A caring Community Closet opens to assist fire survivors
Welcoming environment offers free clothing and household goods to neighbors who’ve lost homes
By Judy Abel
Outside of Malibu, its reputation belies the real community of givers who live here and care for their neighbors in a time of need. Malibu has endured many tragic events over the decades and perhaps now with more frequency after the Woolsey and Franklin fires, and now the Palisades Fire, which has displaced hundreds of local families whose homes have burned.
However, a group of volunteers is working nearly around the clock to help fire survivors get back to a sense ofnormalcy by stocking and opening a Community Closet where those in need can shop gratis for clothing, bedding, and other needs.
Tracy Park, Catherine Malcolm Brickman, and Karin Al-Hardin are some of the many caring locals who have opened up the Community Closet. The pop-up is a boutique style center, “so you don’t go rummaging through a box, it’s set up like a store,” said Brickman, who explained the atmosphere is a shopping experience in a space that maintains “dignity, normalcy, and a place of quiet.”
Park and Brickman set up a Community Closet to assist Woolsey Fire survivors and this time brought aboard Al-Hardin, who’s “super organized,” and Zoe Shapiro, who ran the beloved children’s clothing store 98% Angel. The volunteers were generously given space to set up the free boutique, located at Compass Malibu at 24903 Pacific Coast Highway, that had suffered some damage during the Franklin Fire. Brickman and other volunteers spent hours mopping and scouring the offices to be cleared of any smoke or soot. Building owner Monty Ferdowsi even donated the garage for use in presorting of donations.
“That’s important, because what I’ve witnessed driving around to other donations centers is, you have to do this in the most efficient way, and that you don’t impact other retail shops,” Brickman said. “You have to have a place for donations to come in. You have to sort it because otherwise it feels like chaos.”
Al-Hardin of the Malibu Education Foundation is volunteering because so many Malibuites are affected. She secured donations from Lowe’s and Amazon, which are partly being used to build the sorting area. She’s rolled up her sleeves with other volunteers in making the shopping experience an oasis for those who have endured the hardship of losing everything they own.
The organizers of the Community Closet are striving for a calming, clean atmosphere with personal shoppers to assist you, and they’ve achieved their goal. The cheerful and supportive volunteers go out of their way to help shoppers who’ve just experienced the trauma of losing their homes, clothes, and belongings to procure the right size and items to fill their immediate needs of clothing and other necessary household items.
Along with some designer pieces, Community Closet was gifted with new clothing and bedding, plus 100 Squishmallow plush toys donated by Alison Victoria of HGTV. There are racks of new clothes from Jen Rossi of Jen’sPirate Booty; inventory from Sea N Soul and a coffee cart coming; and furnishings from Meredith Baer Home, Brooke McLaren from San Francisco, The Nines, and Love My Neighbour. There are men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, gently worn shoes, and toys. Most item are new with tags. Anyone affected by the recent fires can shop the closet for free with a FEMA number and ID.
The Community Closet is partnering with the Malibu Foundation, a fire recovery non-profit 501(c)3. “Their mission aligned with what we are doing because their community outreach is to serve the community, especially in a fire and environmental sustainability,” Brickman explained.
Shopping hours are Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment through April 1. On April 2, the remaining goods will be sold with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Malibu Foundation eventually to be used for counseling or as needed.
Organizers would also like to thank Capt. Jennifer Seetoo of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, who collected items, and Stephanie Rocco, Dana Rolland, and Dania Bahrami for making the Community Closet possible.
To make a tax-deductible donation, volunteer or donate items go to thecommunitycloset2025@Gmail.com or Instagram @the_community_closet
Malibu Foundation hosts Native Plant Hike
Intimate learning group hikes led by Malibu Foundation experts through the UCLA Stunt Ranch Reserve
By Emmanuel Luissi
Special to The Malibu Times
The Malibu Foundation hosted its Guided Native Plant Hike on Sunday, Aug. 4, leading an adventurous group through the heart of the Stunt Ranch Reserve in the Santa Monica Mountains.
The hike marked a return of guided hikes hosted by the Malibu Foundation.
The informative expedition was led by Malibu Foundation’s Native Plant Nursery Manager Lexi Davin and Urban Forest Manager Mallory Finley. They navigated an intimate-sized group through the biologically diverse UCLA-owned reserve, teaching the group about the California and Southern California native flora as well as highlighting the impact of invasives, non-native plants that disrupt the ecosystem of a natural area.
Davin and Finley spearheaded the efforts for the Malibu Foundation to host a guided hike to engage with the community and provide a fun opportunity to connect with nature and learn about the plant life throughout the Santa Monica Mountains.
