LOS ANGELES – It’s been six months since the Palisades and Eaton wildfires broke out in Los Angeles County… and still many questions remain surrounding where the $100 million collected through the FireAid benefit concert have gone.
California Congressman Kevin Kiley is now calling on the Justice Department to investigate.
Demanding transparency
What they’re saying:
“I’ve asked the attorney general to open an investigation in order to restore the intent of the donors in order to make the victims whole and to bring accountability,” Riley said on the House floor Wednesday, July 23.
FireAid maintains that their plan has always been to have trusted nonprofits apply for grants which could then be distributed throughout the community where the need is greatest. Yet, Kiley says the money has been misallocated.
“I think that getting answers and figuring out where all the money went is very important, especially when we’re dealing with this volume of funds and this many donors and this urgent of a need,” Kiley told FOX 11.
RELATED: $100 million FireAid money under scrutiny. Where have the concert funds gone?
He said many of the nonprofit organizations that received funds through FireAid aren’t connected to LA and have been promoting “civic engagement” and “multi-generational power building.”
“I think transparency is what’s needed here. And I know that there was one organization that has been cited that I actually cited in my letter that appears to have really nothing to do with fire relief that is involved in civic engagement and voting. And I understand that the grant has been returned from that organization. So I guess that’s one thing to do, that if there are other examples like that, of where maybe the funds were not allocated to the right type of organizations, then they can be redirected to the kind of organizations or ultimately to what will most expeditiously get the funds to the victims themselves, so many of whom are still struggling to rebuild,” Kiley added.
The other side:
Chris Wallace, Chief Communications Officer for the LA Clippers, released a statement to FOX 11 saying, “FireAid has reached out to and spoken with Representative Kiley. We are happy to work with him to make sure he has the full picture of the direct support FireAid has helped provide to people impacted by the devastating wildfires. From food and housing to legal aid and direct cash assistance, trusted local organizations have delivered meaningful relief to people in need — and we’re committed to making that impact clear.”
Wallace provided a few examples of how the funds were spent.
The Change Reaction: Issued approximately 2,500 cash assistance checks directly to individuals.
LA Regional Food Bank: Distributed more than 50 million pounds of food and products directly to individuals in need.
Project Camp: Created 10 pop-up day camps offering over 10,000 hours of free, trauma-informed childcare for nearly 1,000 families.
211: used its FireAid funding to hire 40 additional care coordinators who worked directly with 6,000 fire-impacted families who were displaced, helping them connect to a range of resources and benefits.
Neighborhood Housing Services: Saw 1,000+ families enter their sustainable homeownership system since their fire response began. They provided free financial counseling to every family/neighbor, critical relief information and connected families to urgently needed resources.
Where did the grants go?
The backstory:
Over $100 million was raised during the star-studded benefit concert which was held at Intuit Dome and Kia Forum in Inglewood. Performers included Billie Eilish, Earth, Wind & Fire, Katy Perry, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many others. Every dollar raised during the concert was matched by LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife, Connie. That matched amount is included in the $100 million total. The Clippers also offset the costs of putting on the show.
In early June, FireAid officials announced the distribution of $25 million in their second round of grants. In February, FireAid distributed approximately $50 million, bringing the total of funds distributed close to $75 million. It’s unclear when the third round of grants will go out.
First phase of grants
The first round of grants provided $50 million in relief to more than 120 nonprofit organizations. Officials said the grants supported families, displaced homeowners, foster youth, seniors, small business owners, first responders, artists, and others with emergency housing, food assistance, trauma counseling, direct financial relief, childcare, and animal welfare services.
Another Round 1 grantee, Inclusive Action, supported outdoor workers—street vendors, landscapers, recyclers—who lost income, equipment, or housing due to the fires and hazardous air conditions. With its FireAid grant, Inclusive Action issued $500 prepaid cards to more than 5,000 workers, officials said in a statement earlier in the year.
Second phase of grants
FireAid officials said the second phase of grants focused on long-term recovery and restoring “stability, connection and well-being across entire communities.”
They said $25 million went towards supporting initiatives around financial and housing stability, mental health and trauma services, and community infrastructure. Additional funding went towards environmental remediation, soil testing, permitting support, sustainable rebuilding efforts, and educational support for students. Aid was also given to small businesses and displaced workers.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Funds from FireAid benefit concert being questioned as second round of grants go out
A full list of grants can be viewed online at fireaidla.org/grants.
The Source: Information for this story came from a July 24 interview with Kevin Kiley. A statement was also provided by Chris Wallace from the LA Clippers. Previous FOX 11 reports and information from FireAid contributed to this report.
