Philanthropist Ed Freedman and Stable Road Foundation are donating $100,000 to support the relief efforts led by longtime partner Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) and Bethany Frankel’s BStrong in the wake of the devastating wildfires sweeping the Los Angeles area. The two organizations have also launched a fundraiser to provide even more support to more people.
The fires, which have displaced hundreds of thousands of Angelenos, have left large swathes of destruction around the nation’s 2nd largest city. Authorities are reporting thousands of homes and businesses damaged or destroyed, with the full scale of destruction still to be determined.
“As someone with deep connections to the Los Angeles community, I’m heartbroken at the pain and loss people are suffering right now,” says Ed Freedman, founder of Stable Road Foundation. “We’ve been on the ground with GEM since Day 1 providing immediate relief, and their expertise has been crucial in providing people with desperately needed aid.”
The initial relief efforts of Stable Road Foundation and GEM have been focused on meeting people’s most urgent needs for cash cards, emergency supplies, PPE, and other necessities. Teams on the ground are identifying additional needs, which will be met as soon as possible using GEM’s dedicated warehouses in Los Angeles and the surrounding area.
“We’re eternally grateful to Ed Freedman and Stable Road Foundation,” said Michael Capponi, founder of GEM. “They are the sole reason we were able to rebuild the first school in Maui, buy contractors tools to rebuild, build the first ohanas back on the burn site, send 10 plus containers to Israel after October 7th and now our important programs in Los Angeles. Our main focus now in LA County is to give families the funds they need to get them back on their feet, and most importantly give people hope and love. It will cost millions in just phase 1 in Los Angeles. We’re so thankful for Ed’s direct and indirect support.”
Capponi recently appeared on Good Morning America to present nine Los Angeles families with $15,000 checks to help them meet their immediate needs, such as housing. Additional assistance will be provided to more families as the weeks progress.
GEM and Stable Road Foundation have extensive experience collaborating on responses to wildfire disasters. After Maui was struck by massive fires in 2023, Stable Road Foundation contributed $1 million to GEM’s relief efforts, which included immediate emergency relief supplies for thousands of Maui residents and clean water for thousands more, along with longer-term reconstruction projects such as building schools and homes.
GEM is one of the world’s most renowned disaster relief organizations. Since it was founded in 2010, GEM has conducted over 370 relief missions in 69 countries. It holds a 99% 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Transparency rating from Candid. The nonprofit also has one of the highest dollars-to-impact ratios in the world, with 97% of donations going directly to mission related activities.
Founded in 2017, Stable Road Foundation specializes in projects that improve the lives of children and strengthen communities dealing with major challenges. The Foundation works extensively in California, Hawaii, and remote locations around the world. The work of Freedman and his team has been recognized by outlets such as the Los Angeles Business Journal, Chief’s Digest, Bold Journey, and more.
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