“We plant these native plants, but how could we engage [with the community] and also give a full in-depth education on these native plants that are in the Santa Monica Mountains,” Davin said. “It was like a fun passion project that we wanted to do with the Malibu Foundation.”
Finley explained that more often the Malibu Foundation engages with the community and students through volunteer opportunities and said she was excited about the opportunity to meet community members and lead them on a fun hike.
“When volunteers plant native plants with us, it’s very much still in the preliminary stages of what a plant will look like and what it’s life cycle will be, so it’s very valuable to see and learn about how those plants are operating in a complex ecosystem once they’re grown up in real time,” Finley said.
Providing support on the hike was Assistant Director for Stunt Ranch Reserve and La Kretz Center David Blake. Sharing a wealth of knowledge of the ecosystem and experience of the reserve, he helped navigate the group through the 310-acre land. Blake helps maintain and monitor the reserve that is a part of the University of California Natural Reserve System, which consists of 41 natural reserves. The UC reserve system is the largest university reserve system in the world and is home to 2,100-plus native plants and sees 147,000 students and researchers every year.
“The whole area is devoted towards people to come learn more and to grow as a community in terms of understanding the Santa Monica Mountains and just conservation in general. The space is primarily used for creating understanding and research so it’s really great when the public comes to support that,” Blake explained.
The hike participants had to RSVP to be eligible for the experience, and the group was capped at just 10 participants in an effort to maintain an intimate-sized group that would foster purposeful education and meaningful discussion. Davin and Finley said the interest for the hike led to be “sold out” within an hour of announcement, with hopes for more hike opportunities to be announced in the near future.
The highly insightful hike led the group down to the Cold Creek watershed of the Malibu Creek, where the group was treated to a fun activity of native plant bingo and more information on invasives, how to avoid the spread of invasives, and what they could do to help support in the removing of invasives.
The event ended with a brunch hosted at the reserve research facility where participants of bingo were treated to prizes for whoever identified the most native plants throughout the hike.
Prizes included a copy of the highly informative “California Plants: A Guide to Our Iconic Flora” by Matt Ritter and California nature-inspired artwork from local artist Lesley Goren.
Kaia Jessum is a local student majoring in environmental science with hopes of working in the field and said the experience was very rewarding.
“I think it’s interesting, I know a little bit natural plants and invasives but to experience and learn about it this way is pretty cool,” Jessum said.
Davin and Finley hope to continue to represent the Malibu Foundation and support future guided hikes and engaging activities and hope the community can continue to shop interest in nature studies, understanding and conservation.
For more information on impactful work in your community or to subscribe for the newsletter and alerts for future events and volunteer opportunities, follow @malibufoundation on instagram or visit malibufoundation.org.
To learn more about Stunt Ranch reserve and the UC reserve system, follow @UCLA_stuntranchreserve on Instagram or visit stuntranch.ucnrs.org.
Malibu is a little town with a heart
Malibu Foundation’s Denise De Garmo celebrated for caring for her horses
By Barbara Burke
Special to The Malibu Times
It was torrentially pouring rain as it had been for many days when Malibu firefighters responded to a desperate call in January 2023. A very injured horse named Jane was in life-threatening peril in West Malibu.
“She was stuck within the panels of the stables,” her owner Denise DeGarmo tearfully recalled. “She was losing blood at a disastrous rate when they found her!”
Jane had slipped and fallen in the mud, severely injuring herself. She panicked and became seriously entangled in her stable’s panels, exacerbating her injuries.
Jane was alone and at risk of soon dying from her profuse bleeding. Someone finally came upon her and desperately called for help.
When they arrived, the firefighters did not have a harness or sling to transport Jane to the engine and evacuate her safely to a veterinary surgeon.
Equine veterinarian Dr. Katie Nenneker came to the rescue.
“Jane’s life-threatening scenario is an example of how our team came together in a coordinated effort with the local fire department to save an animal in dire need.” Nenneker said. “At Nenn Equine, we embody the mantra of ‘pride, passion and professionalism,’ and all of those qualities were on display as we came to help Jane that night — we were able to provide her with a calming sedative so that everyone could work safely around her to remove the panels that were severely traumatizing her leg. We stabilized her wounds and readied her for transport to the equine hospital.”
Then, lacking a proper harness or sling, firefighters had to quickly improvise.
“We lifted her with a tractor and slid hay bales under her, first brought her to sit sideways and then, we carefully brought Jane to her feet,” explained Jeff Harms, a Los Angeles County Fire Department battalion chief.
