HELP US SUPPORT WILDFIRE SURVIVORS
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Here from day one. Still here for LA fire survivors. Since January 2025, The People’s Free Boutique by Quirk has offered free clothing and essentials with dignity and care.
2,500+ people helped so far.
Need support? Request an appointment. Want to help? Donate goods or gift cards, or volunteer. Monetary donations are currently paused.
Neighbor in Need
Get Support When You Need It Most
Free clothing and essentials for individuals and families affected by the Southern California wildfires. Please allow at least 48 hours for your request to be reviewed. Our volunteer team works to respond as promptly as possible; appointment availability varies with volunteer coverage. Visits are by confirmed appointment only.
Volunteer with us
Join Our Community Response
We’re fully volunteer-run, led by our two co-founders. Long-term volunteers help keep this work going. Join us to sort donations, support guests, or help with outreach and administration.
Style & Dignity
2,500+ people helped so far. Helping neighbors rebuild with dignity, choice, and care.
Style is Survival: Support LA Fire Survivors
Born inside Quirk. Built around sustainability, dignity, and community through fashion. The People’s Free Boutique began in the Quirk showroom in January 2025, when our community came together to support people affected by the Los Angeles fires. We were here from day one, and we’re still here.
Quirk continues to support this work. Unsold Quirk items go to The People’s Free Boutique, giving clothing and essentials another life while helping neighbors rebuild.
We’re fully volunteer-run, led by our two co-founders. We do our best to provide timely support, with services by confirmed appointment and availability based on our volunteer team. Long-term volunteers and practical support are always needed.
Our commitment extends beyond the initial emergency. We aim to remain a source of help for people affected by natural disasters in Los Angeles and LA County, while continuing our fire recovery services.
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
Next chapter: The Couture Zen Foundation
We are currently working toward our own 501(c)(3) status under The Couture Zen Foundation. We’re excited to build an independent home for this work and a lasting foundation for community care.
The People’s Free Boutique continues to support people affected by the Southern California wildfires through free clothing and essentials, with visits by confirmed appointment.
Monetary donations are currently paused. You can still support us with donated goods, gift cards for supplies and infrastructure, and your time as a volunteer.
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
Recovery continues long after the headlines fade. The People’s Free Boutique remains here for people affected by the Southern California wildfires, helping them rebuild their wardrobes with dignity, choice, and care.
We are currently working toward our own 501(c)(3) status under The Couture Zen Foundation. We’re excited for this next chapter and the opportunity to build lasting community programs around clothing access, creative skills, and sustainable reuse.
With the right funding, partnerships, and support in place, we aim to expand our work to include:
- Clothing and styling support for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking.
- Support for foster youth aging out of care and people experiencing housing transitions.
- Creative entrepreneurship training and practical fashion and retail skills.
- Professional headshots for people rebuilding their working lives after a crisis.
These are plans for our next phase. Our current appointment-based fire recovery services continue, and we’ll share updates as new programs become available. Your donated goods, gift cards, and volunteer time help keep this work moving forward.
Goods & gift-card donations
We welcome goods and gift cards. Gift cards help us purchase supplies and infrastructure, including garment racks, storage bins, cleaning supplies, and other essentials for The People’s Free Boutique.
Mail ongoing donations to Quirk, 112 W 9th St, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90015. Please use our donation form to coordinate mailed goods before sending. In-person drop-offs are by appointment.
Monetary donations are currently paused.
Press & Media Coverage
Powered by the People
Kenneth Lester
Founding Volunteer
Kenneth Lester
Founding Volunteer
Kenneth Lester
Founding Volunteer
Kenneth Lester
Founding Volunteer
Kenneth Lester
Founding Volunteer
For Other Concerns:
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:
THURS-SUN
Morning shift:
11:30 AM – 3:15 PM
Afternoon shift:
2:45 PM – 6:30 PM