By
Published
September 9, 2025
Tags
SUMMARY:
During the height of the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles, Repair the World’s volunteers worked alongside first responders, nonprofit organizations and community members to support families whose lives had been upended. Their President and CEO, Cindy Greenberg, LA City Director Michael Auerbach, and volunteers Julia and Max joined an episode of the podcast mini-series, Bright Spots, to reflect on how service can foster stability, agency and hope amid disaster.
This story is adapted from Bright Spots, a new mini-series within the Good Things podcast. Produced in partnership with Lemonada Media, the series features bite-sized stories of community impact that leave listeners feeling inspired and hopeful about what is possible. In a moment when so much feels uncertain, each story shines a light on the people who are making a difference in their communities right now, and the solutions that can make a difference in other communities, too. To explore more of the mini-series, check out Good Things.
The little girl’s eyes lit up when she saw it: a bright pink shower caddy in a sea of gray. Julia, a volunteer at a makeshift supply store for families affected by the California wildfires, noticed her gaze and handed it to her. It was an ordinary household item, but Julia knew it meant much more. In a world turned upside down, the girl chose this caddy for herself—and for a brief moment, found joy and normalcy amid the chaos.
Julia was one of hundreds of volunteers serving in Repair the World’s Wildfires Response Service Corps following the Southern California wildfires. The fires, which began in January 2025 and grew over several weeks, consumed more than 16,000 structures, upended thousands of lives and were linked to an estimated 440 deaths. In the midst of such devastation, even small moments of hope carry extraordinary weight.
Repair the World seeks to harness the transformative power of these moments to build more just societies. Rooted in Jewish values, the organization sees service as a channel to impact change and bridge divides. It partners with over 400 service organizations to address pressing challenges like food insecurity, housing and education throughout the year. When crisis strikes, Repair the World pivots to disaster response, convening volunteers to lend a helping hand wherever and whenever it is needed.
When wildfires plunged Los Angeles and its surrounding cities into crisis, Repair the World President and CEO, Cindy Greenberg, and Los Angeles City Director, Michael Auerbach, quickly established the Wildfires Response Service Corps. For 12 weeks, volunteers from all walks of life came together with the shared purpose of providing relief. They guided displaced families, distributed essential supplies and offered comfort in the wake of disaster. And in time, volunteer sites like the store where Julia worked became hubs for neighbors to reconnect and rebuild their community.
Max, another volunteer, recalled a peer he served with who embodied the power of service:
“A member I worked with at the store lost her home, yet immediately started volunteering. Even though she lost everything, she found solace in coming in and helping others. I found that so inspirational, the perseverance of someone who lost their home and sees despair all around them, and the first thing they want to do is give back.”
A member I worked with at the store lost her home, yet immediately started volunteering. Even though she lost everything, she found solace in coming in and helping others.
As Repair the World’s work shows, service is often more than meeting material needs. A pink shower caddy can provide a little girl a moment of normalcy. A neighbor stepping away from her own loss to help others can reclaim a sense of agency. In disasters that feel insurmountable, acts both small and large can pave a path toward healing—for individuals, communities and the world.
“We might not agree on politics or all kinds of things,” Cindy reflected. “But we can make the world a better place when we show up with our hearts, our heads and our hands.”
Hear more from Cindy, Michael, and volunteers Julia and Max in a recent episode of the podcast mini-series, Bright Spots, hosted by Lemonada Media. To learn more about how you can lend a hand in your community, visit www.werepair.org.
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies welcomes the expression of personal thoughts and reflections in Toward, our digital magazine. Each post reflects the opinion of its author and does not necessarily represent the views of our organization or our partners.
Associate, Communications
