Afya in Action: Delivering Relief during the January 2025 Southern California Wildfires

Your compassion powers Afya’s ability to respond rapidly when disaster strikes, whether across the globe or here at home.

In early 2025, Southern California experienced a series of wildfires that swept through homes, schools, and entire neighborhoods. The flames forced more than 150,000 people to relocate, and many lost their possessions, homes, and livelihoods.

In just a matter of days, Afya answered the call, rallying support and mobilizing supplies to bring urgent relief, comfort, and care to those left reeling.

Thanks to your generosity and with the strength of incredible partners like BCBSA National Labor Office, JetBlue Airways Corporation; UJA-Federation of New York; Lawrence Foundation, New York; Wilf Family Foundation, and dozens more, we launched a full-scale disaster response effort from 3,000 miles away in Yonkers, New York.

Within weeks, 15 shipments of life-saving medical and humanitarian aid were sent by air, truck, and rail, weighing over 32,000 pounds and valued at $800,000. Together, these deliveries reached more than 84,000 people whose lives had been upended by fire, smoke, and devastation.

How Relief Unfolded

When every hour mattered, Afya responded with urgency and precision:

• January 7 – Wildfires ignite across the Los Angeles Metro Area; Afya immediately activates its emergency response network
• January 13–23 – JetBlue donates five cross-country flights for Luggage for Life, transporting bags of medical aid
• February–April – Rail and truck shipments increase as Afya collaborates with local volunteers to deliver relief on the ground
• May–ongoing – Community engagement and impact assessment efforts continue to ensure long-term recovery.

Responding with Heart in Southern California

From hygiene kits and baby formula to adult diapers, walkers, and PPE, our relief efforts were guided by compassion and a commitment to serve the most vulnerable.

At the LAPD Youth Center, children helped pack Afya-donated backpacks and first aid kits for their classmates affected by the Eaton fires. In one instance, when a family had to evacuate without a crucial mobility aid, Afya and our partner Numotion stepped in, delivering a replacement quickly.

Powered by Volunteers and Made Possible by You

More than 1,000 volunteers sorted, packed, and prepared supplies. At events hosted by UJA-Federation, Larchmont Temple, and LionTree, our community united to send hope and healing across the country.

Resilience through Preparedness

Our model is rooted in creating smarter, more resilient systems for disaster response. This means planning ahead before disaster hits—gathering vital supplies, strengthening logistics, and deepening partnerships. Our next steps:

• Expand partnerships with local healthcare and community groups
• Improve supply chain resilience through rail freight innovation
• Preposition critical supplies for even faster deployment
• Continue listening to and learning from impacted communities

When crisis strikes, it’s supporters like you who make our mission possible. Thank you for showing up, and for delivering hope, health, and humanity. Let’s continue this work, together. Support our Disaster Fund today.