Since Jan. 7, numerous wildfires have ravaged Los Angeles neighborhoods such as Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, and Altadena. As the city continues fighting the fires, many locals have already come together to help begin the rebuilding process, whether by doing donation drives or highlighting resources around Los Angeles for those in need. But one teenager in particular has become a beacon for those looking to lend a hand.
Avery Colvert, a 14-year-old Los Angeles resident, has quickly made a name for herself as a huge helper in the recovery efforts. When she realized how many families had to evacuate — and how many were displaced due to their homes being destroyed — she felt compelled to help her peers, and those like her, find a sense of normalcy by replenishing the clothing, beauty and self-care products, and everyday essentials that they had lost.Â
“I envisioned my own bedroom and I was thinking about how my clothes, makeup, and shoes — everything — is my identity and it’s my sense of self. And it’s the same thing for all of my friends and all these girls who lost everything in the fire,” Colvert told TIME magazine in a Jan. 12 interview. wanted her friends to be able to feel normal again. “I was like, OK, Pasadena Civic Center has the necessities, but I want specific items for these girls so they can feel like themselves again and get their confidence back.”
And thus Altadena Girls, a charity organization dedicated to help Gen Z and Gen Alpha girls who lost everything in the wildfires, was born. With the help of her father, Colvert took to Instagram to create an account dedicated to collecting donations. In a matter of hours, Altadena Girls had gone viral, and in the days since, it’s become one of the leading organizations for collecting and distributing donations around Los Angeles. The organization has been sent wellness packages from artists such as Ariana Grande and Charli XCX, as well as donations from clothing companies based in Los Angeles. With support from celebrities like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, as well as widespread support from the internet, it’s clear that Altadena Girls is here to stay for however long it takes to help get Los Angeles back on its feet again.Â
The physical Altadena Girls store — whose location changes and can be best kept up with on the org’s Instagram page — is designed to create a safe shopping environment for Gen Z women, where they can pick and choose never-worn or -used items. Altadena Girls has also enlisted the help of local stylists to help girls put together outfits and give advice, creating a personalized and fun experience for those who needs resources.
As of Jan. 16, Altadena Girls has had such an influx of physical item donations and in-person volunteers that the current best bet for those who want to help would be to donate money online. However, as Altadena Girls continues to grow — and moves to its permanent location — more opportunities to get involved will likely be coming soon.