Beyonce donated $2.5 million to fire relief, earmarked for Pasadena & Altadena

There’s been too much pocket-watching of LA-based celebrities in the past week as multiple fires rampaged through Southern California. Only a small percentage of working actors have millions in the bank – most LA-based actors live paycheck to paycheck, or their biggest asset is their home, a home which just burned to the ground. All of which to say, I would like to see people stop screaming at celebrities for not donating to fire-related charities or trying to gatekeep whatever help they are offering. Almost everyone in LA has been touched by this tragedy, whether they’ve lost their homes or apartment buildings, or they had to evacuate or they’re taking in evacuees. Well, I imagine there will be screams of “she could do more/why is donating specifically to this group” with this story. Beyonce is donating $2.5 million to the LA Fire Relief Fund, and she’s earmarked the funds specifically to help Pasadena and Altadena. Altadena was full of historically Black neighborhoods which have now been burned to the ground.

Beyoncé has donated a large sum to support the communities tragically affected by the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. On Sunday, Jan. 12, the singer’s BeyGOOD foundation announced via Instagram that she was giving $2.5 million toward an L.A. Fire Relief Fund started by her charity.

“Los Angeles we stand with you. ????????” the caption of the post read. “BeyGOOD is taking action by announcing the LA Fire Relief Fund with a donation of 2.5 million dollars.”

“The fund is earmarked to aid families in the Altadena/Pasadena area who lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires,” the caption continued.

She urged people to visit the BeyGOOD website to “show your support for the impacted families,” as well as to learn more about her public charity foundation, which she founded in 2013.

The donation comes after the L.A. County Medical Examiner confirmed the death toll from the devastating wildfires had risen to 24 on Sunday evening. Per the Medical Examiner, 16 of the people killed in the blaze were in the Eaton fire zone, while eight were found around the Palisades area.

[From People]

It’s her money and she can earmark it however she likes. It makes sense to me that she’s drawing attention to the historically Black neighborhoods and the Black and minority communities of Altadena. Beyonce and Jay-Z also own two mansions in Southern California – a mansion in Bel Air, and a mansion in Malibu. I don’t know if Bey’s homes have been affected, but Beyonce’s mom Tina lost her home in the fires last week.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.