Then, it took several men to carefully carry her to the firetruck.
“The firemen are locals,” said Sherman Baylin, Malibu’s perennial go-to source for locals when their animals are in dire straits. “They truly care about our large animals and they saved Jane that day!”
Nenneker described Jane’s arduous course of treatment.
“Dr. Kent Sullivan of West Coast Equine Hospital performed multiple surgical procedures on Jane’s limb and he was very integral to her healing process,” Nenneker said. “The healing process was an incredible story involving a field rescue, multiple doctors, long hospital stays, and many rehabilitation treatments, culminating in a happy ending for Jane when she was able to leave the hospital and be reunited with her partner, Gidget.”
Transforming a tragedy into solutions
Jane had a very close call and evacuating her was tricky and challenging, the responding firemen recounted as they gathered, with a now-healed Jane, a stunningly gorgeous thoroughbred, a relieved and very determined DeGarmo, two Malibu City Councilmembers and two representatives from Supervisor Lindsay Horvath’s office.
They all assembled near the horse stables at Brian Boudreau’s Malibu Valley Stables on the afternoon of July 25.
The occasion — DeGarmo’s presentation of a large animal sling to the Los Angeles County Fire Department overseeing animal rescues in and near Malibu. The sling will be housed at the Point Dume fire station.
You see, after Jane got surgery and started her lengthy rehabilitation, DeGarmo did not just think, “Boy, did I and Jane get lucky! I’m so glad the firefighters found a workaround since they didn’t have a large animal sling!”
No! You see, DeGarmo’s one of those old time Malibu locals — the kind that get determined and don’t take no for an answer. The kind that will dedicate time and effort to find a “yes” answer. The kind that built Malibu.
Resolved that no other horse or other large animal injured and in need of transport in or near Malibu would face first responders without a proper harness, DeGarmo, in coordination with the Malibu Foundation for which she works, began seeking grants to help fund the purchase of a large animal harness.
The Malibu Foundation applied for — and received — a grant from the City of Malibu. The sling will be used for large animal emergencies of all types and can even be used in airlift rescues.
“Having this sling provides us with having every option on the table when we face an emergency and have to extract a large animal,” Assistant Chief Drew Smith of the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
“This is what Malibu is all about! We have horses who are also residents of Malibu.” said Malibu City Councilmember Steve Uhring, a member of the city’s Administrative Finance Committee that reviewed the grant application.
“Malibu has a $200,000 pool of money set aside for various causes,” Councilmember Bruce Silverstein explained. “We want to give grants that benefit the residents — this was a very easy decision for the council which easily approved the grant request.”
Horvath’s representative, Sophia Sudani, noted, “We have to be responsive to all of our constituents and be aware that areas near Malibu are horse country and we need to have all the tools available in animal rescue operations.”
The takeaway
This is not just a story about a horse that got really lucky, her loyal owner, some quick-thinking firefighters who saved her, and some very talented large animal doctors who operated on her and shepherded her through a long recovery.
No! Rather, this story also evinces that DeGarmo’s tireless efforts through the Malibu Foundation seeking a grant to purchase the large animal sling makes for a different and equally great story — a story about how grants available in the nonprofit sector can help supplement publicly funded organizations to ensure that residents — and their animals — can receive emergency services or can fill any of a myriad of needs that are not completely publicly funded.
Beautifully, it is a story of how a gorgeous horse named Jane and her indefatigable owner demonstrated that it’s really worth it to assiduously apply for grants — again and again — until funding is acquired.
“It’s great to tell a story that we’re a little town that can come together for this horse and our fire department,” DeGarmo said. “It just proves that Malibu is a city with a heart!”
Malibu Foundation plants first microforest at Santa Monica College
SMC, City of Santa Monica, and the Malibu Foundation collaborate on a project to restore nature in urban areas
In celebration of Earth Month, the Malibu Foundation, in collaboration with Santa Monica College (SMC) and the City of Santa Monica, a microforest was unveiled on SMC’s main campus. The microforest was the first one at a U.S. community college.
Microforests are densely planted, multilayered indigenous forests planted in small urban spaces, which act as self-sustaining ecosystems that reconnect fragmented habitat and restore biodiversity. The microforest will also provide research experience to SMC biology students.
This method of planting is being adopted all over the globe to restore nature in urban areas, where space is limited.
During the event, the Malibu Foundation also highlighted its Million Trees for Los Angeles County 2025 initiative, which addresses extreme heat, droughts, landslides, and the severe loss of biodiversity.
