# LA FIRE HELP

- Link: https://shopquirkla.com/la-fire-help/
- Published: 2025-01-08T19:35:24-08:00
- Author: Rich Baldonado

# HELP US SUPPORT WILDFIRE SURVIVORS

 Volunteer | Spread the Word | Donate

**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.

 [  Donate goods & gift cards  ](https://shopquirkla.com/donation-drive)

## 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.

 [  REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT  ](https://shopquirkla.com/neighbor-in-need)

## 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.

 [  Join Our Community Response  ](https://shopquirkla.com/volunteer-now)

## Style & Dignity

**2,500+ people helped so far.** Helping neighbors rebuild with dignity, choice,
and care.

 [  Donate goods & gift cards  ](https://shopquirkla.com/donation-drive)

## 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:**
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.

#### 

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.

#### 

**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](https://www.couturezen.com/)

#### 

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.

#### 

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

#### 

 * 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.

#### 

**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.

#### 

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](https://shopquirkla.com/donation-drive/) to coordinate
mailed goods before sending. In-person drop-offs are by appointment.

Monetary donations are currently paused.

## Press & Media Coverage

 [  READ ARTICLE  ](https://www.makingwavesproject.com/stories/threads-of-hope-quirk-boutiques-wildfire-relief-mission)

## Powered by the People

![](https://shopquirkla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/volunteers0871-1-scaled.webp)

### Kenneth Lester

Founding Volunteer

![](https://shopquirkla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/volunteers0871-1-scaled.webp)

### Kenneth Lester

Founding Volunteer

![](https://shopquirkla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/volunteers0871-1-scaled.webp)

### Kenneth Lester

Founding Volunteer

![](https://shopquirkla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/volunteers0871-1-scaled.webp)

### Kenneth Lester

Founding Volunteer

![](https://shopquirkla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/volunteers0871-1-scaled.webp)

### Kenneth Lester

Founding Volunteer

## For Other Concerns:

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####  󠀁[ Email ](https://shopquirkla.com/la-fire-help/lafirehelp@gmail.com)󠁿

 lafirehelp@gmail.com

####  󠀁[ Location ](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sentral+DTLA+at+755+S.+Spring/@34.0432853,-118.2534922,3a,75y,267.41h,104.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNZHxTFduuhIazBzQJO_r8g!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-14.579999999999998%26panoid%3DNZHxTFduuhIazBzQJO_r8g%26yaw%3D267.41!7i16384!8i8192!4m10!3m9!1s0x80c2c721bde9249b:0x8de5edf709a3a254!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d34.0436654!4d-118.2536254!10e5!16s%2Fg%2F11gkb860xy?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIxNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)󠁿

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](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sentral+DTLA+at+755+S.+Spring/@34.0432853,-118.2534922,3a,75y,267.41h,104.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNZHxTFduuhIazBzQJO_r8g!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-14.579999999999998%26panoid%3DNZHxTFduuhIazBzQJO_r8g%26yaw%3D267.41!7i16384!8i8192!4m10!3m9!1s0x80c2c721bde9249b:0x8de5edf709a3a254!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d34.0436654!4d-118.2536254!10e5!16s%2Fg%2F11gkb860xy?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIxNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)

####   Schedule

**VOLUNTEER SHIFTS:**
THURS-SUN

**Morning shift:11:30 AM – 3:15 PM

**Afternoon shift:2:45 PM – 6:30 PM