CNN Highlights our Relief Efforts in Pasadena

Mr. Kim was able to be on air with Victor Blackwell on CNN to talk about the relief efforts in Pasadena for the Eaton Fire victims. The school community has been overwhelmingly generous.

CNN highlights St. Andrew Relief Efforts for the Fire

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and the fires in Los Angeles County they move so fast that a lot of people didn't have time to pack clothing or belongings much less fine to a shelter the schools whose campuses have not been damaged or destroyed have opened their doors to people who need somewhere to stay or place to pick up supplies my next guest is the principal of 1 of those campuses uh welcoming people in distress principal Jay Kim Leeds St Andrews School in Pasadena uh Mr Kim thank you for being with me uh in these these disasters people always ask well what can I do how can I help just explain for us what you've been able to do there at uh St Andrews so as you mentioned since we're out of the evacuation area we opened up our school we have good air filtration systems so we have food Refreshments as you can see behind me supplies clothing and other rooms and the first day we had a handful on when that we had more and yesterday we had hundreds of people come by donating gifts and picking up gifts as well so people are still in massive shock and um when they come we try to pull their hand take them to play this is talk with them pray with them and engage with them as much as possible so that's what we've been able to offer and it's been well received among the families who completely lost their homes and those who've been evacuated and displaced as well what do from them it's been really um sad and heartbreaking but I can tell you a few stories I've some I've spoken to some I got text messages others I've met in person but their homes that literally raised to the ground the only thing that's left is a stone or brick chimney and for me I I didn't know the fires could do this but refrigerators washers dryers they all melted as well there's nothing left there except ashes and we've had multiple families that had the same experiences some had to wait a day or 2 to find out we had 1 family that had to walk you know a mile or 2 to their home to take a look because the cars would not allowed inside and they lost everything and in the end with the child said is so this is a mind of the child of the child said um Mom I have no more toys so it's been like that yeah we had another family that was evacuated early morning Wednesday and they as they left their house they were enveloped in Smoke they they held their breath to get into the cars and they couldn't even see the stop sign in the local area but the mom was able to stop there because she knew where it was so it's been pretty drastic their home is completely gone as well and the mom was sharing with me what are we going to do at school when we come back is my kid only has crops and I'm like that is no longer a concern for us yeah you know um I I I wanted to take this moment out typically this is where we do a segment called I see you and we acknowledge people who do great things and there's so many stories so many people like you who are just finding whatever they can whatever space they have and off offering it to those who have nowhere else to go who have no resources so uh principal Kim I see you and I thank you for what you're doing and all the people are helping you do it there uh at the school thank you for joining us this morning and for more information certainly and for more information about how you at home can help Los Angeles area Wildfire victims go to cnn.com impact or text wildfires to 707070