Latest news with #AveryColvert
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hearts Ablaze: The L.A. Women Who Turned Wildfire Tragedy into Triumph
When residents forced to flee their homes in the wildfires needed clothing, toiletries, food, and cash assistance, these munificent women made sure their community members' needs were met … and then some. They stockpiled warehouses with essential items, created donation centers filled with designer duds and beauty products, hit the kitchen (or pizza oven) to prepare sustenance and founded movements — even in the face of their own losses. ALTADENA » As the Eaton Fire raged, Avery Colvert's middle school, Eliot Arts Magnet Academy, was burned to the ground and her hometown of Altadena was decimated. But that didn't stop the 14-year-old, who studies dance and theater, from leaping into action, helping friends and fellow community members who lost everything. Founded by Colvert, Altadena Girls began as an Instagram post and an open call for donations. It has since ballooned into a viral movement, with celebrities ranging from Paris Hilton to Charli XCX and high-end brands and retailers donating enough clothing and beauty products to fill a Macy's. All free for teenage girls faced with the daunting task of starting over in the wake of tragedy. 'This is a long-term project,' says the eighth grader, whose organization has a new flagship space in Pasadena on Colorado Blvd. 'This is just the beginning.' — MALINA SAVAL » Bethenny Frankel's philosophy when it comes to helping others is simple. 'I can, so I must,' she says about what drives her humanitarian efforts — the centerpiece of which is her nonprofit BStrong. Best known as an original Bravolebrity from 2008's The Real Housewives of New York City and for her Skinnygirl cocktail brand, Frankel also has a podcast (Just B) and a buzzy presence on social media. But her other calling is making a difference during disasters. During the L.A. wildfires, she secured a warehouse to stock over $20 million worth of aid — including 20,000 crisis kits her team assembled and distributed to individuals and families who lost everything. BStrong has also raised $4 million in cash cards for those impacted by the Eaton and Palisades Fires. 'I had friends directly affected, I lived in the Palisades as did my father, so I knew something bad was happening very early and got my team activated very quickly,' she says. 'We have year-round aid available for any global disaster and trusted aid partners who spring into action when we say 'go.'' — LINA LECARO FIORELLI » As Liz Gutierrez watched the fires rage all over the city of Los Angeles, the lifelong Angeleno had only one thought: 'We have to feed people.' Even when The Cook's Garden Venice on Abbot Kinney Boulevard — which houses Fiorelli Pizza, the wildly popular clay oven pizzeria she runs with her partner Michael Fiorelli — was showered in flakes of ash and darkened by inky black smoke from the nearby Palisades Fire, the duo didn't stop cooking. As the fires raged, Gutierrez and Fiorelli kneaded dough and plucked herbs to make more than 1,800 pizzas that were then delivered by volunteers to LAFD fire stations, the L.A. Sheriff's Department in Altadena and even to temporary homes occupied by the displaced. The first responders' favorite, she says, was the fennel sausage white pizza. (Ours too!) Gutierrez says she keeps in touch with some of those customers who were grateful for the meals — including one family that is now moving to Venice — adding, 'I hope that people live in this moment of continuing to be kind to each other.' — MICHELE MCPHEE DIGITAL CREATOR@ » L.A. lifestyle influencer Loreen Hwang is known for promoting beauty, food, fashion and sustainability, but during the wildfires, she also used her digital influence to make a difference in people's lives. It started with a social media post on behalf of an old neighbor who lost everything in the Palisades Fire. 'The next day, I had hundreds of people asking to donate items,' she says, which led her to set up an impromptu donation center at a friend's nail salon. Driving around the city and assisting with pick-up and deliveries, she increased her efforts with additional donation pop-ups as more people reached out after the Eaton Fire, too. 'I knew I wanted to help however I could,' she says, and thanks to brands like Calpak and Oribe, she provided more than 1,000 bags of beauty products, clothes and essentials in just two weeks. — ROO JOSHI CHIC » Red-carpet stylists are no strangers to working under pressure. So, when entire neighborhoods in Malibu and the Pacific Palisades and Altadena were wiped out, and many residents fled the flames with nothing more than the clothes on their back, stylists to the stars Elizabeth Stewart, Jordan Grossman and Chloe Brown — along with many of their fashion compatriots — leapt into action to replenish wardrobes lost in the 18,000 homes burned across Los Angeles. The stylists, who founded the nonprofit Chic Relief during the pandemic — organized a pop-up with designer brands. They packed suitcases with curated items: clothes, sneakers, purses and jewelry, for entire families. And with that, they gave people who lost everything a tiny sense of normalcy. 'Our power is getting clothing from brands and that's what we have been doing,' Grossman said after she and Stewart transformed a Santa Monica parking lot and office space into a boutique-like wildfire donation center. 'We're all bossy people and just demanded to know what people really needed, what they wanted to wear, and we packed things that were personalized. It was truly beautiful to see so many stylists get involved, and so many designers who donated.' — MM
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
14-Year-Old Avery Colvert Receives TIME100 Impact Award
