Cedric Meadows (left), director of public relations, and Anthony Conley, director of support services, at the Covenant House nonprofit animal shelter in California.

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As quickly as evacuation orders went into effect throughout Los Angeles County, so did community disaster response efforts. At the Anderson Munger Family YMCA in LA’s Koreatown, a central hub for donation drop-off and distribution, a steady stream of supplies and volunteers offering helping hands spilled onto the sidewalk.

“It’s wild. There are people out here who have just started a chain. And we just handed over and loaded cars,” said Sabrina Parnia, one of the volunteers who took action this week after devastating wildfires broke out.

Volunteers from across Los Angeles help manage donations at the Anderson Munger Family YMCA, a central location for collecting and distributing donations to evacuees and first responders.

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When Parnia heard about this effort by community group Ktown for All, she took a week off and helped lead the other volunteers who were willing to help. The central location is a crucial node in a volunteer-run supply chain – connecting people from across the state. This location collected food, clothing, various snacks for first responders, and whatever local businesses were willing to donate.

“There was someone dropping off protein shakes,” Parnia said. “He runs a protein company and was about to deliver a van full of protein shakes. It’s phenomenal. And baby protein shakes!”

These centers are not only responsible for collection. YMCA also uses its network to distribute supplies to partner organizations, shelters and evacuees in need of supplies.

“All the hands and bodies that come here with U-Haul trucks (or) their carriers, because we don’t have vehicles to move these items, they ask, ‘What do you need?’ ” said Rae Jin, executive director of the Anderson Munger Family YMCA.

The Anderson Munger Family YMCA is so overwhelmed with clothing donations that staff say they are out of capacity with adult clothing and are instead asking for baby clothes and supplies, as well as bedding, bedding and personal care items.

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Nearby, in downtown Los Angeles, Covenant House California provides year-round shelter for displaced residents ages 18 to 24.

“We can still support this age group and prevent homelessness,” said Anthony Conley, director of support services for the nonprofit.

He said young people who poured in after the fires started took up all 104 available beds.

“With the air quality, things are getting a little more difficult for people. So a lot of shelters in the area are really focused on young people and adults with respiratory issues,” Conley said.

Covenant House encouraged people to order sandwiches and packed lunches. Peanut butter and jelly is the MVP.

“What people don’t know is that there are a lot of vegans on the street too. So peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a good substitute for that. “It’s easier on the stomach and lasts a little longer,” said Conley.

A child’s drawing on brown paper lunch bags prepared for Covenant House after the nonprofit requested sandwiches from the LA community to feed the displaced young people it houses.

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Covenant House and the YMCA are just two of the many community organizations currently leading efforts to support the region in the wake of the worst – and likely costliest – natural disaster in Los Angeles history.

“I’m grateful because we just said we had to do this and the next day we put something out and magic happened,” Jin said.

So many donations flowed to evacuation centers that one site, the Pan Pacific Park Recreation Center, had to turn away shipments. But people who are willing to help are still needed. As the fires continue to burn, volunteers like Sabrina Parnia say they won’t stop showing up. It is an unimaginable crisis for the region. But also a time of limitless generosity.

“I’m from LA, born and raised,” Parnia said. “Seeing LA come together like this is really special.”