Los Angeles Wildfires Therapist Support Drive

The Soultenders Child and Family Center, in collaboration with the Youth Empowerment Network, is hosting a donation drive to support therapists and school counselors who lost their offices in the recent Los Angeles wildfires. We aim to completely rebuild the supplies of 4 playrooms from scratch, and provide support to at least 18 child mental health professionals who lost their offices and are continuing to provide services to their devastated community. Odyssey and Aveson Elementary Schools were tragically destroyed in the Eaton Canyon fires. Both schools were known for prioritizing students’ emotional well-being through strong mental health programs. Over 40% of their students, along with many of their teachers, staff and therapists, lost their homes. The therapists have been working tirelessly to support their devastated community with minimal resources, as all their therapy supplies were lost in the fire, and they are now operating out of bare spaces as they rebuild.

• Support for Impacted Child Therapists: Donations to help therapists rebuild their offices will be accepted at the South Pasadena Soultenders throughout March. Child therapists who lost their offices in the wildfires can request support in rebuilding play therapy supplies: Apply here
• Support for Impacted EMDR Therapists: EMDR therapists are eligible for a free pair of wireless B-Pulse tappers from Bumble BLS and a EMDR children’s book and workbook.  Apply here
• Counselor Calm Kits and Group Therapy Supplies: Kits of fidgets, art supplies and sensory and comfort items for classrooms and therapy groups.
• Fires and Feelings Workbook: Leslie Santana and Lauren Stockly, local therapists, have created a free workbook to help children process their complicated emotions surrounding the fires. Download here.
• Youth Support Drive: We are also collecting new toys, books, and art supplies to children who have lost their homes and displaced foster youth. Click here for more information on how to contribute.

Ways To Contribute 

• Contribute via the Play, Heal Grow Disaster Relief GoFundMe managed by the Youth Empowerment Network.
• Send items via our Amazon Wishlist or Blick Art Supplies Wishlist
• Donations can be mailed to Lauren Stockly (Soultenders) 1605 Hope St, South Pasadena, CA 91030.
• Contact Lauren Stockly at lauren.ic@soultenders.com to coordinate donation drop-off in South Pasadena.

Donations Being Accepted Throughout March

• New and secondhand Play Therapy supplies
• Legos and building toys (ex. magnetites)
• Dollhouse, furniture and diverse dolls (most wanted)
• Castle and knights
• Toy vehicles (especially emergency vehicles)
• Fidgets and sensory items
• Kinetic sand and tray
• Puzzles and blocks
•  Bracelet making supplies
• Office supplies (staplers, scissors, clipboards, pencil sharpeners, sticky notes, tape, etc.)
• Arts and craft supplies
• Classic board games, Jenga and card games
• Therapeutic games and cards(ex. Ungame, Mindfulness cards, Would You Rather?)
• Sound machines
• Miniatures (multicultural people, animals, scenery, etc.)
• Area rugs and bean bag chairs
• Puppets, stuffed animals and weighted toys
• Real life toys (doctor’s kit, cars, play food, phone, costumes etc.)
• Fire-related toys (ex. fire truck, fire fighters, etc.)
• Play doh, clay, putty, mad matter
• Therapeutic children’s books and workbooks
• Therapist books and client workbooks
• Office decor (posters, art, faux plants, clocks, etc.)
• Comfort items and soft blankets
• Storage furniture, file drawers and bins
• Cleaning supplies (ex. disinfect wipes, hand sanitizer, tissues, etc.)
• Printer and laminator

Leslie Santana and Lauren Stockly are local therapists who have created a workbook to help children process their complicated emotions surrounding the fires. It can be downed for free in English and Spanish here and is listed on Amazon at-cost. Lauren Stockly’s book, Be Mindful of Monsters: Fire Support Edition is also available as a free download. Click here to download.