SMC Superintendent and President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery welcomed the crowd to the ceremony.
“Microforests not only reduce our reliance on water, but they also effectively tuck carbon away, while providing opportunities for biodiversity to flourish right in the heart of SMC’s main campus,” Jeffery said. “Projects like this showcase how, throughout its history, SMC has been an early adopter of sustainability measures. After all, we are in the business of education, which requires testing new methods to improve the world we are leaving for our students.”
Executive Director and co-founder of the Malibu Foundation Evelin Weber thanked her team at the foundation for helping bring this project to fruition.
“My team has been so forward-thinking and really pushing all of the operations, from talking to communities to cities and organizations and really pushing forth the message that these plants will actually improve fire diversity,” Weber said.
California State Senator Ben Allen also attended and shared a few words about the project at the ceremony.
“It’s all about getting more native plants and recapturing the magic of California’s native landscapes, and our land is made for these beautiful landscapes,” Allen said. “This is a part of an effort to recapture our own local environment, and it’s going to help educate the next generation of students coming here.”
Allen also shared his appreciation for the collaborative efforts between organizations and acknowledged the native land.
“I’m certainly hopeful that a part of this project there will be a strong coordination with native peoples. I know it’s important to the Malibu Campus [Santa Monica-Malibu Campus] as well,” Allen said.
SMC’s Director of Sustainability Ferris Kawar said the microforest can have a “mighty big” impact in fighting climate change and supporting biodiversity and says he hopes it inspires others to turn underutilized small spaces into microforests.
Benefits of microforests — in a small footprint — include:
Building soil,
Capturing stormwater
Mitigating heat,
Providing native habitats,
Improving biodiversity,
Sequestering carbon 2.5 x faster
The SMC microforest will only take up around 300 square feet, but that space will become a biodiverse habitat for the pollinating insects, birds, and small animals that are so vital to our environment.
Plants chosen are native to the region, supporting the local environment rather than invading it, and they are also edible and medicinal. And as the forest’s ecosystem becomes self-sustaining, its plants will need very little water.
These woodlands are low maintenance as well. Once the plants are up and healthy, the forest thrives on its own as an example of nature in action. As the bugs and worms feed, and bacteria breaks material down, more soil is made to feed growth.
Speakers also shared the benefit students will take from the microforest, such as education, research, and experience. Students will evaluate the microforest’s plant growth, examine how microbes feed and develop its soil, and study the insects and animals it attracts.
The Malibu Foundation has held numerous events in Malibu such as volunteer opportunities, fundraiser events, and emergency response workshops with the City of Malibu.
The organization also held another microforest planting event on Saturday, April 27, down the street from the SMC campus on Olympic Boulevard.
“We’re so proud to close out Earth Month 2024 by installing the United States’ first street median microforest!” Malibu Foundation shared on Instagram.
Malibu Foundation restores indigenous biodiversity one microforest at a time
The project’s goal: “Replant love” to increase biodiversity and cooperation and competition between plant
By Barbara Burke
Special to The Malibu Times
They gathered on the early morning of Nov. 5 at Juan Bautista De Anza Park in Calabasas adjacent to the Las Virgenes trail, armed with shovels, mulch, and native seeds collected and propagated in Malibu Foundation’s nursery.
“I think it’s a really good experience that helps the environment,” Volunteer Jude Potenza, 8, said. “You think you’re just helping a little, but I realize that I’m helping to change the whole world!”
The project’s goal: to “replant love” by installing a microforest mimicking nature, thereby increasing biodiversity and cooperation and competition between plants. Such microforests also bolster plants’ survivability by encouraging less dependence on water, thereby significantly reducing the temperature in the area where they are planted, a welcomed, beneficial side effect in our warming world.
The De Anza microforest, the first in the Santa Monica Mountains, is composed of densely planted, hyper-local native plants in a multi-layered small forest that acts as a self-sustaining ecosystem that reconnects back to nature. The concept of planting microforests is based on botanist Akira Miyawaki’s method of afforestation which involves very densely planting local, indigenous, and regionally adapted shrubs and trees, while ensuring that no two plants of the same height are side by side, which allows for maximum growth and fosters natural vegetation restoration. The planting technique not only provides shade, but also cleanses carbon-based greenhouse gases from the air.
Microforests provide many benefits, including native insects and animals returning to the microforest, which supports soil health and creates a thick forest quickly.
Los Angeles County’s first microforest in Griffith Park is a huge success and became self-sustaining in the two years since its planting. The county’s two microforests will provide a seed bank, which will ultimately enable more microforests to be planted.