Meghan Markle made a quiet but impactful visit to a new relief group aimed at assisting teenagers affected by the ongoing Eaton Fire, one of the many devastating wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
On January 13, the Duchess of Sussex visited the Altadena Teen Girls Fire Recovery group, an organization she and Prince Harry have supported through their Archewell Foundation. The group was founded by 14-year-old Avery Colvert from Pasadena, who, after witnessing the impacts of the fire, decided to gather supplies such as clothing, beauty products, and other necessities for teen girls displaced by the disaster.
The Eaton Fire, which began on January 7, has already burned over 14,000 acres, and as of January 15, it was only 45% contained. Meghan arrived at the group’s warehouse with new clothing, beauty products, and lunch for the volunteers. She interacted directly with families, helping the girls with shopping, chatting with them, and offering much-needed emotional support.
A video shared by the Altadena Teen Girls Fire Recovery group on January 15 showed a brief clip of Meghan in the warehouse, wearing a black Los Angeles baseball cap and carrying two tote bags full of items. The video was captioned by the organization, expressing gratitude for her visit and support.
The relief group, which was formed to help teen girls feel a sense of normalcy after losing everything to the fire, expressed heartfelt thanks to Meghan and Prince Harry for their involvement. They also acknowledged the generous support from Archewell Foundation, which helped make the group’s mission possible.
Colvert, who started the group with the help of her stepfather, Matt Chait, said the aim of the project is to restore confidence and normalcy for those affected by the fire. “They’ve lost everything, and I want them to feel a sense of normalcy when nothing else in their life is normal,” she explained.
The Duchess of Sussex’s visit was part of her ongoing efforts to support communities impacted by the fires. Earlier in the week, she and Prince Harry visited Pasadena, where they helped distribute food and supplies to those affected by the fire. Meghan has taken a discreet approach to her relief efforts, avoiding cameras and focusing solely on providing direct aid to the people who need it most.
The Altadena Teen Girls Fire Recovery group expressed their immense appreciation for Meghan’s support in a post on social media, noting that even meeting her was “life-changing” for many of the teens involved.
In addition to her work with the relief group, Meghan postponed the release of her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, due to the ongoing crisis. The series, originally set to debut on January 15, will now premiere on March 4. Meghan thanked her partners at Netflix for their understanding and support in this decision.
As the fires continue to ravage over 40,000 acres, Meghan and Prince Harry are focusing on identifying the most effective ways to support the community. The couple has also opened their home to friends and loved ones who were forced to evacuate due to the fires.
