It didn’t take long after word reached the nation about the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles for citizens across the country and the world to begin offering help. Among them is Andrea Bennett, owner of Annie’s Cafe in Bountiful, who has worked to collect donations for the hundreds of families who’ve been displaced by the fires.

Utah truck driver Landon Cheatham, who drives deliveries to California at least twice a week for his company, offered to help. He created a Facebook group on “Connect Utah” to seek donations for his drives to Los Angeles. He generally brings a full truckload of deliveries to Utah from Southern California, then has been driving back to LA with almost an empty truck. But not this week. 

By the day after he posted his willingness to transport donations to Los Angeles, almost three dozen Utah businesses offered their sites as drop-off locations, including Annie’s Cafe at 74 West 500 South in Bountiful. 

Bennett said she received a call last Saturday night from someone who had a semi truck filled with more than 1 million N-24 masks. That inspired her to work with organizers to fill two more 53-foot semi-trailers and three sprinter vans with donated goods, including clothing, toiletries, diapers, hygiene products and some food items. Cheatham left Utah with his semi on Sunday afternoon and had the products in California by Monday morning. He was already preparing to do another run again on Wednesday of this week, with more to come.

“The response has been overwhelming,” Bennett said. “The people here in Bountiful and from areas around here have been so amazingly generous. We’ve been collecting here on the front porch of the cafe, and I’ve left our food truck open in case it rains. Both my cell phone and cafe phone have been ringing off the hook with people asking how they can help. It’s very gratifying to see this generosity.”

Cheatham said he never thought a Facebook post would lead to such an outpouring, but said “we’re going to keep going. We’ll keep building and help as many people as we can.”

Those helping in Los Angeles have defined the biggest needs for the victim families, and have narrowed their requested needs, no longer accepting clothing donations.

“What they need is toiletries, towels, tampons, pads, toothbrushes and toothpaste, floss and mouthwash,” Bennett said. “They also need face wash, paper towels, lotion, baby diapers, Depends for the elderly, baby rash cream, baby wipes and body wash.”

She said donations are also sought for pets, so many of whom have been displaced and need food and other supplies. The Best Friends Animal Society in Utah has begun housing some animals and will continue to provide housing while the communities recover.

“We’re all here to help and support each other,” Bennett said. “This is one way we can lend our hands to these families and individuals – doing anything we can even from a distance. I’m so grateful for the willingness of this community to help.”

With her permission, Bennett said she’s fine with her contact numbers being published for those who want to contribute. The cafe phone is 385-327-3737, and her cell phone is 775-657-1658.

“They are welcome to call,” she said. “We’ll have more transport trips planned in the weeks ahead, and we appreciate the public’s support.” λ