Jan 2025 LA Fire Resources

The following list of resources was crowdsourced during the Jan 13, 2025 PVIAG group meeting, then added to over time from a collection of other sources:

• Pro-bono AI training for nonprofit organizations

  • shared by Dr. Steven Kirch

  • offered by Steve's company, Profit Minds

• zero-interest, zero-fee loans for individuals & families (up to $25k), small businesses (up to $50k), and non-profits (up to $50k)

  • shared by Judy Fischer

  • offered through Jewish Free Loan Association

  • (Amy Levy did some PR for them last year and can help as well)

• Free cell phone booster

  • suggested by Brett Lippel

  • connect the booster to your hard-wired internet line to create a mini cell signal tower inside your home or office if the larger cell tower(s) are down in your local area due to disaster - just call Verizon or AT&T or your other cell carrier to ask about this benefit

• Santa Monica fire relief and resource portal

  • suggested by Mark Wald

  • provided here by the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce (who is is a client of Mark's firm)

• 12 Best Business Continuity Plan Templates

  • shared by Michael Paul

  • link here to the resource from Technical Writer HQ

• Denim Drive 2025

  • shared by Sean DeVore, who's 16-year-old daughter is among the organizers

  • https://www.denimdrive.org/ is a nonprofit run by San Fernando Valley high school students

• Free Legal Services

  • shared by Pankaj Raval

  • offered through California Pro Bono Portal

• SBA (US Small Business Administration) Disaster Relief

  • suggested by Mark Wald

  • SBA's low-interest disaster loans to help homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes recover from current wildfire (more info here)

  • Types of SBA disaster loans now available:

    • Home Disaster Loans: Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.

    • Business Physical Disaster Loans: Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.

    • Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

• State Consolidated Debris Removal Program

  • shared by Brooks Dunn

  • The homeowner handout is available from LADBS here

• Tips on returning to a smoke damaged home

  • shared by Brooks Dunn

  • Tips from the LA County Health Department here

  • "Right of Entry" opt-in form here

• ProVisors LA Fire Support Resources

  • shared by Rebecca Pedooem

  • https://www.provisors.com/2025-la-fire-resources/#communication

• Additional crowd-sourced resources & documentation here