Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle has extended her support to teenage girls affected by the devastating Los Angeles fires, volunteering her time and resources at a relief center in Altadena, California.
On Monday, the 43-year-old visited Altadena Girls, a grassroots organization founded by Avery, an eighth-grade student whose school was destroyed in the Eaton Fire.
The group was launched last week and has been collecting clothing, hair and beauty products, as well as other essentials to help young girls rebuild their confidence after losing everything.
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Markle decided to play a part in it and was revealed after fans spotted her in a video posted Wednesday on Altadena Girls’ Instagram account.
In the video, she is seen arriving at the center with large bags of donations and speaking with a volunteer managing the inflow of items.
She chose to dress casually in a black T-shirt, a camel-colored sweater draped over her shoulders, and a black “LA” baseball cap. “Thank you to everyone who showed up on Monday, which was such a special day! We love you!” the group captioned the post.
The duchess’s appearance was met with loads of praise online, with fans delighted to see her reach out to those affected by the fires. “I can support my princess being her kind self,” one fan commented. “This is just amazing, and seeing the community come together will only strengthen the city,” another wrote.
According to The Post, Markle’s donations were made through the Archewell Foundation, the charitable organization she runs with Prince Harry.
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The donations included new clothing and beauty products, with Markle also bringing lunch for the volunteers as she stayed to assist.
During her time at the center, she interacted with teen fire victims as they selected items from the donations.
She went on to offer words of encouragement and support to the victims as well as those present, believing the storm will soon pass.
Altadena Girls focuses on addressing the unique needs of teenage girls affected by disasters. Avery launched the initiative to provide items that will help her peers feel confident again.
“Although donations to our community have been amazing, they are mostly food, water, and household items—which are necessary, but not specific to my friends’ and schoolmates’ needs,” Avery wrote in an Instagram post.
“I’m focusing on items that will help my friends feel confident and like themselves again! Clothes, personal items, beauty, and hair care—stuff WE need,” she continued.
Avery also emphasized how crucial mental health is in disaster recovery: “When disaster strikes, people only focus on basic survival needs. But for teenage girls who have lost everything, feeling like ourselves again is also really important.”
This is not the first time Meghan and Prince Harry have contributed to wildfire relief efforts.
Last week, the couple donated clothing, children’s toys, and other personal items to help recovery efforts. Through the Archewell Foundation, they have also provided financial support to help rebuild affected communities.
On Friday, Meghan and Harry were seen in Pasadena, where they toured fire-damaged areas, met with first responders, and spoke with state and local officials about recovery efforts.
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