FireAid Benefit for Los Angeles Shows a Drastically Different Approach than with Helene

By Joe



12-Minute read






A 'star-studded' lineup of musicians is uniting for a powerful cause this Thursday evening. The first of two benefit concerts, collectively known as FireAid, launched at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, to aid relief efforts following the devastating wildfires that swept through the Los Angeles area earlier this month. The fires claimed 29 lives and caused billions of dollars in damage, leaving communities in need of urgent support.

Green Day, known for being communist anti-Trump, wanna-be punk rockers, kicked off the event with their heartfelt track “Last Night on Earth,” featuring a surprise guest appearance by Billie Eilish. They continued their set with “Still Breathing” from their 2016 album Revolution Radio and the iconic “When I Come Around” from their 1994 breakthrough album Dookie.

The dual-venue concerts aim to raise funds “for rebuilding communities ravaged by wildfires and supporting initiatives to prevent future fire disasters across Southern California,” as stated in a press release. The lineup boasts a mix of legendary acts and rising stars, many with deep ties to Los Angeles.

At the Kia Forum, attendees will be treated to performances by hometown heroes like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Whose lead singer is dating someone more than half his age... Gracie Abrams, and Billie Eilish, (a man), alongside iconic artists such as Alanis Morissette, Pink, (a raging retard feminist), No Doubt, Joni Mitchell, The Black Crowes, Stephen Stills, John Mayer, and Stevie Nicks, basically a whole host of has been musicians will partake in the event.

Meanwhile, the second concert, set to begin at 7:30 PM PT at the nearby Intuit Dome, will feature a roster, including Eilish and Abrams, as well as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jelly Roll, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Sting, Tate McRae, and the legendary Stevie Wonder. I am shocked that Jelly Roll is allowed to preform since he was seen happily rubbing elbows with then candidate Trump. 

Together, these artists are claiming to use their voices and talents to bring hope and healing to communities affected by the wildfires, while also advocating for "long-term solutions to prevent future tragedies". One of the cheapest and easiest solutions would be to stop helping to vote in Democrats who have mismanaged every single thing they touch. Nobody at the concert mentioned that concept, however. 

Meanwhile L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, who has ties to a terrorist organization once charged for firebombing places has announced her intent to bring in an outside consultant to rebuild the Pacific Palisades. 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has announced that the reconstruction of fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades will be managed by an “outside consultant,” a decision made without consulting local residents or seeking input from those directly impacted by the disaster.

On Monday, Bass made an unannounced visit to Pacific Palisades, accompanied by Steve Soboroff, the newly appointed “chief recovery officer.” Soboroff, who was named to the role earlier this month without local input, had been notably absent from the community until this visit. During her appearance, Bass revealed plans to hire a consultant to oversee the rebuilding efforts.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Bass stated, “The city of Los Angeles is planning to hire an outside consultant to handle a significant rebuilding contract for areas devastated by this month’s Palisades fire.” Soboroff elaborated, explaining that the firm would manage damage assessments, monitor air and water quality, coordinate with federal agencies, and ensure the city maximizes federal reimbursement funds.

Despite Soboroff’s assurances that the consultant would act in the best interest of locals, the decision was made without any prior notice or community involvement. He also indicated that the consultant would oversee the allocation of federal funds designated for wildfire recovery, further sidelining residents from the decision-making process.

The lack of local input has left many in Pacific Palisades frustrated. Most residents were only able to access their properties for the first time on Monday, following direct intervention by former President Donald Trump. This delay has exacerbated tensions, with many feeling excluded from critical discussions about their community’s future.

Public support for Mayor Bass has significantly declined since the wildfires, with many Los Angeles residents expressing dissatisfaction with her leadership. Polls suggest that a growing number of voters now believe her 2022 election rival, Rick Caruso, would have been a better choice to lead the city.

At a recent town hall meeting attended by former President Trump, Mayor Bass, and other officials, the idea of appointing a “special master” was proposed. Modeled after the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund, this role would ensure transparency and accountability in the use of federal funds for rebuilding efforts. Trump endorsed the proposal and tasked Ambassador Richard Grenell with identifying a candidate or committee to fulfill this oversight role.

As the recovery process moves forward, the disconnect between city officials and the affected community remains a pressing issue, raising questions about transparency and local representation in the rebuilding of Pacific Palisades.

Now let's compare that to what went down with Hurricanes Milton and Helene. Two natural events that nobody can truly prepare for properly by simply keeping water reserves and upkeeping firetrucks, which California's leaders failed to do for a state that is constantly on fire. 

