WHEN THE WILDFIRES SWEPT through Los Angeles County in January 2025, tens of thousands were left without homes or jobs. Without a clear path forward, many of them looked to the Catholic Church as a beacon of hope. With the guidance of their parish and pastor, more than 500 families and individuals received over $1.2 million in aid from the Help LA Fund, which was created and managed by The Orange Catholic Foundation (OCF).
ST. ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY PARISH’S SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL (SVDP) VOLUNTEERS POSE FOR A GROUP PHOTO. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ORANGE CATHOLIC FOUNDATION
In partnership with the Diocese of Orange and generous benefactors, OCF established the Help LA Fund shortly after the wildfires broke out. Staying true to the principle of subsidiarity, OCF worked directly with parish staff and volunteers in Los Angeles County. Together, they helped distribute more than 500 grants, with the last check distributed in August 2025.
Efrain Perez and his family credit the grants they received from the Help LA Fund for securing them a new place to live.
“Because of you, we didn’t have to start at the very bottom,” he said. “We didn’t have to worry. Your help gave us a new beginning.”
When the evacuation alert came through on his phone, Perez and his family didn’t think to grab much from their Altadena apartment. They assumed they would be back the next day. Fires had burned in the nearby mountains before, but nothing had ever swept through their neighborhood like it did just hours later.
Although it was heartbreaking to find out their apartment and everything they owned was gone, Perez said he is grateful to still have his wife, two children and brother-in-law.
“Always have faith,” he shared. “Material things come and go. As long as you have your family, you have everything. I thank God I got my family out.”
The Perez family applied for help through their spiritual home, St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, with the assistance of their parish’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP). Once OCF’s grants committee approved the application, the support was distributed to the Perez family through the church, covering a deposit and two months of rent as they settled into a new place.
Dave de Csepel, president of the SVDP St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church Conference, thanked OCF for their support and generous funding. He explained that his SVDP conference has taken additional steps to safeguard housing and essential services for those receiving Help LA Fund assistance, including making direct payments to landlords and utility providers. Additionally, they have dropped off groceries from their own food pantry to families.
“It’s hard out there for this community,” said De Csepel. “This crisis has not gone away. Families have had to totally reset their lives and are just struggling.”
Note: The Help LA Fund is no longer active. If you would like to assist others affected by tragic events, gifts can be made to the OCF Emergency Relief Fund. To learn more, contact our philanthropy team at (714) 282-3021 or [email protected].