Recovery Mode

The Eaton Fire is a wildfire causing destruction in Los Angeles County, California. Avery Colvert, 14, created Altadena Girls. It’s a recovery fund for teens affected by the fire.

Less than 24 hours after the fund was created, celebrities started posting about Altadena Girls on social media. The donations started coming in by the truckload. “Holy cow,” Avery told TIME in an email on January 11. “It’s bonkers here.”

Taking Action

Avery’s family home survived the Eaton Fire. But most of her friends’ homes did not. Many of Avery’s friends had to evacuate in the middle of the night. They had only the clothes on their back: pajamas. “I was thinking about how my clothes, makeup, and shoes—everything—is my identity and it’s my sense of self,” she says. “It’s the same thing for all of my friends.”

Avery knew her friends would be given necessities, such as food and water. She decided to collect items that would help girls “get their confidence back.”

On January 10, Avery and her stepdad designed a logo. They started an Instagram account. The next day, Avery posted about the project. The page took off. Trucks with donations arrived at the place where her family has gone to escape the smoke. People showed up, ready to work. Clothing brands reached out.

“I couldn’t even think about how big this would be,” Avery says. “I’m grabbing donations, organizing items. My phone is just completely blowing up.”

“It all came in so fast,” says Avery’s stepdad, Matt Chait. “But once these girls start coming . . . it’s going to go really fast.”