Hollywood power couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have stepped up to support disaster relief efforts, donating $1 million to Feeding America’s disaster relief fund. Their contribution aims to assist food banks in providing essential items like water, ready-to-eat meals, and supplies to communities grappling with devastating losses and a challenging road to recovery. Feeding America is basically just another scam in my opinion. Much like donating to most Veteran orgs, much of the money actually goes towards 'keeping the lights on' and paying salaries. Salaries like:

• $1,084,830:  Diana Aviv, CEO (until 1/18; note the Form 990 covers July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019)
• $  561,842:  Mathew Knott, President (until 5/19)
• $  412,105:  Paul Henrys, Treasurer
• $  344,166:  Catherine Davis, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
• $  338,654:  Katherine Leone, Chief Government Relations Officer
• $  304,870:  Andrew Wilson, Chief Development Officer
• $  303,560:  Matt Hayes, Chief HR Officer
• $  270,299:  Carol Medlin, Chief Program Officer (until 1/19)
• $  266,848:  John Vega, VP of Philanthropy Operations (until 11/18)
• $  260,365:  Ami McReynolds, Chief Programs Officer
• $  258,079:  Claire Wellington, Secretary
• $  252,810:  Nancy Curby, SVP, Strategic Partnerships
• $  240,040:  Daniel Nisbet, VP of Development
• $  235,133:  Ronald Martin, VP Financial Reporting and Budgeting
• $  232,050:  William Thomas, Chief Supply Chain Officer (until 7/18)
• $  220,366:  Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO (as of 10/18)
• $  210,015:  Elizabeth Nielson, SVP Digital and Direct Marketing
• $  199,477:  Andrea Yao, Former Secretary (Until 6/16; note the Form 990 covers July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019)

That is a grand total of $5,995,509 in just the salaries of the top employees. In 2019,Feeding America raised $2.8 billion of which $2.6 billion or 93% were non-cash contributions in food donations. 

Meanwhile, NFL legend Tom Brady, who recently retired after his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, announced on Thursday that he is teaming up with delivery service Gopuff to donate $100,000 to the Volunteer Florida Foundation. The funds will help deliver necessities such as food, water, and first aid to Floridians impacted by the disaster. Gopuff is also matching donations made through its new in-app feature, “Give With Gopuff,” to further amplify the impact. So 200k for millions of affected people and probably at least a billion in damage just in Florida. 

Pop superstar Taylor Swift, the world’s wealthiest female musician, has made a staggering $5 million donation to Feeding America’s Milton and Helene relief efforts. The nonprofit’s CEO shared that Swift’s contribution "will play a vital role in helping communities rebuild and recover by providing food, clean water, and essential supplies to those affected by the storms."  Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour is set to resume in Miami on October 18. So, she donated to the grift that is Feeding America. Speaking of which, how many times did you hear of Feeding America being mentioned in North Carolina? Billy Graham's org and many on the ground volunteers were mentioned, but oddly enough not Feeding America. Perhaps that is because they didn't do much to help after all. In fact, according to Open Secrets.org, the majority of donations taken in to Feeding America come from Democrats. Where there is smoke there is fire, I say. 

Country music icon Dolly Parton, a native of Pittman Center in eastern Tennessee, has pledged 1 million of her own money to Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Additionally, her businesses, including the beloved Dollywood theme park, will contribute another 1 million to the Mountain Ways Foundation, further supporting relief initiatives. Now, I couldn't find much about Mountain Ways Foundation, so I have no information to share with you on them at this time. However, who can bash Dolly here for offering millions in direct recovery efforts? I am not even a country fan. 

Tennessee-born country singer Morgan Wallen has also joined the cause, donating $500,000 through his foundation to the American Red Cross on October 1. Wallen, along with comedian Theo Von and Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello, organized a donation drive in Knoxville, collecting bottled water, non-perishable food, and other essential supplies for those in need. Yes, this will disappoint all the Wallen fans to see that he donated to an arguably useless organization like the Red Cross. Another org that you never heard locals singing the praises of. Mainly because they tend to work directly with government groups like the failed FEMA org. The same group that intentionally avoided Trump homes during the following days after the disaster. 

Heavy metal giants Metallica are lending their support through their nonprofit, the All Within My Hands Foundation, which is donating $50,000 each to World Central Kitchen and Team Rubicon. These funds will aid first-response efforts for Hurricane Helene, ensuring immediate assistance reaches affected communities. Now, as many of you know, Metallica is a collection of crybaby leftists. What do we know about World Central Kitchen. They have a high rating as a charity. Their CEO is Erin Gore. The founder is Jose Andres, and if you recall, he was the guy who accused Israel, (perhaps rightfully so), of attacking his trucks in Gaza as they were trying to bring aid to Gazans. Gaza is the lefts precious child. We have seen this over and over again.  I was unable to find much as far as salaries. That seems to be kept under wraps at least from what I could find. Oh, and I found the below image on their website.