Disney donates $15 million to L.A. wildfire relief
Fires continue to rage in Southern California this weekend, with at least 11 people reported dead, and many thousands of people forced out of their homes by untold millions in damage. Even as headlines continue to build up about the damage being done, and the spread of the fire eastwards toward Los Angeles communities like Brentwood and Encino, various public entities with ties to the area have begun making efforts to provide relief. Notably, Variety reports that Disney has just donated $15 million to response and rebuilding efforts, while its fellow studio Paramount has donated a total of $1 million to groups including the Los Angles Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, Red Cross, Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen, and Best Friends Animal Society. And the CAA Foundation—the philanthropic arm of the famous Hollywood talent agency—has set up a fund through the Entertainment Industry Foundation to help raise money for relief efforts.
Disney issued a statement alongside the donation, with CEO Bob Iger writing that, "As this tragedy continues to unfold, The Walt Disney Company is committed to supporting our community and our employees as we all work together to recover and rebuild from this unbelievable devastation." The company's statement added that it was working to support groups like the American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, as well as donating funds to its own Employee Relief Fund to ensure the safety of Disney employees during the fires.
Meanwhile, high-profile individuals in Hollywood have also started donation efforts: Earlier this week, news broke that Jamie Lee Curtis had donated $1 million to the city, while Paris Hilton—whose Malibu home was destroyed in the fires—announced that she's organizing a fund to raise relief money through her 11:11 Media nonprofit. Media organizations like The L.A. Times have also assembled lists of charities that people can donate to to help fund relief efforts in the affected areas.