In this article, Google and YouTube have pledged $15 million to aid the Los Angeles community and content creators affected by wildfires, as announced by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan in a blog post on Wednesday. The funds will be directed to local relief organizations such as Emergency Network Los Angeles, the American Red Cross, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, and the Institute for Nonprofit News. Impacted creators will have access to YouTube’s production facilities for recovery and business rebuilding once the company’s LA offices can safely reopen, in addition to participating in community events.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed support, stating, “To all of our employees, the YouTube creator community, and everyone in LA, please stay safe and know we’re here to support,” in a post on X. This initiative precedes the impending TikTok ban scheduled for Sunday, prompting content creators to redirect followers to alternative social platforms. YouTube Shorts, a short-form video platform, competes with TikTok, alongside Meta’s Instagram Reels and the rapidly growing Chinese app Rednote, also known as Xiahongshu.
Mohan highlighted the solidarity within the YouTube community, stating, “In moments like these, we see the power of communities coming together to support each other — and the strength and resilience of the YouTube community is like no other.” YouTube’s contribution aligns with other LA companies making multi-million dollar donations to assist employees and residents affected by the LA fires. Meta announced a $4 million donation split between CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the company, while Netflix and Comcast pledged $10 million donations to various aid groups.
Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC.
