On the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, the lives of over 10,000 Angelenos, including over 100 Cubs and their families, saw their lives turned upside down in almost an instant as countless fires swept through the Los Angeles Metropolitan area, decimating everything in their paths.
During the following day, Wednesday, Jan. 8, in response to this mass devastation and destruction, Caruso Hall was opened as a resource center for anyone affected. Donations poured in by the truckload, with clothes, toiletries, and supplies quickly stacking the tables, where affected students and their families were free to walk the aisles and pick out anything they needed. With all these donations, volunteers worked throughout the days to ensure the donations were properly sorted and distributed so that they would be ready.
Director of the Center for Service and Justice (CSJ) Gabriela Gordillo-Banuelos headed the efforts, organizing the hundreds of parents and students who volunteered to help sort and organize supplies. These volunteers worked hard to load trucks and cars headed to other resource centers, while also spending quality time with those displaced by the fires.
Additionally, Theology teacher Dr. Matthew Fischer worked tirelessly to drive supplies to other affected areas, including Altadena. When asked about his role in the efforts, Fischer commented, “We had a well-oiled machine…Loyola did a great job of organizing the supplies, and we all did a really good job of quickly executing and getting the supplies where they needed to be.”
Aaron Williams ‘26, an affected resident of the Palisades area, had to evacuate his house for numerous weeks. Once school went back in session, Williams was without school attire and supplies, so he decided to stop by Caruso Hall in order to get some essentials. Williams remarked, “I’m really grateful for Loyola’s sense of community and also the center at Caruso Hall filled with vast resources, as I was able to get polos, khakis and notebooks to make the transition back to school as seamless as possible even while still being under evacuation orders.”
In addition to helping families replace some of their physical possessions like clothes, school supplies, and other household items, Loyola has helped those affected with their financial needs through The Cura Personalis Fund. The Fund, used to help families in times of need, was opened up for donations, and thanks to these beyond-generous donations from students, parents, faculty, and alumni, the fund quickly accumulated ample money within the first month, allowing the fund to stop accepting donations.
The overwhelming support from the school community in the wake of this devastation has exemplified the school’s deep commitment to solidarity and helping each other, reinforcing the fundamental Jesuit principles that St. Ignatius founded this school upon 160 years ago.
Through both tangible aid and unwavering compassion, students, faculty, and the overall Loyola community came together to ensure that no one faced the aftermath of these terrible fires alone. This rapid response proved the strength of Loyola’s community pledge to cura personalis that extends far beyond the classroom.
