“We desperately need diapers,” said Kellie Krievs, a 38-year-old communications director who is volunteering at the makeshift operation in the parking lot of the Santa Anita racetrack.
“A lot of people, the first thing they ask for is diapers and baby formula,” Krievs told AFP.
Beyond those products, mental health is an urgent concern.
“The kids are not alright,” said Chessa Latifi, deputy director of emergency response for NGO Project Hope.
“They’re acting differently and they’re under stress — they know that their friends have lost their homes, and they know that their school is closed.”
She urged parents to maintain whatever normalcy they can, including setting up playdates with friends.
“Just trying to make sure they understand that their community, whether it be physically or emotionally, is still there for them,” she said.
“This entire city has been traumatized, whether your house was burnt down or not,” Latifi added.
