By Lisa Richwine and Rollo Ross
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – As wildfires ravaged parts of Los Angeles this week, real estate agent Jenna Cooper began asking friends for clothes and other items to help people in need.
Her request quickly spread through a network of powerful women. Actors including Sharon Stone and Halle Berry responded, offering sweaters, shoes, clothing, handbags, belts, pajamas and more drawn from their collections.
I’m packing my entire closet, Berry wrote on Instagram. “If you live in the Southern California area, I encourage you to do the same. This is something we can do right now.”
Cooper, who also runs a homewares store called +COOP, cleared half the space to create a pop-up shopping experience for displaced people to grab what they need. Many Angelenos lost entire homes in the fires that were still burning Friday.
Stone circulated information about the donation on social media, which helped attract the public. She and her sister, Kelly Stone, contributed clothing, linens and more, and Kelly volunteered to help customers.
“The first thing they need when they walk into the store is a hug,” said Kelly Stone. Then she said to the customers, “Show me your pictures, how do you dress?” so she can direct them to sweaters or raincoats that reflect their style.
At the store on Friday, a therapy dog named Jackie Robinson greeted people at the door. Inside, they browsed racks of dresses and coats, stacks of denim, racks of shoes, and baskets of handbags.
The offer ranged from packages of fresh underwear from Goal (NYSE:) on new or slightly used Zara dresses and some Gucci and Ferragamo shoes in the mix.
Cooper said she has received donations and volunteer support from power players across Los Angeles, including actors, executives, lawyers, restaurant owners and moms. Her network of real estate agents in New York sent gift cards, she said.
A Hollywood stylist came with two large bags of stuff from her closet and was hired to help organize the store for customers over the weekend.
“I know people who have lost everything, and even people I don’t know that I’m devastated for,” said Lisa Cera, who has worked for celebrities including the Kardashians and Lenny Kravitz. “I decided I’d just bring whatever I could.”
Ellen Bennett was choosing things for her 72-year-old mother, who lost her home in Eaton (NYSE:) fire on the east side of Los Angeles. Bennett said she chose the “basics,” including socks, sweaters, pants, a jacket and a pair of sneakers.
“She left her house with her dog and her bag and just a few things. She thought she was going to come back,” Bennett said of her mother, adding, “It’s so special and beautiful that in this time of tragedy people rise up and help each other .”
The owner of the Cooper store said she helped one man find a pair of sneakers so he could run on the beach, something he hasn’t done since the fires broke out. She said she was overwhelmed by the response to her idea to help.
This is a city of love and everyone wants to support each other, Cooper said.
