August 20, 2025 • 25 mins
Aired August 17, 2025: In this podcast, Lisa Foxx talks to Drew Koven, the co-founder of the LA Strong Foundation. It's been 7+months since the devastating LA wildfires that forever changed the lives and displaced over 13,000+households in Altadena, Pasadena, Malibu and the Palisades, but folks are STILL IN NEED of help and services. Drew and his wife Maxi have pulled together money, resources...goods and services and continue their mission to be here for people for the long hall. They are always in need of volunteers to help in their where house in Culver City and or to help with events. If you and or your family were affected by the fires, you can apply for help. Check out their resources & financial aid pages and much more HERE: https://www.lastrongfoundation.org/
The LA Strong Foundation was created by Philanthropists, and Venture Capitalists Maxi Kozler Koven and Drew Koven. The Koven’s have a long and distinguished track record of supporting various causes and nonprofit organizations as Executive Directors, Board Members and Donors. We are “All for One LA.”
Driven by compassion and cooperation, we provide and coordinate essential supplies, services, financial aid and vital resources to support individuals, organizations and communities in crisis, including those impacted by the 2025 LA Fires. We are grassroots, boots on the ground, first and fast responders.
We simplify the process of accessing urgent aid for those in crisis, supporting the wellness of Los Angeles through direct assistance, essential resources, and with grants to organizations dedicated to serving their communities with kindness, and through collective action.
The LA Strong Foundation was created by Philanthropists, and Venture Capitalists Maxi Kozler Koven and Drew Koven. The Koven’s have a long and distinguished track record of supporting various causes and nonprofit organizations as Executive Directors, Board Members and Donors. We are “All for One LA.”
Driven by compassion and cooperation, we provide and coordinate essential supplies, services, financial aid and vital resources to support individuals, organizations and communities in crisis, including those impacted by the 2025 LA Fires. We are grassroots, boots on the ground, first and fast responders.
We simplify the process of accessing urgent aid for those in crisis, supporting the wellness of Los Angeles through direct assistance, essential resources, and with grants to organizations dedicated to serving their communities with kindness, and through collective action.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's up to a half hour of totally dedicated to
airtime on seven top iHeartRadio stations, airtime on this show,
the Iheartsokel Show. If you work at the charity, a
nonprofit organization, if you are involved with the cause you
care so much about that need some airtime, needs the
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on our podcast. Please reach out to us and book
(00:21):
yourself on the show, book your charity organization on this
show for the exposure, for the airtime, and for lots
of love from our community and our listeners all the infos.
Shoot we need email Lisa Fox, l A sa FOXX
at iHeartMedia dot com. Lisa Fox at iHeartMedia dot com.
We've got spots open from now to the end of
(00:42):
the year so we can planet around your event or
whatever you have a coming episode. Uch shoot with that
email so that you and your charity and your cause
can be featured right here on iHeartRadio's Iheartsokel Show. All right,
let's get started. Hi, It's Lisa Fox and this is
the Iheartsokel Show. Today. Almadrew Covin Drew and his wife
Maxi started the La Strong Foundation. They are philanthropists. They
(01:05):
got a long track record of supporting numerous causes and
nonprofits driven by compassion. They help provide and coordinate essential supplies, services,
financial aid, and vital resources to support individuals, to support
organizations and communities in crisis, especially those that were impacted
by the terrible fires in January. They are grassroots, They
(01:26):
are boots on the ground. They are first and fast responders.
They get it done. And you know, all these months
later drew and people are still in need. There's still
thousands displaced, thousands who still are in need. And you know,
I was directly affected by the Palisades fire. My boyfriend
lost everything. We were renovating for our futures. So you know,
(01:46):
people dramatically affected in the Palisades, parts of Malibu, eaten fire,
just just huge, huge devastation, and so many it's still
need your help. So thank you first of all. But
talk about the backstory here and how all this got started.
Was it just because of the fires?
Speaker 2 (02:04):
My wife and I have been doing philanthropy since we
started dating, and we're married fifteen years. We just celebrated
our seventeenth year anniversary of our first date. All the best,
so you know, August eighth, two thousand and eight. It
was a Friday night in New York City. That was
our first date and then we just saw the other night.
(02:26):
Seventeen years together that we got married October second, twenty ten,
Nice ten to ten, So that's how I remember it.
And we've been married fifteen years. So we've been doing
philanthropy since we got together. I was previously married, and
I did a ton of work my businesses with all
(02:46):
kinds of organizations when I live in Boston, Autism Speaks
and we did work with the Red Sox. So it's
been embedded in my DNA since I was very young
that you give back, yep, And it was just so
it's like the in Los Angeles we were doing we
had a foundation called Make the Extra Pass, and we
(03:06):
were doing youth sports. We were helping with funding scholarships
for inner city youth to go to basketball camp, and
we did a basketball client. We put a team in
the Venice Beach Basketball League of inner city kids and
we mix the team every week. So we've just always
been doing it. We built baseball field in the Bronx
in New York. We help renovate it, so it's kind
(03:29):
of like, what's the need and if we're in the community,
we're boots on the ground, so we just do We're
not your product, we're entrepreneurial. We're just like, let's just
make it happen and cut through the red tape, use
our on funds, reach out to our friends, former companies
(03:49):
that we formerly worked for, calling in favors, and we
just get stuff done. So we're kind of unique where
there's no time in a crisis and my wife and
I our personal experience and our board members there's no
time in a crisis to go through Oh, we'll get
back to you in two months, submit a proposal. I
need I need things now. I need clothing, I need food,
(04:11):
I need water, I need diapers, I need bedding, whatever
it is. I need batteries, I need shoes, I need toys.
