Los Angeles and the surrounding areas are being impacted by devastating wildfires. Natural disasters like wildfires can leave families without power, make it harder to get medicines and allergy-friendly food, or even destroy their homes. Because of the widespread destruction caused by these fires, the situation is dire for many families. Many more may have to evacuate as the situation changes.

How Wildfires Impact Families Managing Food Allergies

Food provided by shelters during an emergency may not be safe for kids with food allergies. Even if the ingredients are safe, there may be the potential for cross-contact with their food allergens. This makes access to safe allergy-friendly foods essential in times of emergency.

Access to lifesaving medicine like epinephrine and emergency care can also be limited during and after natural disasters.

If you or your child also have asthma or other allergic conditions, the situation can get more complicated. Wildfire smoke impacts air quality, worsening asthma symptoms. Children and people with respiratory diseases like asthma are at high risk for asthma episodes when air quality is poor.

Relief Resources

If you or someone you know is impacted by the wildfires in California, here are resources that may help:

Safety alerts:

• Evacuation map
• Fire map
• Emergency alerts
• Fires and food safety
• Keep your food safe during emergencies

Food banks and free meals:

Access to allergy-friendly options may be limited at this time.

• World Central Kitchen (WCK)
• Hollywood Food Coalition
• FOODiversity - partnering with food banks to deliver food, including allergy-friendly foods, to families in need
• Securing Safe Food - non-profit supplying allergy-friendly foods to food banks and food pantries in the LA area.
  
  Food pantries are located at:
  • All Peoples Community Center (offering food to all people affected by the wildfires): 822 E. 20th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90011.
  • Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gores Family Allergy Center (offering food to hospital patients): 4650 Sunset Blvd., MS #75, Los Angeles, CA 90027
  
  Additional pantries may be included in the future. If your local LA food pantry does not offer allergy-friendly options, you can let Securing Safe Food know at: hello@securingsafefood.org

• Garry Marshall Theatre in Burbank – offering allergy-friendly and celiac-safe food products – Pickup is on 1/18 ONLY

• Noble Rotisserie Restaurant in Long Beach and Culver City – Offering free meals dedicated free of peanut, tree nut, milk, fish, and shellfish
  
  If you need a meal, contact them via email first at:info@noblerotisserie.com

• Bread SRSLY– offering care packages of gluten-free sourdough
  
  If you are interested, contact them via email first at:hello@breadsrsly.com
  
  

Disaster recovery centers and programs:

• Los Angeles County recovery centers
• Los Angeles County FEMA assistance
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (ReBUILD LA®) - a long-term emergency response campaign to rebuild homes, relocate to other housing, and provide essential supplies
• Direct Relief – distributing free N95 masks to protect people from wildfire smoke
  
  

Ways to Donate

The following groups are collecting donations for families in need:

• Hollywood Food Coalition – accepting items from their wish lists, including allergy-friendly foods
• Securing Safe Food - non-profit helping to supply allergy-friendly foods to people in need. They are accepting various allergy-friendly food options at their two drop off locations:
  
  

  • All Peoples Community Center: 822 E. 20th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90011.
    ATTN: Capri Downs

  • Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gores Family Allergy Center: 4650 Sunset Blvd., MS #75 Los Angeles, CA 90027
    ATTN: Tina Lu or Dr. Jonathan Tam

• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (ReBUILD LA®) - looking for volunteers and donations of select home items
• Los Angeles Dream Center – accepting food, personal protective equipment, clothing, household goods, among other items
• It’s Bigger Than Us – accepting clothing, bottled water, hygiene products, books, toys, comfort items, bedding, snacks, baby supplies, among other items
  
  

As the communities impacted by the wildfires recover, the need for supplies will continue. You can help by sending donations to people in need. We will update this blog as we learn more information.