LA Fire relief

David_Snowball

the "Informal Economist," friend and long-time contributor to the Mutual Fund Observer community shared a fascinating Guardian article, "GoFundMe, Mandy Moore and the unfairness of disaster relief." The gist: GoFundMe and many self-aid projects are regressive; aid flows primarily to disaster victims who were rich because their social circles are rich folks and their appeals go live immediately and smoothly. Poor folks, known mostly to other poor folks, get ashes. Government aid, tied to property values, has the same unintended effect.

The article links to an intriguing resource, the Black Families (also Latino, Filipino, disabled and musicians) GoFundMe directory. It allows you to find and help families far outside your circle. (Chip and I are helping John and Monica who lost the home they've spent 50 years in.) At a time when there's a lot of darkness available to curse, we thought it wise to light a candle.

A more conventional approach: check Charity Navigator's "LA Fires" page for a dozen highly-rated charities, including a number of support abandoned pets. Regardless of your choice, you can make a difference.

Mark

Thank you Professor.

Crash

Thank you, David. Yes, I've offered some bucks toward fire relief via my favored outfit. My son is fine, but still evacuated from his rented room in Altadena. He'll be an itinerant beggar for while, with this friend and that friend. Not sure how soon the smoke and/or water damage will be ameliorated. That home was spared completely from the flames. Not far away, all was lost. His job is still there, and for a while, he'll be billeting in the same town as his work: Santa Clarita.

David_Snowball

A friend survived the Camp fire (2018) with destroyed Paradise, California, with the loss of home, possessions and community. It, literally, haunts her still. My heart goes out to your son and to a million others who will hear the cracking in their dreams for years.

p.s. her recollection of President Trump's visit after the fire was that he approached it with the empathy and interest that he might approach, oh, a homeless shelter in Detroit. Consistency has its charms, I guess.