It's like, we'll just figure it out. And that's we
started it. When the fires broke out, we were thinking
about expanding the scope of make the Extra Pass beyond sports.
So we've been having a conversation and then my wife
(04:35):
turned to me and said, do something about the fires.
And I said, well, I'm not a firefighter, I'm not
an EMT, Like, what do you want to do, she goes,
you're smart, We'll figure it out. And the next thing,
you know, we helped set up our first relief and
recovery operation on the PCH WILL Combat Malibu, and then
we did another one with Safe Place for Youth. And
(04:56):
now we've helped set up and support almost fire I
think five of them, and we partner with a lot
of really cool groups. So that's that's it just has
taken on a life of the tone.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Well again, and thank you for doing what you've been doing.
I know obviously the needs were just tremendous and for
so many back you know, January, February March, it might
be a little different now, I know for us, you know,
a lot of people are just they're still figuring things out,
figuring out what the future holds, what the insurance is
and isn't going to do, What can we afford to do?
(05:29):
Where are we going to live? Who's paying for what?
You know, special people who lost all their belongings, they're
still just in a state of limbo. And so what's
happening now for fire survivors in our areas? What's happening now?
And how can we help? What can we do?
Speaker 2 (05:47):
The biggest question right now gets to what you're asking,
who else who is still up with a relief and
recovery center? Who's still operating? Because what happens in a crisis.
I've had a lot of experiences, not my first crisis.
I've done work overseas with this type of stuff. You know,
there's that immediate rush and that adrenaline rush where people
(06:10):
are running everywhere to help everyone, and then it goes away.
You know, life goes on and the relief and recovery
centers go away. The companies, a lot of people that
did things did it for a day, a week, a month,
and very few really looked at what do I do
(06:32):
the month after? What do I do the day after?
So we have a partnership with two four LA in
Culver City. We have a five thousand square foot relief
and recovery center on Hayden that we have fully stocked freestore.
We work closely. We helped the fund operational costs for
two for LA. We work directly with their team. They
(06:56):
have you know two their two co founders, Canon and
Malin are amazing and we're helping with the operational costs.
We're helping make sure they have the products that we
can source for them that complement people who are bringing
over slightly used and we're bringing in a lot of
new stuff. We brought in thousands of sets of betting
(07:17):
through our contacts, hygiene kits. We just put a full
racking system in warehouse racking in the facility, and we
work very closely with another group called It's Bigger than
Us and they have an ongoing operation in Los Angeles
which you can go there Shopquirk, which is in downtown LA.
(07:37):
There's a handful of us that made a decision that
we're going to go the long We're going to go
for the long run. It was never about let's capture
this moment and then the moment will go away. In
the evil we knew from We knew, my wife and
I knew getting into this that if we were going
to do this, and we were really going to do this,
(07:59):
it wasn't going to be for a couple of months
and then let's it's over.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
It's it doesn't end that there's thirteen thousand households displaced,
So thirteen thousand households and people still hotel hopping, people
still in temporary you know, there's the billback is at
a snails pace and folks still traumatized by what happened.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
So there's thirteen thousand households displaced, but it's much bigger.
How many jobs were lost, how many people were not
in the direct impact area but lost their work, how
many organizations. So I had an early morning breakfast feeding
with an organization, and then I was in Compton because
we're supporting another event to back to school event for
(08:45):
organizations that their funding was impact. These are small, micro nonprofits.
People think about the big ones who are pretty well funded,
but you have a lot of these grassroots nonprofits which
we're supporting. You know, Ope in the Valley, Seventh Day,
Pasadena Adventist Church, CABAD, two for LA, and the list
(09:07):
goes on on Sheriff's Athletic League, Police Athletic League, of
Santa Monica, Santa Monica Helping Hub because they're great grassroots groups,
but they're not professional fundraisers or they're like, hey Drew,
hey Maxie, how can you help us so that we
can keep doing our work versus some of it? And
(09:28):
I look, I think everybody's the big organizations are great.
I don't want to name specific organizations, but they get in,
they do what they do, but they can only do
it for so long. But these grassroots groups that are
in the communities Eating Renewal we didn't pop up with
Eating Renewal in Pasadena, amazing ambitious do gooders, and they
(09:53):
just need support because they're not going to be able
to sustain an operation if they don't have anyone to
all on. And LA Strong has become the organization that
all these small groups are calling saying, Hey, Drew, what
do you have in your warehouse? Can you help us
with volunteers. We need pizzas for our event. Can we
get some funding for pizzas? And we're saying yes, we're
(10:17):
very resourceful, we know how to make money work. And
we haven't gotten all that much funding, but we know
from you've got connections.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Yeah, you've got connections.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
We've gotten a little bit of money, but we've gotten
a lot of connections that have come through for us.
And then when you partner with groups, as I said,
like two four LA, it's bigger than us. You know,
Tye is amazing. Ty and his wife Molly and very
resourceful too. So when we pool resources and we share things,
it works, and we're changing the game for LA by
(10:47):
operating is all for one LA. That's kind of one
of our mantras. You need it, I got it, you
got it, I'll give it to you. It's not we
don't covet resources. We share and that's why we have
these locations that we're working with that are still up
and running because we're supporting one another and that's really
(11:09):
what makes it work.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I love it. Their website Lastrong Foundation dot org. Lastrong
Foundation dot org. It's a Drew and Maxi Coven's organization.
