The Undergraduate Students Association Council Community Service Commission held a two-day event offering aid to people experiencing homelessness and those displaced by fires Jan. 21 and Jan. 25.

While the event was initially meant to raise awareness for those experiencing homelessness, the commission changed its approach after wildfires across Los Angeles County left people displaced, said Natalia Castillo, the commission’s internal programs director. The event focused on advocacy for people experiencing homelessness and also featured a live performance, information booths and care package creation.

Lucia Cleveland, a third-year psychology student who volunteered at the event, said the event helped to unite the UCLA community.

“Everyone’s been trying to figure out ways they can volunteer and show up if they have the capacity,” Cleveland said.

Members of various clubs volunteered to operate booths across the plaza, which featured mental health services, fire and storm displacement relief, and sign-ups for other volunteer opportunities.

Laura Harwood, the deputy chief programs officer at the Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, a nonprofit that aims to eradicate poverty, said in a speech during the event’s second day that a lack of resources made it difficult for her when she was experiencing homelessness.

Harwood added in the speech that regardless of the reason why somebody is experiencing homelessness, they should have access to resources to help them.

“There’s all types of people that are experiencing this, whether it’s fire, whether they’re just being homeless or whatever others you may have that need help,” she said.

Isabella Marasco, a third-year political science student, said Harwood’s speech made her more enthusiastic about volunteering. She added that it is important that the community continue to support those impacted by the fires and general homelessness.

“Her message was about helping other people and just being aware of the situations other people might be dealing with that you’re not fully conscious of,” Marasco said.

Volunteers then went to locations across LA County, including Skid Row, according to an Instagram post from the commission.

Sites on UCLA’s campus focused on creating and distributing care packages with toiletries for the homeless community, according to the Instagram post. Another site also gave out care packages to those in need near the West LA Veterans Affairs Center and in Sawtelle.

Locations in Koreatown and downtown LA focused on relief for those impacted by the fires, according to the post. The Koreatown location sorted through clothes and loaded trucks with care packages.

The downtown LA operation also sorted through donations and distributed resources, according to the post.

Maya Gheewala, the commission’s coalition director, said it is important for the community to show support any way it can, particularly after local disasters.

“Now, more than ever, there’s a sense of responsibility to give back and to use our education and resources to conserve those around us,” said Gheewala, a second-year public affairs and statistics and data science student.