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Financial Guidance & Emotional Support
Connecting people impacted by the LA County wildfires with financial professionals and emotional support practitioners offering pro bono services.
Whether you’re seeking guidance or have expertise to offer, we’re here to rebuild and uplift - together.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BELOW
I’ve lost everything. Where do I begin?
We know this can feel overwhelming, but you are not alone. Start here:
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Connect to Public Resources
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RESPONSE.CA.GOV provides Californians with information and resources for current incidents, transportation impacts, vital health services information, shelter and housing locations, unemployment assistance, and other state information.
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Information about filing an unemployment claim with the California Employment Development Department. Call 800-300-5616 if you have questions.
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Help for military veterans through the California Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Apply for food assistance from the state.
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Apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance through the state.
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For other resources, see LawHelpCA.org's listings on disaster assistance and recovery.
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Connect to Insurance
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File insurance claim and ask for cash advance.
If you lost your home in the wildfire, when you file your insurance claim, be sure to ask for a cash advance to help you get situated. Under California law, after an officially declared disaster, your insurer is required to give you an advance of no less than 30% of your “dwelling” insurance limit and at least 4 months of your available coverage for temporary rent and other additional living expenses you incur due to having lost the use of your home. Be sure to ask for it in writing (email counts). If you are insured through the CA Fair Plan, your coverage for temporary/additional living expenses is a based on the Fair Rental Value of your dwelling.
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United Policyholders is a non-profit organization designed to help disaster victims advocate for benefits from their insurance companies.
Step-by-step resources are available on their Roadmap to Recovery.
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The California Department of Insurance (CDI) is providing one-on-one appointments to answer insurance questions.
To schedule an appointment, contact CDI’s Hotline at 1-800-927-4357. Walk-ins will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Saturday, Jan 18th, 10AM- 5PM and Sunday, Jan 19th, 10AM-1PM
Insurance Support Workshop Invitation – Santa Monica
Saturday, January 25th, 10AM-5PM and Sunday, January 26th, 10AM-1PM
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Connect to Financial Guidance
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Financial Advisors are here to help you navigate the looming financial decisions with clarity and empowerment. We recognize this is an extremely emotional time, and we want to prevent you from making costly mistakes.
- Connect with our directory of financial professionals offering pro bono services by accessing our directory.
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Connect to Emotional Support
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We know this is an incredibly emotional experience. Emotional support practitioners such as therapists, somatic therapists, sound healers, and more are here to help you process what’s happening and move forward.
- Connect with our directory of emotional support practitioners offering pro bono services by accessing our directory.
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Emotional Support Resources
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Additional Ways to Support
If you would prefer to donate directly to those impacted, please find links to GoFundMe pages for the families affected here: