always claim that we don’t have a strong community here, that everyone is superficial and that no one really cares for each other. But with this program, everyone was jumping in to take action,” Velazquez said. “We do have a community, and it’s willing to help you out no matter what walk of life you’re from.”

Company said the outpouring of support from the local community had been almost immediate, as many people who had never been to the restaurant before came by to drop off materials to support fire victims.
“It was overwhelming at first because we hadn’t expected that level of support — but it was amazing,” Company said. “It just goes to show how willing the community here is to help each other out when things really get down to it.”
Contact Adam Pildal at pildal@oxy.edu.