But like he's saying, coming together to work with so
many to help as many people as we can for
the long haul after the fires, and so many ways
that that help is needed, Like with back to school event,
(11:30):
you're doing a big I see it on your Instagram
right now. You're doing a big back to school block
party for families affected by the fires with your partner
twenty four LA and it's a August twenty third, by
the way, from noon to five and Culver City. They're
given away one thousand backpacks filled with school supplies, plus
offering free food and drinks and health and wellness activations.
(11:51):
They're doing a jewelry making station beauty booths, pro skate sessions, haircuts, art, music,
and so much more, all for families impacted by the fires.
This is so great. You do have to register before
you just show up. So again, all the information is
on the Ellistrong Foundation Instagram. But this is what you
do put on these events. It's still giving back and
still showing that love to fire survivors after all this time,
(12:15):
because the need is still there. And you also help
people get volunteers for their fundraising events or they're back
to school events or to pull up a fundraising events.
They're like a how do we get to We need
about fifty volunteers, We need volunteers, or we need resources
to help us make this fundraising event happen or help
us help us help people. That's what your organization has
been doing right essentially like the backbone, yes, helping these
(12:37):
people pull pull it off.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
We've become like the go to hub. My twelve year
old son Jordan likes to say, Dad, the best ability
is availability and accessibility. We're easy to reach. Our phone
numbers are plastered all over our website, as are our emails.
We don't have this like algorithmic. Who do we help
(12:59):
and how do we help them. We can help, we help.
If we can help, we'll try to find someone who can.
We have a partnership with Vita Mobile Clinic. So if
somebody reaches out to us and says, hey, Drew, hey Max,
you know one of our board members, you know I
need help with medical services, we create partnerships and we
become a trusted source. We you know, you don't have
(13:20):
to be you need You don't need to know somebody
to get to know us. You just call and then
you know us.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
That's the way we stop making it so difficult. Darn it, Drew,
you're making it too tough.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
We simplify complexity and rather than complicate, simplicity. And it
is really the way LA has to rethink philanthropy. And
because this is not going to it's not the first fire,
it's not going to be the last, it's not the
first crisis, it's not going to be the last. But
you got to get everybody working together and sharing and
(13:54):
communicating and recognizing that no one group can cover everything.
And that's the wrong way to think about it.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Yeah, yeah, And just the kindness, that love, that kindness
to our neighbor is really everything. So I mean, it's
so wonderful what you guys are doing, and isn't it
so great to have a partner. My boyfriend and I
have been giving back, we've been together five years and
and doing it together, you know, or raising money together
for charities, volunteering together, doing five k's raise money for
charities that we love, and so many ways to give back,
(14:25):
going to events, supporting events, fundraising for charities and need
and fact that Eric's been delivering meals full time since
the fires through Patchka Angel Food delivery meals full time
for his own mental health, you know, since losing everything,
but also just giving back is so healing in itself,
it's so healing.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Well, the best, the best healing is what is going
on right now in this call that you you heal
by helping. And you know, if you understand no more
than this, what is what mine is yours, what's yours
is yours. That is the best way to heal, because
(15:06):
you're doing God's work, You're doing things that are above
and beyond. When you're delivering the meals, you're benefiting another person, yes,
but you're benefiting yourself so much more. And then it
becomes an addiction like We talk about this. All of
our philanthropy partners and you know Maxin and on my
with Maxi and I, our families, our friends, everybody can
(15:30):
do something kind and we lead with the heart on
our hat. It has a heart, lay strong as the
is the heart because it's it has to come from there.
If you try to think about doing this stuff like look,
I have a background in running corporations, logistics, warehousing. Yeah,
that equips me to then say, well where does my
(15:50):
heart take me? I know how to do these things
skill set, My wife knows how to do them. Our
board members and all the volunteers. You know, Ty knows
how to do it. Kendall, you know Malin Kenyon. All
these different groups and all these different people, they all
have some a superpower, but it all gets back to
the heart. Even Lou Parker, you know TV personnel, So
(16:13):
we have Amanda s. Tarantino from k CAL. If you
look at who they are and how they express themselves,
it's all about part if you, if you let your
heart play a big role in it, your head and
heart will you'll figure it out. And that's what we
plan to keep doing. And what do we need help with?
If if a company has products. I have warehousing. You know,
(16:35):
I have trucks. So if somebody says, oh, I have
a thousand pairs of shoes, do you want them? We'll
take them. And if you say a company says I
have a thousand backpacks, you want them, We're set up
to be able to take all these in kind donations
and hold them. Because remember a one day event doesn't
solve the problem strategically for a multi year problem, right,
(16:59):
So what we set up with LA Strong and our
partners is we have warehousing, we have trucks. We have
all these resources through our partnership network that will take it.
So where we need help is, look, somebody says I
have bathing suits, somebody says I have children supports, I
have toys, whatever it is. M yeah, I take it
(17:24):
into storage because I don't know when that company might
have overstock again or what we call dead stock for
my days in retail. Yeah, we just need to get
rid of it. The soff you see a TG max
or raw stores. Who I would love, you know, are
staples like hey, this color of notebook didn't sell. I'll
take them all because I can store them so that
(17:45):
any organization can call LA Strong and say, Judy have notebooks,
Judy have backpacks?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Done?
