Helping Communities Heal from the Los Angeles Wildfires
The wildfires in Los Angeles this past January have left incredible devastation in their wake, destroying more than 16,000 homes, businesses, schools, and other structures. Many individuals have been left without homes and basic necessities, while overcrowded animal shelters struggle to care for displaced pets.
With a major office in Los Angeles and deep roots in Southern California, Kleinfelder staff — and our company as a whole — were eager to help the communities impacted by this devastation.
The following is an update on just some of the ways our staff have stepped up to help heal SoCal thus far.
Nearly $8,200 Raised for Wildfire Relief Efforts
To support recovery efforts, Kleinfelder’s Southern California Area (SoCal Area) — spearheaded by Area Business Manager Crystal Duran — identified two charitable organizations making a significant impact: the American Red Cross and Best Friends Animal Society.
Thanks to the generosity of our staff and the company’s donation match, nearly $8,200 was raised for wildfire relief efforts:
- $5,106 was donated to the American Red Cross to help provide shelter, food, and essential supplies for displaced families and assist with recovery needs such as home repairs, mental health support, and financial assistance.
- $3,090 was donated to Best Friends Animal Society to provide food, veterinary care, and temporary shelter for displaced pets, as well as support reunification efforts for lost animals and their owners.
Providing Homes to Pets in Need
Through the Pasadena Humane Society and the California Doodle Rescue, Sr. Program Manager Melissa Pena, from our Los Angeles office, is fostering a dog found in the fire debris and helping raise funds for the surgery required to save her life. She previously fostered another dog from the Pasadena shelter to make room for pets displaced from the fires.
Outside of SoCal, Staff Archaeologist Alina Landa, from our Rancho Cordova, California office recently adopted a dog who had been in a Los Angeles shelter since July 2024 until he was transferred to the Utah Humane Society on January 17, 2025, to make room for pets displaced from the fires in the area.
“I’m a SoCal native,” she said, “so helping these pets really hits home for me.”
She also shared an organization she supports, Shepherdess Land & Livestock, which rescued and cares for farm animals and livestock affected by the fires.
These are just two examples of the many staff who have stepped in to donate their time, provide financial contributions, and open their homes to help pets affected by the fires.
Blanket & Food Drives to Benefit Wildfire Victims
The San Diego offices’ 10th annual blanket drive was extended this year to include support for Los Angeles fire victims through the Mission Valley and World Vision Fire Relief Drive. Organized by Area Administrative Manager Terri London, and thanks to the generosity of Kleinfelder staff, a total of 180 blankets and 108 pairs of socks were collected and donated to various organizations to help those in need.
The San Diego Headquarters also hosted a food drive during Super Bowl, with some of the donations going to Los Angeles wildfire relief organizations.
Helping Kleinfelder Colleagues
We are grateful to report that all Kleinfelder Southern California Area employees were safe and accounted for. While our office locations were unaffected, several client projects were paused, leaving a gap in the workload available for some staff. Kleinfelder employees from across the company stepped in to support their colleagues by donating paid time off (PTO) hours to our Catastrophic and Natural Disaster Fund, designed to provide financial assistance to employees experiencing hardship due to natural disasters like the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Looking Ahead to the Rebuild
There is a large group of staff in Kleinfelder’s SoCal Area who are organizing into groups to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity on efforts to rebuild in areas devastated by the fires and provide affordable housing and homes for SoCal communities.
Led by Sr. Principal Professional Ed Matthews, a longtime Habitat for Humanity volunteer, a group of Kleinfelder staff interested in both Los Angeles rebuilding efforts (and even more near-term projects in San Diego and beyond) is attending orientations and preparing to participate in upcoming builds.
