Fire Resources

Our hearts go out to the Carlthorp families and community members who have been impacted by the recent fires. As we work to support our community, we have organized the following resources for those seeking information on housing, insurance, recovery efforts, parenting, mental health, and more.

List of 10 items.

  • Events

    Legal Advice from a Wildfire Insurance Attorney
    Tuesday, Feb. 18 // 7:00 p.m. // Zoom
    We invite all impacted Carlthorp community members to join us for an informative virtual session with Jack Weaver, a partner at Welty, Weaver & Currie and an insurance recovery specialist in California who is also a licensed public adjuster. During the session, Jack will provide an overview of critical steps every fire-impacted family should take; explain the insurance claim adjustment process in detail; and answer specific questions from attendees. Please note that this session is being offered as a resource for Carlthorp community members and is for informational purposes only. Here is the Zoom link. If you have any questions, please contact Maureen Pollack at mpollack@carlthorp.org.

    Parent Workshop: ‘Engaging in Difficult Conversation’
    Tuesday, Feb. 25 // 9:00 a.m. // Zoom
    Cedars Sinai is hosting a virtual workshop for parents about engaging in difficult conversations as part of its monthly Care & Share presentation series. For more information, click here.

  • Housing / Insurance

    One of the most significant needs among impacted community members is access to available residences for short- and long-term rentals and permanent homes. If you are a realtor or property owner and can offer leads for interested families, please fill out our Carlthorp Community Housing Form and include as much detail as possible (availability, location, size, cost, etc.). This could include ADUs, guest homes, and properties not publicly available. This form will not be made public and will only be used to discreetly support affected Carlthorp community members. If you have any questions, please contact Steve Springer at sspringer@carlthorp.org.

    Free hotel rooms    : Hilton, American Express and 211 LA have announced a plan to provide vouchers to people impacted by the fires to stay, free of charge, at Hilton properties. Hilton announced it is making 20,000 hotel room nights available at no charge to impacted people across the greater Los Angeles area. To be considered for the program, residents need to first apply to 211 LA for housing assistance using this application.

    Additional Housing Resources:

  • Uniforms and Clothing

    Uniforms and Essential Items: Carlthorp has uniforms and essential supplies available for any family that would like to visit and collect items. These items are located in our Fire Relief Boutique, which is upstairs along the walkway to the Library. If you have any questions, please contact Cyreeta Sharp at csharp@carlthorp.org or Maureen Pollack at mpollack@carlthorp.org.

    Clothing: The following brands are offering free or discounted items to affected families.
    • Faherty is offering one-time discount codes to those affected by the fires; the codes are valid for 50% off all items on the brand’s website. To obtain the discount code, please email Maureen Pollack at mpollack@carlthorp.org.
    • Los Angeles residents who lost their homes during the wildfires may be eligible to receive a code for two complimentary months of Rent the Runway's five- or 10-item subscriptions. Complete this form to apply.
    • $100 clothing gift cards for affected families (Joah Love)
    • Century City mall stores are offering discounts to those affected by the fires, including Bloomingdale's (25%), Stance (30%), Lululemon (25%), Levi's (30%), Alo (15%), Aritzia (20%), Vuori (40%), Banana Republic (40%), and Travis Matthews (40%).

  • Books / Toys / Games

    Carlthorp community members who have lost their homes or who no longer have access to their books, games, and toys are invited to the Library to pick up items that families contributed as part of the school's Day of Service efforts. Parents are welcome to stop by the Library after Flag Line or at another convenient time during the school day, and the Library staff is available to offer customized recommendations for book titles.

    If you have any questions, please contact Nicky Meyer at nmeyer@carlthorp.org.

  • Parenting Resources

     

    Navigating Frightening News and Events
    With the recent wildfires in the news, it's normal for kids to feel worried, anxious, and overwhelmed by what they're seeing and hearing on the news, online, and/or on social media. Help kids feel safe, informed, and empowered during unsettling times with these tips:
    • Validate and reassure: When scary things happen, kids need to know they're safe and loved. It's important to validate their feelings, not dismiss them. Fear is normal, but they'll feel more secure being reassured by you. 

    • Pause and check in with yourself: Your kids are watching you to figure out how to respond. If you stay calm and grounded, they're more likely to follow your lead. That doesn't mean hiding your emotions — it means showing them how to process those feelings in a healthy way. 

    • Encourage curiosity and their questions: Kids are naturally curious. Let them ask questions, including the difficult ones. Even if you don't have all the answers, it's important to let them talk about what they've heard. You can make sure they have all the facts straight. 
    Your presence, your comfort, and your guidance will help them feel safe and capable, even when the world feels overwhelming. To get more support for having conversations with your kids, check out these tips for Boosting Safety, Privacy, and Security.

  • Health and Safety

  • Mental Health

    In the coming weeks and months, Sharon Lee is available for students and families who would like support in navigating these challenging times. You can reach her at slee@carlthorp.org. Additional resources are listed below:
    • The Center for Mental Health Excellence is offering free mental health services for individuals and families impacted by the LA wildfires. Their goal is to provide immediate support during this difficult time. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact them at admin@CFMHE.org or call 619-356-0072.
    • BrightLife Kids offers free mental health resources for families with children ages 0-12, including expert coaching, 1:1 live video sessions, and secure chats for sleep issues, worry, social skills, and more.
    • This therapist directory includes Los Angeles-area professionals offering pro bono and sliding-scale services in the aftermath of the fires.

  • Documents / Photos / Mementos

    Passports and Social Security Cards: If you need to replace your passport due to the fires, the replacement fees may be waived until July 7, 2026. For guidelines on requesting a replacement of your passport, visit travel.state.gov. If you need to replace your Social Security identification card, please click here to see the different ways you can replace your card online, by mail, or in person. 

    LA County Registrar-Recorder    : Los Angeles County residents directly impacted by fires can request property and vital records (birth, death, marriage, etc.) free of charge to help with recovery efforts. If you have been impacted, please call 800-201-8999 or email recorder@rrcc.lacounty.gov for assistance. For more information, visit lavote.gov/home/recorder.

    Photo Replacements    : Katie B. Photography, who has taken Carlthorp School’s yearbook pictures and student portraits in recent years, has kindly offered to re-release digital files and replace prints for families who have been affected by the fires. For more information, click here.

    Yearbooks and Carlthorp Mementos: We would be honored to help replace yearbooks and any awards or cherished mementos that we can. If you have lost Carlthorp mementos (awards, certificates, pins, etc.) in the fires, please fill out this form to specify any replacement requests. While we may not be able to replace every keepsake, we will try our best to keep these cherished memories alive for our alumni families. If you have any questions, please contact Izzy King at iking@carlthorp.org.

  • Volunteering / Fundraising

    Note: For Carlthorp families who would like to offer support to affected community members, please refer to the Resources board of the Parent Portal for more details.

  • Other Resources


    If you have a resource or link that might be helpful for Carlthorp families, please send it to Jeff Goodman at jgoodman@carlthorp.org.
438 San Vicente Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90402
(310) 451-1332
Established in 1939, Carlthorp School is the oldest independent coeducational day school for grades K-6 located in Santa Monica, California.