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Food of course done. Yeah, And it's an LA Strong
is a community partner, whether it's financial funding or in
kind product. If I have it, it's yours. And that's
as simple as it is. It's no more complicated. And
that's why I think it is working well because we're
(18:10):
working with So it works well because we're working with
not oh I'm sorry, I can't share. No no, no, no no,
we got it. You need it? How do I get
it to you? That's simple and with your situation, help
us get more people to volunteer, because that's another challenge.
When we have all this product that comes into our
warehouse or we need to distribute it out to a
(18:32):
one of our relief center partners, it takes a lot
of time to sort the stuff out and put it on.
We just stopped one hundred one thousand new hangers off
at Too Far LA because we have so much stuff
coming in. So getting the word out like where products are,
and then volunteers. We have a Tomorrow night, Wednesday night,
we have a sip and sort party in Culver City
(18:53):
at two for LA where we're just sorting and hanging
clothing to get ready for people to come shop on
the weekends. So great. And you make it fun. We're
gonna have pizza, wine. Uh. You just make it fun. Yeah.
You nourish the soul. You know, that's what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
And people are going through a lot, so you make
it fun, make it enjoyable. And people are meeting people,
and that human connection is so key. So like you said,
I always need to volunteers, and people can reach out
to you if they have a request or need Las
Strong Foundation dot org for all the information and like
you said, Drew, you and your wife, your phone numbers
are there. People have any questions or requests, they can
(19:33):
just reach right out to you directly, and then maybe
you can make something amazing happen in their future for
anyone in need or for someone who wants to help.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I answer my calls, my wife, You call us like,
You're not gonna have to leave a message unless I'm
on another call. If I'm talking to you, my phone beats,
we're on the we're on the phone, and I'll call
you right back, and and or Max you will call
you back. Or Ranata, one of our board members who
lost her home in the Palisades. So people ask me
all the time, you what's your direct experience. We lived
(20:02):
in bel Air. We were evacuated several times during the fires.
We have a lot of friends that got wiped They
lost their homes in Malibury. Recently, they lost their homes
and Palisades. We're working with all these organizations. I just
if several two months ago, I took a full tour
with people who lost their homes in Pasadena and in
that and like my office is my car. In the
(20:25):
last since the fires broke out, I put twenty one
thousand miles on my Wrangler.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
I bet I mean yeah, yeah, like trying to be
things to people. Yeah, trying to help, trying to be
a service to people, your neighbors. And that's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
If I had more hours in the day, I put
fifty thousand on the car. Like there's no better work
than this. I'm telling everybody this is There's nothing They
asked me, well, Drew, why are you doing this? And
because there's nothing else I'd rather be doing like this is.
I love this. I love this call. I love and
my organization and all the organizations we work with. We
(21:02):
love being of service. It's that kind of the DNA,
it's that thing embedded in us. We want to have
to do this. We don't have to do this, we
want to have to do this. And I can speak
for everybody that I've come across, from people that are
in the skateboard community, to people that are in the
food business, to people that are just philanthropists, two people
(21:23):
that run corporate. When we connect with those people and
they start tearing up, and like that's a brother or sister.
We're there because I cry all the time, Maxie cries.
Our partners, we cry all the time when we're doing
the work that makes you your soul feel so good. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
I was gonna say, well, and now we're a perfect
match because I cry. I cry all the time too, Cry.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Cry together, Cry together.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
You're so sweet. I really appreciate all that you're doing
for all of Southern California. But it's just just for humankind,
for mankind, womankind, and just thank you so much for
caring about people and spreading that love and asking people
to join La Strong La Strong Foundation by doing so,
volunteering or offering products, whatever you have to offer, or
if you need something, you can reach out to Drew
(22:08):
and Maxi. The website super easy. Lastrongfoundation dot org. You've
got ongoing events you post all over your social media
and your Instagram. Instagram is just la Strong Foundation right, easy.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
To find it. Yes, a strong foundation, Yes, and.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Again a wealth of information on their website. The resources
page has so much on its sony links, so much
information for places to go for help. Also for financial aid.
If you think that you've applied for all the sources
of potential financial aid if you were affected by the fires,
maybe there was something that you may miss. Just double check.
The list is massive on their financial aid page. You
(22:44):
can also call a special phone number they have to
ask Maxi, as in his wife, six five zero Ask Maxi,
and kind of operates like like a Siri or Alexa.
So it's a voice activated digital assistant that uses AI
and voice recognition that provides timely answers and actionable information.
So get help even faster by calling six five zero
(23:05):
ask Maxi. Maxi and these folks have just been on
it since January, since the devastating fires. They've facilitated, supported
and connected over one hundred thousand units of product, donations
of essential goods and services to over twelve thousand people
since January, connecting them with critical hard to access products,
(23:25):
information and support in real time, including food, beverage, adult, youth,
toddler and baby clothing, shoes, accessories, beauty and personal hygiene products,
pet food, baby food, wipes, diapers, home goods, betting, bath towels, toys,
all this stuff, paper goods, school supplies. They've got that
mobile clinic, a luggage, and so much more. And again
the whole helping out part. They've helped to connect and
(23:47):
provide over one thousand volunteers with ways to get back
and be a part of helping people. And the need
is still here for the thousands impacted by the fires.
