Feeding Displaced Families From the California Wildfires
For people leaving their homes and businesses behind when fleeing the wildfires that began around Los Angeles, California on January 7, 2025, how to feed your family should not be an added concern. At least that’s what restaurateur and former “Ladies of London” star Marissa Hermer thought when she was evacuated from her Pacific Palisades home, reported TODAY.
After leaving her home with all she and her family members could carry, and not having a plan, she decided to fall back on something she knew how to do well. “[If] you don’t know what you’re gonna do, lean into the things that you do know — and I know how to cook dinner,” Hermer told TODAY. That’s when she decided to start a food service for families impacted by the fires.
YOU GIVE. WE COOK. THEY EAT.
People need to feed their families and when you don’t have a kitchen, it becomes even a greater challenge, Hermer said. Although her French brasserie, The Draycott, located in the Pacific Palisades Village shopping center in the fire zone – she was told it was lost but found out later that the structure was still standing – she launched a food delivery system for people impacted by the wildfires.
Her service is called “YOU GIVE. WE COOK. THEY EAT” and is operated out of her two other restaurants in West Hollywood to cook warm meals for families, firefighters, hospital workers, and shelters.
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Hermer posted on her Instagram account that displaced families can comment “family” and receive a free meal. People can nominate a displaced family by writing “nominate family” and tagging the recipient. Volunteers can comment “driver” if they can pick up food from the restaurants and deliver it to families. The program is the same as the one that was used to feed thousands during the pandemic.
Although Hermer is not sure she has a home to go back to, she is just focused on giving back to the community. And she is far from alone.
José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen
When there are disasters, Spanish-born celebrity chef José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen springs up to help. Andrés began his nonprofit in 2010 and has used it to feed people who are in need of food from natural disasters and conflicts, according to EatingWell.
The charity networks and mobilizes chefs to prepare food for people in need. Now they are working right in their own backyard and feeding 30,000 people from the community who need meals.
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World Central Kitchen set up five distribution sites for first responders and for the evacuees. The volunteers are offering hot food at locations that run from gas stations to the Rose Bowl stadium.
Food Trucks Lend a Hand
But it’s just not restaurants and charities who are out there feeding people in need. Food trucks have also been aiding the efforts. In Santa Monica, chef Cristian Barajas’ Gordo Hibachi fed weary firefighters shrimp with rice and noodles.
Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger set up their Socalo Border Grill catering truck at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and fed 600 people the first night.
To date, more than 150,000 people have been evacuated, reported AP News, and the series of wildfires are still far from controlled. In fact, in a few short days the fires have spread to 62 square miles and have left destruction in their wake. But there is still a bright side, an army of volunteers are ensuring that no one is going hungry.
