Representatives of the i.am Angel Foundation, Proyecto Pastoral and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles join Assemblyman Mark González and Congressman Jimmy Gomez to distribute air purifiers. (photo courtesy of Assemblyman Mark González’ office)

Expanding a commitment to community resilience, musician will.i.am and his i.am Angel Foundation provided a grant to the Estrada Courts Boys & Girls Club on July 9 to cover the costs of ongoing fire relief support for the Estrada Courts community in Boyle Heights.

“Residents in my Boyle Heights community have been severely impacted by the warehouse fire, including toxic smoke and now foul odors of rotting food that have blanketed the area,” said will.i.am, founder of the Black Eyed Peas and the i.am Angel Foundation. “My deepest appreciation and thanks go out to Helen of Troy for donating the Honeywell air purifiers to help people in my hometown breathe easier. Kudos to Assemblymember Mark González for coordinating this community-wide relief effort. Boyle Heights Strong.”

Although the immediate warehouse fire has been successfully contained, the lingering environmental and operational impacts continue to disrupt the daily lives of the youth, families and seniors. To mitigate the challenges, i.am Angel Foundation’s grant will directly fund expanded programming, extended hour sat the Estrada Courts Boys & Girls Club and additional transportation for relocated summer camp outings and educational field trips. The adjustments ensure local youth can participate in enriching experiences in a safe environment.

The grant also addresses the urgent needs of vulnerable older adults by providing hot meals, personal protective equipment and community resource support. It also establishes dedicated transportation assistance for seniors, ensuring they can safely travel to medical appointments, grocery stores and procure essential services while strictly limiting their time outdoors during the recovery period.

“When we first learned how severely the warehouse fire was impacting families in Boyle Heights, we knew we had to act quickly,” said Lilly Kam, director of programs at i.am Angel Foundation, “We’re grateful to have rallied incredible partners, including Honeywell and the Estrada Courts Boys and Girls Club, to provide resources to help our community safely recover. This effort is a reminder of how important strong community partnerships are in delivering rapid disaster relief when it’s needed most.”

L.A. Care and the offices of Assemblyman Mark González and Congressman Jimmy Gomez (both D-Los Angeles) have provided more than 1,000 air purifiers and thousands of masks to impacted residents and small businesses in the surrounding community.

“My continued partnership with will.i.am is a testament to the strong community bonds in Boyle Heights, ones that show up in times of celebration and in crisis,” González said.

For information, visit gonzalez .asmdc.org.