If you need help, if you can volunteer, if you
have items to donate, drew as a phone call or
a click away at lastrongfoundation dot org. And again, thank
(24:08):
you for what you continue to do for fire survivors
in need. We're still in need, still in need, all
these months later, so thank you for still being here
for everybody.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Just stay positive, like I'm telling you it's gonna if
it's gonna where I know it, like it's going to
work out, you know. While the fires have stopped burning physically.
The needs are burning greatly, and we the most important
thing is this cannot be forgotten. We have to keep
our operations going. We have to keep this story front
(24:40):
and center. We're gonna need volunteers, we're gonna need product,
we're gonna need the media to say this is far
from over. People are suffering financially, they're suffering emotionally, their
children there and we need to be sensitive to that
and long term oriented, not oh the next thing, something
else gonna pop up, but this is not going away.
(25:01):
And that's where we just need to keep this front
and center and keep people kind like, just keep building
them the kind community of LA. Let's just keep building it.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Amen to that, Amen to that Lastrongfoundation dot org. Drew Covin,
thank you
Speaker 2 (25:16):
So much, Thank you the best, Lise, I appreciate you
It's up to a half hour of totally dedicated to
airtime on seven top iHeartRadio stations, airtime on this show,
the Iheartsokel Show. If you work at the charity, a
nonprofit organization, if you are involved with the cause you
care so much about that need some airtime, needs the
exposure on seven iHeart stations and then a later place
on our podcast. Please reach out to us and book
(00:21):
yourself on the show, book your charity organization on this
show for the exposure, for the airtime, and for lots
of love from our community and our listeners all the infos.
Shoot we need email Lisa Fox, l A sa FOXX
at iHeartMedia dot com. Lisa Fox at iHeartMedia dot com.
We've got spots open from now to the end of
(00:42):
the year so we can planet around your event or
whatever you have a coming episode. Uch shoot with that
email so that you and your charity and your cause
can be featured right here on iHeartRadio's Iheartsokel Show. All right,
let's get started. Hi, It's Lisa Fox and this is
the Iheartsokel Show. Today. Almadrew Covin Drew and his wife
Maxi started the La Strong Foundation. They are philanthropists. They
(01:05):
got a long track record of supporting numerous causes and
nonprofits driven by compassion. They help provide and coordinate essential supplies, services,
financial aid, and vital resources to support individuals, to support
organizations and communities in crisis, especially those that were impacted
by the terrible fires in January. They are grassroots, They
(01:26):
are boots on the ground. They are first and fast responders.
They get it done. And you know, all these months
later drew and people are still in need. There's still
thousands displaced, thousands who still are in need. And you know,
I was directly affected by the Palisades fire. My boyfriend
lost everything. We were renovating for our futures. So you know,
(01:46):
people dramatically affected in the Palisades, parts of Malibu, eaten fire,
just just huge, huge devastation, and so many it's still
need your help. So thank you first of all. But
talk about the backstory here and how all this got started.
Was it just because of the fires?
Speaker 2 (02:04):
My wife and I have been doing philanthropy since we
started dating, and we're married fifteen years. We just celebrated
our seventeenth year anniversary of our first date. All the best,
so you know, August eighth, two thousand and eight. It
was a Friday night in New York City. That was
our first date and then we just saw the other night.
(02:26):
Seventeen years together that we got married October second, twenty ten,
Nice ten to ten, So that's how I remember it.
And we've been married fifteen years. So we've been doing
philanthropy since we got together. I was previously married, and
I did a ton of work my businesses with all
(02:46):
kinds of organizations when I live in Boston, Autism Speaks
and we did work with the Red Sox. So it's
been embedded in my DNA since I was very young
that you give back, yep, And it was just so
it's like the in Los Angeles we were doing we
had a foundation called Make the Extra Pass, and we
(03:06):
were doing youth sports. We were helping with funding scholarships
for inner city youth to go to basketball camp, and
we did a basketball client. We put a team in
the Venice Beach Basketball League of inner city kids and
we mix the team every week. So we've just always
been doing it. We built baseball field in the Bronx
in New York. We help renovate it, so it's kind
(03:29):
of like, what's the need and if we're in the community,
we're boots on the ground, so we just do We're
not your product, we're entrepreneurial. We're just like, let's just
make it happen and cut through the red tape, use
our on funds, reach out to our friends, former companies
(03:49):
that we formerly worked for, calling in favors, and we
just get stuff done. So we're kind of unique where
there's no time in a crisis and my wife and
I our personal experience and our board members there's no
time in a crisis to go through Oh, we'll get
back to you in two months, submit a proposal. I
need I need things now. I need clothing, I need food,
(04:11):
I need water, I need diapers, I need bedding, whatever
it is. I need batteries, I need shoes, I need toys.
It's like, we'll just figure it out. And that's we
started it. When the fires broke out, we were thinking
about expanding the scope of make the Extra Pass beyond sports.
So we've been having a conversation and then my wife
(04:35):
turned to me and said, do something about the fires.
And I said, well, I'm not a firefighter, I'm not
an EMT, Like, what do you want to do, she goes,
you're smart, We'll figure it out. And the next thing,
you know, we helped set up our first relief and
recovery operation on the PCH WILL Combat Malibu, and then
we did another one with Safe Place for Youth. And
(04:56):
now we've helped set up and support almost fire I
think five of them, and we partner with a lot
of really cool groups. So that's that's it just has
taken on a life of the tone.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Well again, and thank you for doing what you've been doing.
