Freeman, Taylor helping raise funds for wildfire relief efforts
Sonja Chen
@sonjamchenAs devastating wildfires have raged through Los Angeles this past week, several Dodgers have contributed to relief efforts as the city continues to fight to contain the blazes.
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Freddie Freeman and his wife, Chelsea, are making three donations of $100,000 -- totalling $300,000 -- to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the Pasadena Fire Department and the Salvation Army.
Chelsea Freeman also shared in an Instagram story that she was matching donations to Pasadena Humane, which has been giving care to pets lost or abandoned in the fires.
Chris Taylor and his wife, Mary, began a fundraiser through their CT3 Foundation that also supports the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. They are matching donations up to $5,000.
Additionally, the Dodgers and other Los Angeles teams are partnering with Fanatics to support wildfire relief. Proceeds from the "LA Strong" merchandise will be donated directly to the American Red Cross and the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.
The wildfires began Tuesday in Los Angeles, where high winds and a dry winter were among the conditions that created an environment that made it easier for fire to spread throughout the greater region. L.A. firefighters were still working to contain blazes in Pacific Palisades, Altadena/Pasadena, West Hills, Sylmar, Acton and Granada Hills as of Friday afternoon.
According to the L.A. Times, these wildfires are likely to go down as one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, with economic losses projected to total tens of billions of dollars.
The Dodgers released a statement on social media on Friday: "The players, front office and staff of the Dodgers are absolutely heartbroken over the devastation of the fires in and around Los Angeles. We are working closely with community partners and impacted areas and look forward to announcing more about our immediate efforts and our ongoing work in the coming days. We are grateful to all first responders who have been on the front lines of this tragedy, and we grieve with the thousands of families who have lost their homes and possessions, including those within the Dodgers organization."