(Washington, D.C., 1/11/2025) – The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), the nation’s umbrella group of Muslim associations, commends U.S. Muslim Relief agencies for rushing relief teams, humanitarian aid workers, and desperately needed assistance to fire-besieged Los Angeles County residents of the sudden, massive Palisades Fire and to firefighters now battling the 5-day-old whirlwind inferno that has killed 11, burned through a staggering 21,596 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 12,000 structures, and forced nearly 200,000 from their homes.
Oussama Jammal, USCMO secretary general said in a statement:
“It was heartening and impressive to see our U.S.-based international relief organizations and local charities and aid groups almost immediately leap into action to help the hundreds of thousands victimized by these windswept, raging fires
“They sent teams of aid workers, relief support crews, and loads of aid for the fire victims and firefighters battling the aid.
“We know also that firefighters, healthcare workers, and other first-responders from our community are risking their lives fighting this firestorm, out in force caring for the tens of hundreds traumatized by it, and working tirelessly to provide aid and comfort to those suffering its sudden, catastrophic losses.
“What’s needed now from us is to send our support to these U.S. Muslim charities to provide emergency child trauma care, temporary housing, food, clothing, cash cards for evacuated residents to help them with accommodation, food, and fuel costs, and to stock the consortium of food banks that many of our Southern California mosques and nonprofits are part of.
“We pray for the comfort of those who have lost loved ones, suffered injury, and for the thousands rendered homeless, whose lives this fire has devastated by displacement and destruction of their homes and properties. God save and restore them.”
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