Avery Colvert attends the TIME Women of the Year Gala in Los Angeles on Feb. 25, 2025. Credit - Stefanie Keenan—Getty Images for TIME Just last month, 14-year-old Avery Colvert watched thousands of buildings, including her school, in her hometown of Altadena, Calif., engulfed by flames. But 'while many felt paralyzed by loss,' said 21-year-old actor and producer Storm Reid, who presented the 2025 TIME100 Women of the Year Impact Award to Colvert on Tuesday in Los Angeles, 'Avery took action.' Altadena Girls—a recovery fund for teenage victims of the Eaton Fire—was born out of a group chat between Colvert and her friends, Reid said. An Altadena Girls Instagram account went viral, receiving support from high-profile brands like Skims and Orebella and celebrities like Mindy Kaling and Charli XCX. Colvert collected donations of clothing, beauty products, and personal care items, which she distributed for free at a pop-up location. Soon it will have a permanent home in Old Town Pasadena, providing mental health services, homework rooms, dance classes, and a space to connect for a community of young women. Read More: A Los Angeles Teen Started a Recovery Fund for Wildfire Victims. Now It's a Movement Colvert is the youngest honoree of the TIME100 Impact Award—which recognizes leaders across sectors and across the world shaping their industries, communities, and the future. 'Avery, your leadership proves,' Reid said, ' you can make an impact at whatever age.' Accepting the award, Colvert said, 'Altadena Girls was a late night idea jumped up only 46 long days ago while my neighborhood school and friends' houses were burning down.' (Her own home survived the fire.) 'To go from feeling scared, depressed and hopeless to feeling empowered, supported, and hopeful about the future in such a short amount of time goes to show the incredible power of kindness and community,' she said. The Women of the Year Gala was presented by P&G, Rolex, Amazon, Chase, Deloitte, the American Heart Association, and Toyota. Contact us at letters@
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Donating Simplified Delivers $3 Million from Major Brands to LA Wildfire Victims, Supporting Over 40,000 Individuals
LOS ANGELES, February 06, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Donating Simplified, a company dedicated to transforming excess inventory into charitable impact, sustainability, and cost savings, has expanded its wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles. Last week, the company delivered over $1 million in medical wipes to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank on behalf of a major Midwest-based brand. This week, Donating Simplified delivered an additional $2 million of high-value beauty products and cosmetics to multiple charity partners, directly supporting individuals and families affected by the recent wildfires. These efforts diverted nearly 60,000 lbs of product from landfills and provided relief to over 40,000 people in need. Who: Donating Simplified, its brand partners, and charity relief partners: Clyde Community Relief Center and the Worldwide Friends Foundation, Altadena Girls, This Is About Humanity, and the National Day Laborer's Network. What: This week, Donating Simplified coordinated another major donation of beauty products and cosmetics to support wildfire victims in Los Angeles. Where: Los Angeles, CA, with deliveries reaching families in the Altadena and Pasadena areas. Why: Donating Simplified is committed to delivering targeted, high-impact support to communities affected by wildfires, ensuring relief reaches those who need it most. The company empowers brand partners to transform excess inventory into meaningful contributions, preventing waste while maximizing social impact. Our mission is clear: to drive positive change through strategic, sustainable disaster relief efforts. Impact Recap This $2 million product delivery supported over 10,000 wildfire victims and the 30,000 individuals assisted last week. Recipient Charity Partners Clyde Community Relief Center — Hosted by Clyde Staffing, this center provides free necessities to over 400 families affected by the Altadena fires. They will be doing this on Saturdays for affected families. This Is About Humanity & National Day Laborer's Network — This drive-through distribution effort in Pasadena supplies food, safety equipment, clothing, and now, health and beauty products. They have supported over 30,000 people. Altadena Girls — Founded by 14-year-old Avery Colvert, this initiative helps teen girls who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire rebuild their lives and confidence. They aim to provide essential items like clothes, personal care products, and beauty items to help these girls feel supported and regain a sense of normalcy. How You Can Help: Businesses looking to make an impact with excess inventory can partner with Donating Simplified for streamlined logistics, distribution, and maximum tax credit. For inquiries about donating products or partnering with Donating Simplified, please contact Teddy Raskin at 877-573-4483 or missionla@ Donating Simplified is committed to creating a more sustainable future by connecting businesses with its proprietary network of charitable organizations and their needs. The company's innovative approach transforms excess inventory into valuable resources, minimizing waste and maximizing positive impact. Learn more at About Donating Simplified: Donating Simplified partners with trusted brands to manage their excess inventory in a socially responsible and environmentally conscious manner. By facilitating the donation of these items to vetted charities, Donating Simplified diverts waste from landfills, provides valuable resources to organizations serving communities in need, and offers tax benefits to its donating customers. The company handles all logistics, ensuring a seamless and efficient donation process. Donating Simplified is the fastest and easiest way to turn excess inventory into impact, sustainability, and savings. View source version on Contacts Donating SimplifiedTeddy Raskin877-573-4483missionla@ Sign in to access your portfolio
