Hurricane-like winds fueled The Palisades and Eaton Fires in early January, scorching nearly 40,000 acres and forcing tens of thousands of evacuations. As the wildfires weakened, many returned to their neighborhoods to find their homes destroyed and memories turned into rubble. Community members and volunteers nationwide have joined forces to show up for Los Angeles, with many backing GoFundLA, a social media account that spotlights Los Angeles citizens and families who need urgent support and care and has already garnered support from Hollywood heavyweights, including Amanda Seyfried, Mia Maestro, Katie Lowes, and many others.

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Entertainment Marketer & Founder of What/If, Dani Calogera and Amy Israel, President of Television at The North Road Company, are the co-founders of GoFundLA. The two recognized the power of storytelling and quickly spotlighted humanity to drive action. 

During the LA Wildfires, an Instagram video of 83-year-old Walt Butler moved Calogera to tears and encouraged her to donate. Amid thousands of GoFundMe campaigns, Walt’s story stood out, highlighting a larger issue: many wanted to help but didn’t know where to start. 

She asked herself, “What if I could spotlight one story at a time?” That simple idea led to an initiative dedicated to amplifying voices in need, proving small actions can create big change.  

In just a short time, the co-founders rallied support from companies and individuals in the entertainment marketing world – Secret Projects, Heads in the Sky, Gold Sky Strategies, Steve Isaacs, Liz Maupin, Jen Gatto and Elisa Tapia – to drive their mission forward. 

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Together, they have shared numerous stories. For example, Collin Davis, a father of two, camera operator, musician, and courageous volunteer first responder. While placing his life on the line to save his fellow community members, Davis lost everything he owned, including his home and equipment essential to his occupation behind the camera. Then there’s Allyce E. from Altadena, California, who fled as the fire tore through her neighborhood, destroying her cherished fine art collection and music equipment. These are just a few of the resilient individuals whose stories highlight the harrowing impact of the wildfires.

"This week, I met a woman in the grocery store who shared that her relatives were now living with her after losing their home in Altadena," Calogera exclusively told Fandom Daily. "She was shopping to feed a full house. A family friend set up a GoFundMe campaign for them, but she wasn't on Instagram. She wondered how she could get the word out. It reaffirmed why GoFundLA exists – to shine a light on families just like this one," she added. 

Since its launch on Monday, January 13, GoFundLA has reached nearly 100,000 people on Instagram. Although GoFundLA cannot directly attribute donations, in the 72 hours since launch, the first 10 families they spotlighted have raised an additional $125K with four families meeting their goal. 

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The volunteer-led initiative shows no signs of slowing down, channeling its storytelling expertise to raise awareness and funds with the goal of rebuilding the lives of those recently impacted.

“Our goal is to do for one family a day what we wish we could do for all,” stressed Calogera. “If we each used the power of our networks to channel even $10 to a family in need each day, it could have a tremendous impact on helping them rebuild their lives,” she added. 

If you feel compelled or able to donate, follow @GoFundLa on Instagram and visit their donation page to lend a helping hand.