I know obviously the needs were just tremendous and for
so many back you know, January, February March, it might
be a little different now, I know for us, you know,
a lot of people are just they're still figuring things out,
figuring out what the future holds, what the insurance is
and isn't going to do, What can we afford to do?
(05:29):
Where are we going to live? Who's paying for what?
You know, special people who lost all their belongings, they're
still just in a state of limbo. And so what's
happening now for fire survivors in our areas? What's happening now?
And how can we help? What can we do?
Speaker 2 (05:47):
The biggest question right now gets to what you're asking,
who else who is still up with a relief and
recovery center? Who's still operating? Because what happens in a crisis.
I've had a lot of experiences, not my first crisis.
I've done work overseas with this type of stuff. You know,
there's that immediate rush and that adrenaline rush where people
(06:10):
are running everywhere to help everyone, and then it goes away.
You know, life goes on and the relief and recovery
centers go away. The companies, a lot of people that
did things did it for a day, a week, a month,
and very few really looked at what do I do
(06:32):
the month after? What do I do the day after?
So we have a partnership with two four LA in
Culver City. We have a five thousand square foot relief
and recovery center on Hayden that we have fully stocked freestore.
We work closely. We helped the fund operational costs for
two for LA. We work directly with their team. They
(06:56):
have you know two their two co founders, Canon and
Malin are amazing and we're helping with the operational costs.
We're helping make sure they have the products that we
can source for them that complement people who are bringing
over slightly used and we're bringing in a lot of
new stuff. We brought in thousands of sets of betting
(07:17):
through our contacts, hygiene kits. We just put a full
racking system in warehouse racking in the facility, and we
work very closely with another group called It's Bigger than
Us and they have an ongoing operation in Los Angeles
which you can go there Shopquirk, which is in downtown LA.
(07:37):
There's a handful of us that made a decision that
we're going to go the long We're going to go
for the long run. It was never about let's capture
this moment and then the moment will go away. In
the evil we knew from We knew, my wife and
I knew getting into this that if we were going
to do this, and we were really going to do this,
(07:59):
it wasn't going to be for a couple of months
and then let's it's over.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
It's it doesn't end that there's thirteen thousand households displaced,
So thirteen thousand households and people still hotel hopping, people
still in temporary you know, there's the billback is at
a snails pace and folks still traumatized by what happened.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
So there's thirteen thousand households displaced, but it's much bigger.
How many jobs were lost, how many people were not
in the direct impact area but lost their work, how
many organizations. So I had an early morning breakfast feeding
with an organization, and then I was in Compton because
we're supporting another event to back to school event for
(08:45):
organizations that their funding was impact. These are small, micro nonprofits.
People think about the big ones who are pretty well funded,
but you have a lot of these grassroots nonprofits which
we're supporting. You know, Ope in the Valley, Seventh Day,
Pasadena Adventist Church, CABAD, two for LA, and the list
(09:07):
goes on on Sheriff's Athletic League, Police Athletic League, of
Santa Monica, Santa Monica Helping Hub because they're great grassroots groups,
but they're not professional fundraisers or they're like, hey Drew,
hey Maxie, how can you help us so that we
can keep doing our work versus some of it? And
(09:28):
I look, I think everybody's the big organizations are great.
I don't want to name specific organizations, but they get in,
they do what they do, but they can only do
it for so long. But these grassroots groups that are
in the communities Eating Renewal we didn't pop up with
Eating Renewal in Pasadena, amazing ambitious do gooders, and they
(09:53):
just need support because they're not going to be able
to sustain an operation if they don't have anyone to
all on. And LA Strong has become the organization that
all these small groups are calling saying, Hey, Drew, what
do you have in your warehouse? Can you help us
with volunteers. We need pizzas for our event. Can we
get some funding for pizzas? And we're saying yes, we're
(10:17):
very resourceful, we know how to make money work. And
we haven't gotten all that much funding, but we know
from you've got connections.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Yeah, you've got connections.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
We've gotten a little bit of money, but we've gotten
a lot of connections that have come through for us.
And then when you partner with groups, as I said,
like two four LA, it's bigger than us. You know,
Tye is amazing. Ty and his wife Molly and very
resourceful too. So when we pool resources and we share things,
it works, and we're changing the game for LA by
(10:47):
operating is all for one LA. That's kind of one
of our mantras. You need it, I got it, you
got it, I'll give it to you. It's not we
don't covet resources. We share and that's why we have
these locations that we're working with that are still up
and running because we're supporting one another and that's really
(11:09):
what makes it work.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I love it. Their website Lastrong Foundation dot org. Lastrong
Foundation dot org. It's a Drew and Maxi Coven's organization.
But like he's saying, coming together to work with so
many to help as many people as we can for
the long haul after the fires, and so many ways
that that help is needed, Like with back to school event,
(11:30):
you're doing a big I see it on your Instagram
right now. You're doing a big back to school block
party for families affected by the fires with your partner
twenty four LA and it's a August twenty third, by
the way, from noon to five and Culver City. They're
given away one thousand backpacks filled with school supplies, plus
offering free food and drinks and health and wellness activations.
(11:51):
They're doing a jewelry making station beauty booths, pro skate sessions, haircuts, art, music,
and so much more, all for families impacted by the fires.
This is so great. You do have to register before
you just show up. So again, all the information is
on the Ellistrong Foundation Instagram. But this is what you
do put on these events. It's still giving back and
still showing that love to fire survivors after all this time,
(12:15):
because the need is still there. And you also help
people get volunteers for their fundraising events or they're back
to school events or to pull up a fundraising events.
