Palisades Fire Recovery for Marquez Elementary & Beyond

UPDATE: January 13th

We’ve spent the past week assessing the damage, speaking with those affected, and feeling overwhelmed by the immense needs in so many different directions.

What started as a way to support Emmie’s 3rd-grade class and school has grown into a much larger initiative. The heartbreaking stories continue to pour in, and in a community where everyone knows someone—or many people—who have lost everything, the need is staggering.

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we were able to raise so much so quickly. We’re keeping this campaign open to raise even more for those in need. THANK YOU! Keep the momentum going!

Our first $18,000 in contributions will go toward:

The Families in Emmie’s Class:

• Families who don’t have the financial means to recover.

• Some have lost their entire homes, while others are dealing with homes that are unlivable or require extensive repairs.

The AMAZING Teachers of Marquez Elementary:

• While LAUSD provides some support, there are significant gaps that need to be filled as they rebuild their classrooms.

• I’ve seen firsthand how these incredible men and women have given everything they have—and more—to the rebuilding effort. Their top priority is to bring the children back together, providing a place to learn, heal, and regain a sense of home.

What’s Next?

As we continue raising funds, we aim to extend support to other schools impacted by the fires, both in the Palisades and those affected by the Eaton/Altadena Fire. The devastation is truly beyond comprehension.

We are committed to continuing this effort for as long as we can and helping as many people as possible.

We’ll share a detailed spreadsheet showing how all funds are allocated to ensure transparency.

THANK YOU, over and over again, for joining us in this effort.

With love and gratitude,

Bethany & Emmie

For GoFundMe:

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We have spent a week assessing the damages, talking to so many affected and are overwhelmed with how much is needed in so many different directions.

What started off as a way to help Emmie's 3rd grade and school has now become much bigger of an initiative. Heartbreaking story after story in a situation where everyone here knows someone (or many) people who have lost everything in these fires.

We were able to raise so much so fast and want to keep this open to raise more for more people that need it. THANK YOU!

Keep it coming!

Our first round of $18,000 contributions will support:

We are determined to keep on with this as long as we can to help as many as we can.

We will share a spreadsheet that shows where the funds were allocated.

THANK YOU over and over again for joining us in this! .

Love, Bethany & Emmie

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Jan 10th

Support the Victims of the LA Fire – Help Rebuild the Marquez Elementary Community

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to ask how you can help. After countless conversations and reviewing the needs of those impacted, we’ve decided the best way to support is by raising funds directly for Emmie’s 3rd-grade students and their families. These funds will allow them the flexibility to purchase what they need most during this incredibly challenging time. There are so many different lists circulating and we don't want to overlap items. These funds will allow her families to purchase what they know they need.

The devastating Palisades Fire has completely destroyed Marquez Elementary School and many homes in the surrounding community. Families have lost their schools, their neighborhoods, and in some cases, everything they own.

Imagine your community, your school, your neighborhood—gone.

That is the heartbreaking reality these families are facing.

Our goal is to raise $18,000 as quickly as possible:

• $17,000 will be divided among Emmie’s 17 students to help their families rebuild their lives.

• $1,000 will go toward helping Emmie rebuild her classroom once a new location is secured.

What happened:

On Tuesday, January 7th, the teachers and students of Marquez Elementary were notified to shelter in place at 10:30 AM. By 11:00 AM, evacuation orders were issued, and by 11:30 AM, remaining students were placed on buses that would get them to a safe location to meet their parents.

While trying to navigate through the rapidly developing fire, Emmie spent four hours in her car, surrounded by all the immediate chaos and gridlock. I was on the phone with her the entire time, guiding her through updates from news, social media, and fire reports, while keeping her calm. An incredible friend was on her way from Silverlake on her motorcycle to be a Plan B if we couldn't get Emmie out in time and she had to leave her car. Thankfully, Emmie made it out safely. She went directly to the evacuation site where the buses were headed to be there for her students, ensuring each one made it to their parents safely.

Despite this unimaginable situation and experience, Emmie has stayed strong and persistent, coordinating with LAUSD, the teachers, and parents on all things that will come next. Today she was able to be on a Zoom call with her students. The resilience of her students, their families, and fellow teachers has been nothing short of inspiring. To hear the kiddos so excited to see their favorite teacher, Ms. Petit, was everything.

How you can help:

These families are starting over from scratch. The funds raised will provide immediate financial relief to help them rebuild their lives and find some sense of normalcy. This is a chance to support a brave community that has endured so much in such a short time.

We also want to acknowledge the heroic efforts of firefighters, first responders, and volunteers who continue to save lives and support the community during this tragedy. Truly AMAZING!

Thank you for your generosity, kindness, and support. Together, we can help these families recover and rebuild.

Please share this campaign and donate if you’re able. Every dollar counts. ❤️

Sincerely,

Bethany (Emmie's partner)

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