Hundreds of people in and around Los Angeles are still picking up the pieces after devastating fires swept through the county in January. The wildfires erupted on January 7th, 2025, destroying communities in the Palisades and Eaton neighborhoods and elsewhere. Many people lost their homes, and dozens lost their lives. As these communities struggled with... The post Compass Group Volunteers Mobilize to Support Communities Devastated by LA Fires appeared first on Crothall Healthcare.
Hundreds of people in and around Los Angeles are still picking up the pieces after devastating fires swept through the county in January. The wildfires erupted on January 7th, 2025, destroying communities in the Palisades and Eaton neighborhoods and elsewhere. Many people lost their homes, and dozens lost their lives. As these communities struggled with the ongoing crisis, several of our teams stepped up to help by organizing donation drives, volunteering their time, and collecting items to give to those who need it most.
Ten sectors of Compass Group pitched in to help give back. Volunteers with Neighborhood Network 7, Morrison Healthcare, Crothall Healthcare, CCL Hospitality Group, Canteen, Levy, Wolfgang Puck, Fresh and Ready, Eurest, Flik, Bon Appetit, and Chartwells came together to sort over 40,000 pounds of produce at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to help those impacted by the devastating fires.
“I am incredibly proud of how our teams united to make a difference. Witnessing the devastation around us, we felt a deep responsibility to give back. Organizing this event was truly a labor of love, and seeing so many people eager to contribute was nothing short of inspiring. Thank you to everyone who made this possible,” said Joyce Kruesopon, Morrison Regional Vice President.
Andy Lansing, CEO of Levy, announced during the grand opening ceremony for Parkside Market, Levy’s newest dining destination at the Downtown Disney District, will donate their first month’s profits to the food bank as a gesture of gratitude to those on the frontlines fighting the fires.
Kathy Wyatt, Morrison Division President, arrived at the food bank with a car full of donations from friends, family, and neighbors, including food, water, toiletries, and $700 in cash to donate.
Janeth Zavala, Director of HR for Levy at Los Angeles Convention Center, emphasized their commitment to service. Her team helped by donating food for the volunteers at the Food Bank as they worked.
“When the fires started, we immediately reached out to all our team members to provide up-to-date guidance, resources, and, most importantly, emotional support. When Joyce Kruesopon reached out for the food bank event, I immediately recognized the opportunity to truly be of service by bringing customized lunch boxes that included specialty handcrafted sandwiches, freshly baked cookies, fresh fruits, and refreshments,” said Zavala.
Also, a special touch was added by Stephanie Lara, Levy HR Coordinator, by creating an inspirational message to each of the boxed lunches that reminded people that they are in the right place and right time, “surrounded by Compass Group brothers and sisters.”
Toni Jaime, Patient Experience Manager at Crothall, used the opportunity to volunteer as a way to celebrate her birthday. She said that there was no better way to celebrate than serving the community she grew up in.
Toni brought her teenage daughter to teach her the value of kindness, gratitude, and community service.
“Hope, purpose, and community are elements of a healthy life and work culture. When I received the email to come together with our amazing Compass One team, I didn’t hesitate. Chris Menseck, our RDO, happened to be in town for a visit and loved the idea. “We rounded up donations of canned goods, snacks, socks, diapers, and many other items. It was awesome!”
Rebecca Waits, Director of Dining Services for CCL Hospitality Group, said that the residents in her community were eager to give back. She asked for their help in collecting food donations and other items for the LA Food Bank, and she was surprised by the outpouring of support.
“In just 5 days, our Redwood Terrace residents, a few Redwood staff members, and Ivy & Jen from our CCL Hospitality Group team were able to fill a trunk full of canned/dry goods, cell phone chargers, diapers, water, undergarments, and personal hygiene items for our northern neighbors. I was so proud of our little community for their efforts. Thanks to Chris McCracken for volunteering to come pick up and deliver the donations all the way in LA,” said Waits.
Aber Lamproe, Customer Service Manager for Canteen located in Modesto, CA, sent two large boxes of supplies to the volunteers at the LA Food Bank.
Andrew Cosgrove, Director of Dining Services at the Kaiser Permanente Walnut Center, said that they were just minutes away from the tragic Altadena wildfire, but that didn’t stop them from giving back when the time came to help.
“Once it was safe for associates to return to work, we opened our account to feed hundreds of volunteers and affected families. For three weeks, my incredible staff and volunteers from other Morrison accounts worked long hours and weekends to ensure everyone was well-fed with warm meals, nutritious snacks, and clean bottled water. We served guests in our café, set up snacks, drinks, and even toys in the family and kids’ rooms, and stocked a first responders lounge for dedicated frontline workers.”
The Morrison Team at UCI Health Fountain Valley organized a sock drive.
They collected and donated more than 3,500 pairs of socks to SOCKS FOR HEROS. These socks will be gifted to firefighters on the frontlines battling these devastating fires.
The post Compass Group Volunteers Mobilize to Support Communities Devastated by LA Fires appeared first on Crothall Healthcare.
