California FireAid Concert Raises $100M, Funds Go Primarily to Nonprofits Not Victims

Despite raising roughly $100 million from FireAid concerts featuring major artists, none of the funds appear to have gone directly to the victims of the Southern California wildfires earlier this year. Investigations revealed that the money was distributed to around 120 nonprofit organizations, many of which have tenuous or unrelated connections to wildfire relief efforts. Local investigative reporter Sue Pascoe, who lost her own home in the fires, found that many nonprofits receiving funds did not pass money on to the affected families, and some had little involvement in rebuilding efforts. Attempts to contact the Annenberg Foundation, overseeing the funds, were largely ignored, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. Rep. Kevin Kiley has called for an investigation by the Attorney General into the handling of these funds. Critics argue that the vetting process for nonprofits was inadequate, leaving fire victims without the aid they were promised.