Organizers of the celebrity-studded FireAid, which raised $100 million this year to benefit victims of the California wildfires, disbursed massive money to unrelated liberal nonprofits and programs that aid only "Black and Brown communities" as well as illegal immigrants, according to analysis by The Washington Free Beacon published Monday.
The newspaper found that some of the groups explicitly exclude White people from their services.
The six-hour concert held on Jan. 30, featuring the likes of Billie Eilish, Katy Perry and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the Grammy Awards a few nights later were expected to raise more than $100 million for victims of the wildfires that ravaged the Los Angeles area that month.
FireAid began its phased disbursement in February.
One recipient, Greenline Housing Foundation, received $4.8 million dedicated to health and housing for applicants who "must be a Black or Hispanic person," the organization said on its website, according to the report.
Greenline told the Free Beacon that "anyone is welcome to apply for and receive" its fire-aid programs. However, the wildfire section of its website clarifies that the organization "will focus [its] efforts on helping Black and Hispanic communities."
There are others, according to the Free Beacon:
- The Black Freedom Fund, dedicated to promoting "Black power-building," received $7.6 million for "disaster relief." Its website said it would assist only groups "led and controlled by Black people."
- The Alliance for a Better Community received $5.9 million in "disaster relief" that it distributes through its Fuerza Fund, which states it is "doubling down on its commitment to immigrant and undocumented families.
- Home Grown received $3.5 million for "children and families," stating on its website it is committed to funding "undocumented providers."
FireAid posted a statement to its website saying, "There has been an increasing amount of misinformation being shared online about the distribution of FireAid funds. We want to address concerns and be certain that Angelenos and the thousands of donors who generously contributed have a transparent view into how FireAid is putting their dollars to work."
Notably, none of the nonprofits identified by the Free Beacon were listed on FireAid’s statement of clarification. They are, however, listed on the page of recipients of $75 million in grants to date.
FireAid said it has hired the law firm Latham & Watkins "to conduct a comprehensive review of FireAid's governance and grantmaking process."
"This review will also include assessing whether recipient organizations are using funds in alignment with FireAid's stated purpose and commitments," the statement said.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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