They're like a how do we get to We need
about fifty volunteers, We need volunteers, or we need resources
to help us make this fundraising event happen or help
us help us help people. That's what your organization has
been doing right essentially like the backbone, yes, helping these
(12:37):
people pull pull it off.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
We've become like the go to hub. My twelve year
old son Jordan likes to say, Dad, the best ability
is availability and accessibility. We're easy to reach. Our phone
numbers are plastered all over our website, as are our emails.
We don't have this like algorithmic. Who do we help
(12:59):
and how do we help them. We can help, we help.
If we can help, we'll try to find someone who can.
We have a partnership with Vita Mobile Clinic. So if
somebody reaches out to us and says, hey, Drew, hey Max,
you know one of our board members, you know I
need help with medical services, we create partnerships and we
become a trusted source. We you know, you don't have
(13:20):
to be you need You don't need to know somebody
to get to know us. You just call and then
you know us.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
That's the way we stop making it so difficult. Darn it, Drew,
you're making it too tough.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
We simplify complexity and rather than complicate, simplicity. And it
is really the way LA has to rethink philanthropy. And
because this is not going to it's not the first fire,
it's not going to be the last, it's not the
first crisis, it's not going to be the last. But
you got to get everybody working together and sharing and
(13:54):
communicating and recognizing that no one group can cover everything.
And that's the wrong way to think about it.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Yeah, yeah, And just the kindness, that love, that kindness
to our neighbor is really everything. So I mean, it's
so wonderful what you guys are doing, and isn't it
so great to have a partner. My boyfriend and I
have been giving back, we've been together five years and
and doing it together, you know, or raising money together
for charities, volunteering together, doing five k's raise money for
charities that we love, and so many ways to give back,
(14:25):
going to events, supporting events, fundraising for charities and need
and fact that Eric's been delivering meals full time since
the fires through Patchka Angel Food delivery meals full time
for his own mental health, you know, since losing everything,
but also just giving back is so healing in itself,
it's so healing.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Well, the best, the best healing is what is going
on right now in this call that you you heal
by helping. And you know, if you understand no more
than this, what is what mine is yours, what's yours
is yours. That is the best way to heal, because
(15:06):
you're doing God's work, You're doing things that are above
and beyond. When you're delivering the meals, you're benefiting another person, yes,
but you're benefiting yourself so much more. And then it
becomes an addiction like We talk about this. All of
our philanthropy partners and you know Maxin and on my
with Maxi and I, our families, our friends, everybody can
(15:30):
do something kind and we lead with the heart on
our hat. It has a heart, lay strong as the
is the heart because it's it has to come from there.
If you try to think about doing this stuff like look,
I have a background in running corporations, logistics, warehousing. Yeah,
that equips me to then say, well where does my
(15:50):
heart take me? I know how to do these things
skill set, My wife knows how to do them. Our
board members and all the volunteers. You know, Ty knows
how to do it. Kendall, you know Malin Kenyon. All
these different groups and all these different people, they all
have some a superpower, but it all gets back to
the heart. Even Lou Parker, you know TV personnel, So
(16:13):
we have Amanda s. Tarantino from k CAL. If you
look at who they are and how they express themselves,
it's all about part if you, if you let your
heart play a big role in it, your head and
heart will you'll figure it out. And that's what we
plan to keep doing. And what do we need help with?
If if a company has products. I have warehousing. You know,
(16:35):
I have trucks. So if somebody says, oh, I have
a thousand pairs of shoes, do you want them? We'll
take them. And if you say a company says I
have a thousand backpacks, you want them, We're set up
to be able to take all these in kind donations
and hold them. Because remember a one day event doesn't
solve the problem strategically for a multi year problem, right,
(16:59):
So what we set up with LA Strong and our
partners is we have warehousing, we have trucks. We have
all these resources through our partnership network that will take it.
So where we need help is, look, somebody says I
have bathing suits, somebody says I have children supports, I
have toys, whatever it is. M yeah, I take it
(17:24):
into storage because I don't know when that company might
have overstock again or what we call dead stock for
my days in retail. Yeah, we just need to get
rid of it. The soff you see a TG max
or raw stores. Who I would love, you know, are
staples like hey, this color of notebook didn't sell. I'll
take them all because I can store them so that
(17:45):
any organization can call LA Strong and say, Judy have notebooks,
Judy have backpacks?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Done?
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Food of course done. Yeah, And it's an LA Strong
is a community partner, whether it's financial funding or in
kind product. If I have it, it's yours. And that's
as simple as it is. It's no more complicated. And
that's why I think it is working well because we're
(18:10):
working with So it works well because we're working with
not oh I'm sorry, I can't share. No no, no, no no,
we got it. You need it? How do I get
it to you? That's simple and with your situation, help
us get more people to volunteer, because that's another challenge.
When we have all this product that comes into our
warehouse or we need to distribute it out to a
(18:32):
one of our relief center partners, it takes a lot
of time to sort the stuff out and put it on.
We just stopped one hundred one thousand new hangers off
at Too Far LA because we have so much stuff
coming in. So getting the word out like where products are,
and then volunteers. We have a Tomorrow night, Wednesday night,
we have a sip and sort party in Culver City
(18:53):
at two for LA where we're just sorting and hanging
clothing to get ready for people to come shop on
the weekends. So great. And you make it fun. We're
gonna have pizza, wine. Uh. You just make it fun. Yeah.
