Coming Together to Help Schools and Communities Impacted by the Southern California Wildfires
Our thoughts are with the communities, families and schools affected by the Southern California wildfires. We want to help however we can, wherever we can. Here’s how we can all unite to support those who need it, now and in the difficult months ahead.
At AMS, we’re all part of the communities we serve, and we stand with our communities during this terrible time. So many are affected, especially the families evacuated from their homes and those who have suffered such unimaginable losses. Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones… and those who lost their lives in this tragedy.
Behind the headlines are real people— relatives, friends, neighbors and colleagues. These are people we know and work with— families displaced by fires that continue to burn, brave firefighters and first responders who’re putting the safety of others first, volunteers who’re stepping up to offer help wherever it’s needed.
As firefighters battle to save what can be saved, we want to come together to provide as much help and comfort as we can.
How to Help Families and Schools in Need
The scale of devastation is painful. According to Cal Fire, more than 12,300 structures have been destroyed—homes, schools, businesses, entire communities. Two elementary schools in the Pacific Palisades are a total loss, five schools in the Pasadena School District are lost or seriously damaged and historic Pali High is inoperable and facing a rebuild, leaving thousands of students without a school.
The impact is rippling through communities across the state, with hundreds of schools closed in Los Angeles and surrounding counties, affecting hundreds of thousands of students, as well as their families, educators and school staff.
When schools are closed, many parents struggle to find childcare. Businesses forced to close—some permanently—put people out of work. Families need food, clothing, shelter, transportation.
We know that many of you want to join us in offering much-needed support to our schools and their students, teachers and families. The state of California, local school districts and educational foundations have centralized relief efforts to make sure critical resources are allocated most efficiently. Donating to these funds ensures that all contributions go directly to the schools, communities and people who need them most.
If you’re looking to help, a donation to these organizations would make a difference.
California Department of Education Disaster Relief Fund
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the California Department of Education (CDE) have partnered with nonprofit SupplyBank.org to collect and distribute donations and emergency resources to help school communities impacted by the Southern California fires. Since 2019, dozens of communities have received timely emergency support following natural disasters. Contributions provide essentials, including food, water, clothing, housing assistance, gas cards and school supplies.
The CDE also provides relief for schools in fire-impacted communities. Charter schools, school districts and county offices of education are encouraged to submit J-13A waiver requests to avoid attendance-based funding losses due to school closures caused by wildfires.
LACOE/GLAEF Los Angeles County Wildfire Recovery Fund
The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) has partnered with the Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation (GLAEF) to launch a Los Angeles County Wildfire Recovery Fund. The fund will coordinate emergency response efforts across all 80 Greater Los Angeles public school districts, providing vital resources to help students, educators and families meet basic needs. The fund also offers free counseling and legal advocacy services, as well as assistance in the long-term recovery and rebuilding process for families and communities affected by the LA County fires.
The SoCal Fire Fund
The SoCal Fire Fund is a coalition of the Entertainment Industry Fund (EIF), the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation, the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Foundation and the Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), established to provide immediate and long-term support for community-centered recovery initiatives aiding students, school employees and families impacted by the SoCal wildfires. The fund is committed to providing equitable recovery through flexible funding and targeted support for vulnerable communities.
Pasadena Educational Foundation Response Fund
The Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) has reactivated its Response Fund, working in close coordination with the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) to ensure that schools and families affected by the Eaton Fire receive vital resources. Cash donations will provide housing, food and educational materials for PUSD students and staff who live in fire-impacted communities. PEF is also mobilizing to direct volunteer efforts, as well as manage donations of goods and services, and will be providing more information on that as relief and recovery efforts continue.
CCSA Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund
Many of the destroyed and damaged schools in the Palisades and Pasadena area are charter schools. More than 70 public and independent charter schools have closed as fire and smoke continue to threaten community safety. The California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) is working to assess needs and coordinate support between the affected charter schools and local agencies to make sure schools and families receive immediate assistance and have ongoing access to the resources they need.
Many schools have set up independent fundraisers through GoFundMe and directly on their website. GoFundMe has created a SoCal wildfire hub for school and family fundraisers.
The Road to Rebuilding
So many lives have been changed forever. So much uncertainty lies ahead.
One thing we know: California is strong. California comes back.
Our AMS Team is here to help our communities recover, to rebound and rebuild safer and stronger than ever.
Building Safer
The past years have brought unprecedented natural disasters to our state. AMS has helped other communities rebuild after catastrophic fires—and we’re here for yours.
We’re committed to helping schools and communities navigate the challenges ahead, using all of our resources to find the solutions needed to transition as quickly and as safely as possible—whether that’s finding temporary buildings as a short-term solution or planning and constructing permanent buildings for the longer-term.
We want to be a resource for our communities, creating positive change by helping design and build safer, healthier schools that are sustainable and resilient. Our buildings are constructed with an all-steel frame on a concrete foundation, with a metal roof, windows and doors—fire- and water-resistant features that make our buildings highly durable and able to withstand extreme weather conditions.
We’re continuously looking for ways to build better, leveraging new design strategies, materials and technology that will help our buildings adapt to a changing climate that is fast becoming our new normal.
Building a Better Future
Schools are the heart of our communities. They’re places where today’s students learn to be tomorrow’s leaders… where futures are built.
So that’s what we’ll do—build. Build back, looking to the future while never forgetting the memories of the past.
If you want to plan for the future, we’re here to help. Together, we can modernize safely, innovating forward to create healthy, resilient schools that will inspire generations of students.
If you need to rebuild, we’re here for that, too. AMS Rapid Response solutions can get students in new classrooms quickly, restoring a sense of normalcy while evaluating permanent options.
Building back. Building forward. Building better.
We’re with you, Southern California.
Need help? We’re here!