The week the Los Angeles wildfires started to make headlines, Kressa Peterson knew she had to find a way to help. The founder of Shower Toga, a portable shower kit that makes it possible to get clean and change clothes in public spaces, Peterson drove an hour north from her home in Dana Point, CA towards the affected area with a car load of her product.
“In times of crisis, I just want to go and dig in, but I was definitely out of my element,” said Peterson. She reached as far as Santa Monica, where the smoke-filled sky reminded her of a bomb blast.
“It was like a war zone,” she recalled.
The wildfires in Southern California have destroyed over 14,000 homes, and displaced thousands of people, leaving communities in dire need of support. While many LA-based retailers have rallied to help during this crisis, it’s also the less visible small businesses—many of which sell in Amazon’s store—that are stepping up in remarkable ways.
As Peterson started handing out Shower Togas to people she encountered on the beach in Santa Monica, many of whom had just lost their homes and had no idea where to go next, she realized she could do more.
Peterson had seen her product become a lifeline for disaster survivors before. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Shower Togas proved invaluable for those navigating overcrowded shelters for the first time. In situations where running water and privacy were scarce, they allowed people to clean up and get dressed with dignity.
Through a prior partnership with the Louisiana Cajun Navy, a volunteer group that provides nationwide disaster relief, including in Los Angeles, Peterson began donating Shower Togas to local shelters. With the organization’s help, she donated $48,000 worth of units last year to victims of Hurricane Helene. She hopes to offer a similar level of support for wildfire victims.
“The situation’s really chaotic right now.” she said. “The Louisiana Cajun Navy has been amazing at helping us get our product out to the people that need it most.”
Peterson is one of many business owners who sell in the Amazon store that are volunteering their time and products to help with the disaster relief efforts around Los Angeles. Justin Palmer, founder of iHeartDogs, lives 45 minutes from the wildfire hotspots.
“Being so close to it, we knew pretty quickly that this was going to be a national-level emergency,” he said.
When the fires started, he reached out to the non-profit Greater Good Charities to see how he could make an impact. They responded right away, asking if they could use the warehouse he uses to fulfill Amazon orders as a base to gather and send donations to those impacted. Palmer didn’t hesitate.
“I said, ‘Absolutely!’ These fires are going to be something that affects the community for years, and this is something we are uniquely able to do because we are so close to the fire.”
Palmer also urged his customers to purchase items from an Amazon wish list of essentials compiled by Greater Good Charities. The response was swift. To date, he has received over 18,000 donations.
Beyond helping people, Palmer is supporting displaced pets. A portion of his Amazon sales funds rescue efforts, including an evacuation flight to relocate long-term shelter animals and make room for new arrivals.
“If you’ve lost your home or had to evacuate, you often can’t bring your pet,” Palmer said. “Many ended up in shelters, not abandoned, but needing temporary care.” He plans to fund additional flights to assist more animals.
Cynthia Rojas, owner of the haircare accessory company Heliums Cyndibands, lived in Los Angeles for 30 years until moving to Orange County last year. With friends still in the area, she has thrown herself into community outreach, coordinating item donations through local Facebook groups. She also donates her products to Amazon wish lists, like the one started through St. Monica School in Santa Monica.
“The community came together to provide exactly what people needed,” said Rojas, who has donated nearly a thousand products for personal care supply boxes distributed by local businesses Smashbox Studios and Style Forward Project to those affected by the fires.
As someone with longstanding roots in the region, Rojas said that getting involved in local volunteer efforts didn’t feel like a choice.
“At night I was watching the news about the fires, and I thought: I know those neighborhoods. I’ve driven down those streets. I knew I had to do something.”
Rojas encourages those who want to help to connect with local businesses and relief organizations, such as the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. Peterson agrees, emphasizing that for those outside California, supporting companies that prioritize community outreach is key.
“The best thing you can do as a customer is support companies that give back,” she said.