A student from Pasadena started a viral movement because she merely wanted to support her friends who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire.
Avery Colvert, 14, is the teenager who runs the “Altadena Girls” Instagram account. Overnight, her recovery fund increased, and now she is receiving support from well-known companies to aid many more wildfire victims.
For Colvert, the destruction caused by the Eaton Fire is personal. Like thousands of others, she did not lose her home, but many of her friends did.
“Stuff like their clothes, their makeup, [what they used for] their hair, it’s all gone,” Colvert stated. “They don’t have any of that anymore.”
More than 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire, according to fire officials. The fire has burnt over 14,000 acres in more than a week.
“All of my friends who lost their houses in the fire were in a group chat with me. Additionally, they were all discussing items they didn’t own,” Colvert remarked.
Colvert came up with a plan to assist the impacted teenagers. The Altadena Girls were created after contacting the Hollywood Beauty Awards.
Restoring normalcy for adolescent females affected by the fire is the goal, according to Colvert. She concentrated on attempting to collect clothing, hair care products, cosmetics, and other personal belongings.
“I want them to feel respected and loved, especially in a hard time like this,” Colvert stated.
Her efforts quickly gained popularity after celebrities like Paris Hilton and Charli XCX shared the Altadena Girls’ posts.
Colvert took sure to incorporate items more suited to persons of color as donations poured in.
“We were approached by numerous hair professionals and brands that wanted to give these girls complimentary hairstyles. However, I really wanted them to specialize on black hair, and they didn’t. Colvert remarked, “I truly wanted them to feel special.”
Numerous families left with bags of merchandise on Monday, the first shopping day. Around 1:30 p.m., volunteers had to stop taking donations because they were coming in so quickly.
Altadena Girls did not initially take cash donations. Colvert’s stepfather, Matt Chait, did not want her to handle big sums of money. They now have a website where people can send money, though, because things have expanded and altered over night.
Colvert hopes that the momentum continues.
“This is just still the beginning and we’re still moving so fast,” she continued.
Colvert suggests following the Altadena Girls on Instagram for the most recent information on their donation requirements and shopping hours.