HELP US SUPPORT WILDFIRE SURVIVORS
Volunteer | Spread the Word | Donate
Our Free Boutique is an ongoing effort to help wildfire survivors rebuild with dignity.
We need volunteers, outreach support, and donations to keep this initiative going strong.
Neighbor in Need
Get Support When You Need It Most
We provide essentials, clothing, and immediate relief to individuals and families impacted by the Southern California wildfires.
Only fill out the form if you can’t come in person.
Volunteer with us
Join Our Community Response
Help us sort, distribute, and support wildfire evacuees—your time makes an immediate difference.
Style & Dignity
Since day one, we’ve been here to clothe LA fire survivors & restart their lives.
Style is Survival: Support LA Fire Survivors
On January 7th, 2025, devastating wildfires tore through Los Angeles, displacing thousands of families and exposing deep cracks in our city’s emergency response systems.
As large-scale aid efforts fell short, The People’s Free Boutique by Quirk stepped in — because style, dignity, and normalcy should never be afterthoughts in disaster recovery.
Since day one, we’ve been here — providing real help without judgment, unnecessary paperwork, or delay.
We thoughtfully screen recipients to ensure resources reach those genuinely impacted, maintaining a safe, calm, and respectful environment for everyone we serve.
Our boutique is AAPI-led, operated by a diverse team of volunteers — many of whom are survivors themselves — creating an environment rooted in inclusion, compassion, and resilience.
Mission & Vision
Mission:
The People’s Free Boutique by Quirk exists to empower fire affected and crisis-displaced communities by providing access to high-quality, dignity-affirming clothing and essentials-free of charge.
Our approach is rooted in fashion accessibility, community care, and mutual aid values. We believe that clothing is not just a basic need but a powerful tool for self-expression, healing, and resilience.
Vision:
To evolve into a permanent, community-anchored hub that merges fashion, recovery, and human dignity. We envision a system where crisis response is not reactive but sustained and equitable where survivors of natural disasters and displacement receive not only physical resources but support systems that affirm their worth and restore agency. Our long-term goal is to create replicable models for fashion-centered aid that blend style with service, transforming how communities prepare for and recover from disaster.
About The People’s Free Boutique by Quirk
Born out of a grassroots effort in our DTLA showroom, The People’s Free Boutique began by redistributing clothing, hygiene supplies, and essential goods to those impacted by a wave of devastating Southern California wildfires, including the Palisades Fire, the Malibu Canyon Fire, and the Eaton Fire. Initially fueled by a deep sense of urgency and community care, our boutique-turned-mutual-aid hub provided critical support to evacuees and families experiencing sudden displacement. As the crisis grew, so did our reach and our resolve. What started as a one-room operation quickly expanded into a full-scale distribution effort with structured intake, volunteer coordination, and high visibility media coverage-driven entirely by grassroots momentum.
Within days, our community-driven effort evolved into a full-scale operation with media attention and hundreds of volunteers.
About Couture Zen
Couture Zen is the parent company of Quirk and The People’s Free Boutique by Quirk, founded by stylist, designer, and advocate Melynda Choothesa.
With a 15+ year history in the fashion industry, Couture Zen blends sustainability, creative direction, and community care to redefine the role of fashion as a force for social good.
🌐 Visit: couturezen.com
About Well Cloth’d Inc.
We are proud to operate under the fiscal sponsorship of Well Cloth’d Inc., a Black woman-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in New York.
Well Cloth’d is dedicated to advancing clothing equity, dignity, and empowerment across communities affected by disaster, displacement, and systemic inequality — one garment, one person at a time.
🌐 Visit: wellclothd.com
Founder Story
Melynda is a Thai-American creative entrepreneur, stylist, costume designer, and community leader with over 16 years of experience in fashion and film. Raised by Thai immigrants, she moved out on her own at 15 to build a more stable life. From managing Buffalo Exchange at 20 to founding Couture Zen in 2010 and Quirk 9 years ago, she’s always believed in empowering people via fashion and sustainability.
-Award-winning stylist & costume designer
-16+ years in fashion, editorial, and brand production
-Former Downtown LA Neighborhood Council At Large Board Member
-AAPI founder, community organizer, and creative force behind Quirk and The People’s Free Boutique
Where Your Donation Goes
Cleaning supplies and sanitation tools (detergent, gloves, garment bags)
Volunteer and admin stipends (many of whom are survivors themselves)
Outreach and communication (flyers, deliveries, digital media, press)
Website hosting, donation portal management, and operational support
Snacks, meals, and wellness support for volunteers
Gift cards and emergency support for displaced families
Fixtures and infrastructure: garment racks, bins, steamers, signage, and labeling
We are committed to careful stewardship of donations and resources — ensuring aid reaches those truly in need, while fostering a safe, welcoming space for all backgrounds and identities.
Future Plans
Today, your support directly aids fire survivors.
Tomorrow, with sustained support, we aim to expand through The Couture Zen Foundation, building permanent programs for:
Survivors of domestic violence
Transitionally unhoused individuals
Foster youth aging out of care
Disaster-displaced communities citywide
Our future depends on ongoing donations and grant support — but our commitment to dignity and community will always remain.
Suggested Giving Levels
$25 helps cover sanitation supplies or a volunteer meal
$75–$150 supports garment infrastructure and outreach printing
$200–$500+ helps fund stipends, deliveries, and emergency aid
Monthly Giving stabilizes our operations and sustains future expansions
Press & Media Coverage
Powered by the People
lafirehelp@gmail.com
755 South Spring Street, at ground level, corner unit with the patio on the northwest corner of 8th spring, in the Sentral building, next to Mad Lab Coffee. View on Google Maps
Schedule
VOLUNTEER SHIFTS:
FRI -SUN
Morning shift:
11:30 AM – 3:15 PM
Afternoon shift:
2:45 PM – 6:30 PM