Disney Donates $15 Million to LA Wildfire Relief Efforts

The Walt Disney Company is donating $15 million to response and rebuilding efforts amid the ongoing fires in Southern California. Similarly, Paramount is donating $1 million to local organizations including the Los Angles Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, Red Cross, Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen and Best Friends Animal Society. Meanwhile, the CAA Foundation has launched the SoCal Fire Fund to provide support to those affected. The fund is managed by the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

“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 incredible devastation,” CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. “Walt Disney came to Los Angeles with little more than his boundless imagination, and it was here that he chose to make his home, pursue his dreams and create extraordinary stories that mean so much to so many people around the world. We are proud to help this resilient and vibrant community in this time of need.”

In the statement announcing the $15 million commitment, the Disney company also expressed gratitude to the firefighters and first responders who continued to work amid the ongoing emergency, as well as to the company’s own local reporters at KABC for their reporting .

“We will support vital organizations providing essential services on-site, including the American Red Cross, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, among others,” Disney’s press release said. “In addition, we have been working around the clock to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees, many of whom have been affected by these fires, and we plan to provide further resources to our Employee Relief Fund to help those living in encounter difficulties. consequence of this crisis.”

Paramount announced its donation in an internal memo distributed to employees of co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins. The statement also shares resources for affected employees and a matching donation link to the company’s employee assistance fund.

“We also want to recognize and thank our dedicated journalists and teams at CBS News and Stations on the ground in Los Angeles, especially our local KCBS/KCAL newsroom and our CBS News LA bureau,” Paramount’s statement read. “Many of them and their families have been personally affected by the fires, and they continue to show up to keep their local communities informed.”

Launched by CAA, Community Organized Relief Effort and the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation, the SoCal Fire Fund is initially funded by CAA leadership and seeks additional partners to ensure an equitable recovery.

“The scale of the loss to neighbors in Los Angeles is enormous and calls for a robust, compassionate and flexible response – one that prioritizes their immediate and long-term recovery needs,” said Natalie Tran, executive director of the CAA Foundation. “We are grateful for the expertise of our long-standing partners for coming together to provide this unique and holistic approach. We invite all individuals, networks and businesses to join us as we face this evolving crisis.”

Paramount and Disney’s contributions to the relief effort are the latest in what is expected to be an ongoing series of donations from the entertainment industry in support of those affected by the fires. The EIF announced Wednesday morning that the nonprofit has activated a program to direct public donations to frontline workers, displaced families and pets. The EIF last managed a fund for the 2023 Maui fires with Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson. Earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the tech giant will donate to support victims and recovery efforts.

On Thursday, Jamie Lee Curtis shared on social media that she and her family had pledged $1 million to establish a fund to help those affected by the ongoing wildfires.

“I am in discussions with Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass and Senator Schiff about where these funds should be directed for the most impact,” she wrote on Instagram.

More than 20,000 acres have burned in Pacific Palisades and Malibu since the fire broke out Tuesday morning. East of LA, the Eaton Fire has burned more than 30,000 acres in Altadena. A third fire, the Hurst Fire, has burned more than 700 acres in the San Fernando Valley.

The wildfires have prompted the entertainment industry to cancel or reschedule several events in the Los Angeles area, including the red carpet premieres of “Unstoppable,” “The Last Showgirl,” “Better Man” and “Wolf Man.” The Critics Choice Awards, originally scheduled for January 12, were postponed until January 26, while the announcement of the Oscar nominations has been pushed back two days (to January 19) to accommodate an extended voting window. Production on shows like “Fallout,” “Abbott Elementary” and “Hacks” has also been suspended.