You nourish the soul. You know, that's what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
And people are going through a lot, so you make
it fun, make it enjoyable. And people are meeting people,
and that human connection is so key. So like you said,
I always need to volunteers, and people can reach out
to you if they have a request or need Las
Strong Foundation dot org for all the information and like
you said, Drew, you and your wife, your phone numbers
are there. People have any questions or requests, they can
(19:33):
just reach right out to you directly, and then maybe
you can make something amazing happen in their future for
anyone in need or for someone who wants to help.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I answer my calls, my wife, You call us like,
You're not gonna have to leave a message unless I'm
on another call. If I'm talking to you, my phone beats,
we're on the we're on the phone, and I'll call
you right back, and and or Max you will call
you back. Or Ranata, one of our board members who
lost her home in the Palisades. So people ask me
all the time, you what's your direct experience. We lived
(20:02):
in bel Air. We were evacuated several times during the fires.
We have a lot of friends that got wiped They
lost their homes in Malibury. Recently, they lost their homes
and Palisades. We're working with all these organizations. I just
if several two months ago, I took a full tour
with people who lost their homes in Pasadena and in
that and like my office is my car. In the
(20:25):
last since the fires broke out, I put twenty one
thousand miles on my Wrangler.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
I bet I mean yeah, yeah, like trying to be
things to people. Yeah, trying to help, trying to be
a service to people, your neighbors. And that's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
If I had more hours in the day, I put
fifty thousand on the car. Like there's no better work
than this. I'm telling everybody this is There's nothing They
asked me, well, Drew, why are you doing this? And
because there's nothing else I'd rather be doing like this is.
I love this. I love this call. I love and
my organization and all the organizations we work with. We
(21:02):
love being of service. It's that kind of the DNA,
it's that thing embedded in us. We want to have
to do this. We don't have to do this, we
want to have to do this. And I can speak
for everybody that I've come across, from people that are
in the skateboard community, to people that are in the
food business, to people that are just philanthropists, two people
(21:23):
that run corporate. When we connect with those people and
they start tearing up, and like that's a brother or sister.
We're there because I cry all the time, Maxie cries.
Our partners, we cry all the time when we're doing
the work that makes you your soul feel so good. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
I was gonna say, well, and now we're a perfect
match because I cry. I cry all the time too, Cry.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Cry together, Cry together.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
You're so sweet. I really appreciate all that you're doing
for all of Southern California. But it's just just for humankind,
for mankind, womankind, and just thank you so much for
caring about people and spreading that love and asking people
to join La Strong La Strong Foundation by doing so,
volunteering or offering products, whatever you have to offer, or
if you need something, you can reach out to Drew
(22:08):
and Maxi. The website super easy. Lastrongfoundation dot org. You've
got ongoing events you post all over your social media
and your Instagram. Instagram is just la Strong Foundation right, easy.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
To find it. Yes, a strong foundation, Yes, and.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Again a wealth of information on their website. The resources
page has so much on its sony links, so much
information for places to go for help. Also for financial aid.
If you think that you've applied for all the sources
of potential financial aid if you were affected by the fires,
maybe there was something that you may miss. Just double check.
The list is massive on their financial aid page. You
(22:44):
can also call a special phone number they have to
ask Maxi, as in his wife, six five zero Ask Maxi,
and kind of operates like like a Siri or Alexa.
So it's a voice activated digital assistant that uses AI
and voice recognition that provides timely answers and actionable information.
So get help even faster by calling six five zero
(23:05):
ask Maxi. Maxi and these folks have just been on
it since January, since the devastating fires. They've facilitated, supported
and connected over one hundred thousand units of product, donations
of essential goods and services to over twelve thousand people
since January, connecting them with critical hard to access products,
(23:25):
information and support in real time, including food, beverage, adult, youth,
toddler and baby clothing, shoes, accessories, beauty and personal hygiene products,
pet food, baby food, wipes, diapers, home goods, betting, bath towels, toys,
all this stuff, paper goods, school supplies. They've got that
mobile clinic, a luggage, and so much more. And again
the whole helping out part. They've helped to connect and
(23:47):
provide over one thousand volunteers with ways to get back
and be a part of helping people. And the need
is still here for the thousands impacted by the fires.
If you need help, if you can volunteer, if you
have items to donate, drew as a phone call or
a click away at lastrongfoundation dot org. And again, thank
(24:08):
you for what you continue to do for fire survivors
in need. We're still in need, still in need, all
these months later, so thank you for still being here
for everybody.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Just stay positive, like I'm telling you it's gonna if
it's gonna where I know it, like it's going to
work out, you know. While the fires have stopped burning physically.
The needs are burning greatly, and we the most important
thing is this cannot be forgotten. We have to keep
our operations going. We have to keep this story front
(24:40):
and center. We're gonna need volunteers, we're gonna need product,
we're gonna need the media to say this is far
from over. People are suffering financially, they're suffering emotionally, their
children there and we need to be sensitive to that
and long term oriented, not oh the next thing, something
else gonna pop up, but this is not going away.
(25:01):
And that's where we just need to keep this front
and center and keep people kind like, just keep building
them the kind community of LA. Let's just keep building it.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Amen to that, Amen to that Lastrongfoundation dot org. Drew Covin,
thank you
Speaker 2 (25:16):
So much, Thank you the best, Lise, I appreciate you
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