When devastating fires tore through Los Angeles in January, thousands lost nearly everything, leaving many displaced and uncertain about their future.
Among the hardest hit were transgender and nonbinary residents in transitional housing programs, who lost more than just their belongings.
83-year-old man who lost home in Eaton Fire reacts to outpouring of support, nearly $1M in donationsFor them, the fires brought the destruction of a safe space, built with love and care to support their healing.
In the midst of the crisis, the community responded with an outpouring of support, coming together in a remarkable show of solidarity.
Three recovery homes operated by the Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (L.A. CADA), a provider of substance use and behavioral treatment services, were engulfed by flames during the Eaton Fire on Jan. 7.
The homes, located in Altadena, were among the many properties devastated by the wildfire.
"At 6:49 p.m., I got the first phone call that there were flames and fire, fire within blocks from the Start House, which is a 20-bed facility in Altadena, and so we sent some vans over and started preliminary plans to evacuate. The winds were really high at that point," William Tarkanian, chief strategy officer and director of LGBTQ+ services for the L.A. CADA, recalled in an interview with "Good Morning America."
Just two minutes later, Tarkanian said another emergency arose -- a tree had fallen through the main structure of a second house, destroying several bedrooms and the living room, forcing another evacuation.
Moments after that, staff at a third location called the Serenity House reported that the fire was closing in on their location, prompting a third evacuation.
"So I went from a single evacuation to three in a matter of about eight minutes," Tarkanian recounted.
Within just over an hour, everyone had evacuated. By the next morning, Tarkanian said the Art House, home to 32 residents, had burned to the ground.
The Start House, which suffered severe structural damage, was deemed unsafe to return to. Fires surrounded the Serenity House, and for a time, it seemed certain it would be lost as well, but thankfully, it was spared.
The three homes damaged in the fire provided essential recovery services, including substance use treatment, mental health support, and gender-affirming care for individuals recently released from jail or prison and those experiencing homelessness.
Together, these homes provided shelter and support for over 100 people. Due to the high demand, the beds were often at full capacity, according to Tarkanian.
Jamie Freeman, the house mom for Serenity House, told "GMA" that the LGBTQ+ community in the Los Angeles area had spent years advocating for safe spaces for transgender and nonbinary individuals recovering from addiction and homelessness.
"We had for many years, as a community, wanted to open a place that was geared to transgender, nonbinary individuals, and it was many years in the working until we finally, in the community here, got an opening through L.A. CADA," Freeman said.
Tarkanian shared that a lot of their clients "would come in directly off the street."
"A lot of those people are sex workers, and, you know, either left home for whatever reasons very early and didn't have a family, and part of my job is to show them that they have a family and that they are worth something, and that they do matter, and they are loved," he said.
Altadena family recounts their harrowing escape from Eaton Fire
Amid the devastation from the Eaton Fire, something remarkable happened as the community came together. Donations poured in, and volunteers arrived in droves, including those who had lost everything in the fires themselves, according to Freeman.
"So many people lost their lives. They lost their homes, their whole everything was wiped out ... yet people's kindness to reach out and help those in need, even though they may have lost so much, was just so heartwarming and so heartfelt," Freeman said.
To support the displaced residents, local politician and advocate Maebe A. Girl launched a donation drive, sharing a flyer on Instagram. Ariana Grande later re-shared it, helping boost contributions to the recovery homes.
The outpouring of support was overwhelming, according to Maebe, who currently serves as treasurer and at-large representative for the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles.
"We saw so many people that we had never seen before [who wanted] to volunteer their time, wanted to donate their material possessions, wanted to go out and buy things," Maebe told "GMA."
Maebe said while basic necessities like water and hygiene products were readily available, transgender and nonbinary residents also needed gender-affirming items such as makeup, wigs and clothing.
These essentials helped them feel like themselves, regain confidence, and find jobs, according to both Maebe and Freeman.
Tarkarian said he and others are committed to rebuilding both houses that were lost in their same locations, a process he estimates could take up to two years.
In the meantime, he said residents have been slowly rebuilding their lives thanks to the donations that poured in.
Tarkanian shared that the community has raised $9,000 toward their $75,000 goal, while house alumni have contributed over $8,000 to support displaced residents.
"Our LGBTQ+ community showed up. The recovery community here in Los Angeles, which is very strong, showed up... and then the larger community showed up," he said.
