Weelicious founder joins with organization founded by KIND Snacks CEO to help LA wildfire victims
The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles have left families without homes as frontline workers and first responders battle the blaze. Frontline Impact Project, which was launched by the founder of KIND Snacks in the wake of COVID-19 to get supplies to first responders, is now helping frontline workers in LA get what they need. Weelicious founder Catherine McCord is one of the organization’s partners. She also happens to live near the Pasadena area that was impacted by the fires.
"I’ve been really on the ground myself working with a lot of brands. The brands have been incredible about trying to just get food and other products to the families," McCord told Fox News. "Right now, most of the families are displaced, so I think we’re trying to take care of our frontline workers who are still hard at work making sure the fires are contained, and then slowly but surely getting to the families."
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McCord also spoke about her personal connection with people who have been displaced by the wildfires, sharing that her son’s school has "40 families who have lost their homes in fires or [were] displaced."
While she and her family were not displaced due to the fires, many in their community were. She says the disaster "touches us in so many ways."
"I think that that’s been the hardest part is watching people that were used to supporting other people, and now they’re in a position that is not comfortable, and overnight everything is taken from them and trying to explain it to their children, and also trying to just work and get on their feet, find a new place to live."
Amid the "layered and complicated" situation, McCord expressed some optimism about the response, saying that she has "seen Los Angeles coming together in such an impactful way."
In addition to Weelicious, Blue Lizard Sunscreen, Justin's Peanut Butter, Kachava All in One Nutrition, Love Corn Snacks, Banza Pasta and Spindrift are working with Frontline Impact Project to get their products to the frontlines.
As of early Thursday morning, at least 25 people were confirmed to have died in the disaster, while dozens remain missing. Additionally, Cal Fire estimated that more than 12,000 structures were destroyed in the blaze and over 40,600 acres had been burned.