The Palisades fire devastation is being felt by LA families displaced from their homes, which has inspired the Montera community to support from afar. The fires were one of the most fast-moving in California history and decimated the area. Many families did not have time to grab anything in the evacuation and lost everything. While these belongings cannot be replaced easily and held sentimental value, there are things that the Montera community is doing to help.
Jennifer Riback, a Montera 6th grade math and science teacher, has organized students and staff to donate supplies to send from Montera. Ms Riback was personally motivated to do something when she learned her cousin lost everything in the Altadena fire. This was the other major fire that burned an entire neighborhood similar to the Palisades fire.
Although Ms Riback doesn’t have a lot of monetary resources to contribute on her own, she realized she has a platform as a teacher that can be leveraged to help. It started as her sharing the story with a few other teachers, however students soon caught on and it became a massive cause within Montera’s community.
With a direct line to displaced family in LA, Ms Riback learned that some of the most needed donation items were not clothing, with a lot already being provided from other sources. She prioritized asking for donations of necessities such as bedding, emergency supplies like flashlights, hygiene supplies and kids toys. The Montera contributions will go a long way to help not only her family but many others in this time of need.