Finding Strength in Community After Losing Everything…
On January 7th, we lost our family home of 31 years in the Palisades Fire, one of the many horrific wildfires sweeping the LA area. Our entire town is gone – our homes, schools, churches, supermarkets, everything. Our community is devastated, the destruction, unfathomable.
My parents moved into the Palisades in the mid-1980’s, when it was a sleepy and affordable beach town. My sister and I were lucky enough to grow up in this magical, idyllic place; a town filled with friendly, loving, wonderful neighbors who were a truly tight-knit community.
I currently live in NYC, but hopped on the first flight out to LA the moment I heard our neighborhood was burning. I’ve been on-the-ground with my parents, fighting insurance companies, anxiously seeking temporary housing, and reconnecting with old friends and neighbors.
On Sunday, my parents and I went to a mass for Corpus Christi Church – a Catholic church (and my grade school) which burned to the ground in the Palisades fire – being held at St. Monica’s for church members past and present.
The heaviness of it was almost too much to bear. Here we sat, in a cavernous space filled wall-to-wall with families that had lost absolutely everything; mourning, fearful, not knowing what’s next. As I choked back tears, I found a sliver of comfort knowing that we are all in this together. We are a community, and the only thing we can do at this moment is be there for each other.
I have a hard time sitting still in times like these, so I started a Palisades Fire server on Discord organized by hyper-local neighborhoods so those who are displaced can check in, post updates, and grieve – a small step to help disconnected Palisadians feel more connected, and less alone.
In the last week, the group has grown to hundreds and hundreds of members, and we’ve been able to connect people with temporary housing, coordinate donations, and even come together as neighbors to reminisce and share photos of what we’ve lost.
If you have friends or family from the Palisades looking to connect, please invite them to reach out to me either at ciarabenko@gmail.com or on Instagram at @thejungleupstairs for an invite-only link to join the Discord.
In dark times, they say to look for the helpers. I have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of helpers that have come out in droves; people from all around the country – and internationally – who have reached out to offer donations, funds, meals, resources. I am so thankful, and the kindness of so many has blown me away.
