LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) has diverted 8,000 pounds of wood waste from a recent corporate event to support families rebuilding after the devastating 2025 wildfire in Altadena, a residential area 14 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
What could have become four tons of landfill waste instead was donated to the ANE Foundation, a local crisis care organization that distributes essential goods to vulnerable communities. The wood, originally used for exhibit booths at a convention and trade show recently held at LACC, will now help residents affected by the Eaton fire, which destroyed more than 9,000 buildings in January 2025.
Four tons of wood is approximately 60% more than the average event at the convention center generates, making reuse a priority, according to Enjoli Ferrari, LACC senior sustainability manager. “With such a significant amount of excess wood, we should explore opportunities to donate these materials so they can be repurposed and benefit the community,” Ferrari says.
As sustainability manager, Ferrari is tasked with diverting 75% of the convention center’s waste from landfills each year. “I simply want to ensure that if we must send waste to landfills, it’s the smallest amount possible,” she adds.
After contacting the ANE Foundation, the donation was arranged.
“It has been a godsend to show people that the convention center cares,” says Adrienne Nicole Edwards, founder of the ANE Foundation. The organization collects donated goods, including food, toiletries, and clothing, and coordinates distribution to groups with immediate needs. In this case, the lumber will be used to erect temporary walls and fences along property lines and to cover exposed pipes as homeowners begin to rebuild.
“The donation highlights how collaboration between event organizers, venues, and local nonprofits can turn waste into meaningful community support—proving that sustainability efforts can extend far beyond environmental impact to helping people rebuild their lives,” Ferrari says.
