The nonprofit FireAid said Tuesday that it has disbursed $50 million in awards after its star-studded concert fundraiser.
The performances, which were organized by Live Nation, AEG, and the Azoff Company, raised $100 million at two benefit concerts held at the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome in Inglewood. Between the two venues, over 30 acts performed, drawing 50 million people via 28 streaming services.
The first round of funding begins with the $50 million in grants announced Tuesday. According to the NGO, the recipients of the funds are community-based organizations that “have the infrastructure, experience, and relationships necessary to efficiently and fairly administer aid to fire-impacted individuals.” At least $100,000 was given to each charity with the goal of providing funding for rapid aid. Among the organizations chosen are CORE, the LAUSD Foundation, the MusiCares Foundation, Baby2Baby, a number of YMCAs, and the NAACP of Pasadena.
A number of people impacted by the wildfires in January have also received grants. These include workers, small business owners, first responders, and displaced residents. According to a release, there is “a focus on essential services, food assistance, childcare support, critical healthcare resources, housing support, rental relief, student assistance programs, and navigation services to ensure victims can access legal resources, government benefits, and seamlessly work through challenging paperwork.”
The end of February will mark the end of the first phase. Phase two financing, which focuses on extra aid for long-term recovery and reconstruction, will be disbursed by FireAid. Additionally, the foundation has set up a program for awarding smaller grants, with a range of $10,000 to $50,000.
