CA wildfire support from Snoop Dogg, Billie Eilish draws awareness to LA Dream Center

Americans began fleeing their homes and businesses this week as wildfires in California raged and destroyed entire communities in five states.

Firefighters, law enforcement and citizens are working together to contain the fires, while local shelters and organizations are distributing food and supplies and providing shelter to those seeking shelter as thousands of people lose their homes.

“It’s like a ghost town in a lot of these communities,” Matthew Barnett, founder of the LA Dream Center, told Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview. (See the video at the top of this article.)

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“We’re just trying to provide all kinds of solutions. Money is obviously important because of housing,” he said.

The LA Dream Center is a resource center for California residents seeking housing and those in need of food and recovery assistance. The organization is the foundation of free programs for communities around the world.

“You’re taking 20% ​​of the growth in your center overnight. That’s a lot in a city like Los Angeles,” he said. “It’s very expensive to open the facilities and everything.”

Thirty years ago, Barnett planned to work as a teacher for a few months before he quickly fell in love with Los Angeles and decided to stay permanently to open the Dream Center.

“We thought that in a city like Los Angeles that is known as a 24/7 city, why don’t we have a place that can be in the center of Los Angeles that can take broken dreams and those that are hurting and struggling,” said Barnett.

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Located on US Route 101, the Dream Center opened in 1996 after the building was purchased from the Catholic Church for $3.9 million.

“They could have sold it to Paramount Studios for $16 million,” Barnett said.

Flames from the Palisades Fire burned a building on Sunset Boulevard amid a severe storm on Jan. 8, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Fueled by strong Santa Ana Winds, the Palisades Fire has grown to more than 15,000 acres and 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as the blaze burns near Eaton Canyon in Altadena. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

The 15-story building was a filming location for eight years. It now houses 700 residents, including homeless veterans, emancipated children and families, among others, every day.

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“It’s open 24 hours a day to anyone in need,” Barnett said.

Today, the Dream Center provides private rooms, food, supplies and other supplies to California residents in need while firefighters battle the flames.

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Eaton Fire on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, Altadena, Calif. (Maxar Technologies via AP)

Australian chef Wolfgang Puck dropped off 2,000 meals on Friday afternoon.

“He says, ‘When will you serve them?’ and I said, ‘What now?'” Barnett said.

“This is COVID times 10,” Barnett said of the relief efforts.

“So, we just throw them forward.” (See the video below.)

Barnett added that the food donation drive will only last two hours before it ends.

After that, someone else will step up, and we’ll put them first and a new restaurant will appear,” said Barnett.

“It’s just miracle after miracle. It’s a miracle when you need it, it seems to appear. When you take care of people in pain, God has a way of just giving all these unbelievable places that happen. That’s how it happens.”

A view of smoke billowing from the Eaton wildfire in Altadena in Los Angeles County, California, on Jan. 9, 2025. A fast-moving wildfire has forced 30,000 people to evacuate, with officials warning that deteriorating winds could push the fire further. . (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

During this dangerous wildfire situation, the Dream Center and its 250 volunteers daily load trucks with supplies to the affected areas and provide food lines for 10 hours a day.

“This is COVID times 10,” Barnett said of the relief efforts.

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“I’m not in my house,” Barnett said. “I’m away from home right now, and I’m living in my office. So, I’m really homeless – I’m helping other homeless people.”

“We’re just like out here we don’t know the future of our home away from the fire but we’re working through our pain,” Barnett said of her family, including the dogs.

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“Serving through our struggle.”

Celebrities including Snoop Dogg, Florence Pugh, Billie Eilish, Jojo Siwa and King Bach are some who threw their support behind the Dream Center; share posts on social media, get more attention and volunteer work.

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“These are people we have never met, but they are people who are looking for ways to do good,” said Barnett.

The Dream Center collects donations of food and non-perishables, baby supplies, clothing, water and financial donations online and in person.