# Tangram Interiors Steps Up to Support Communities Impacted by LA Wildfires
When wildfires devastated Los Angeles communities, leaving students without classrooms and families without homes, Tangram Interiors responded with immediate action. The commercial furniture dealer mobilized resources across all locations to provide both practical support and hope during an unprecedented crisis.
## Creating Classrooms from Crisis
The recent LA wildfires didn't just destroy buildings—they disrupted the education of hundreds of students. Aveson Charter School bore the full brunt of this destruction, losing their entire campus along with the homes of 60 families, 13 teachers, and the school's executive director.
Recognizing the urgent need to restore educational continuity, Tangram partnered with Aveson Charter School to establish a temporary learning environment. The company donated over 100 pieces of furniture from their warehouse inventory, including Steelcase Node chairs and other essential classroom furnishings. This contribution enabled more than 200 displaced students to return to a structured learning environment while their community rebuilds.
**"Community is at the heart of everything we do at Tangram,"** said Wendy Meador-Kunert, Business Intelligence Manager and one of the initiative's organizers. **"Knowing that our contributions could make a difference in the lives of these students is deeply rewarding. Seeing their temporary site come to life has been a proud moment for our team."**
## Company-Wide Relief Efforts
The furniture donation was just one component of Tangram's comprehensive response. Employees across all office locations—Santa Fe Springs, Newport, Central Valley, and Dallas—organized collection drives to gather essential supplies for fire victims.
These grassroots efforts resulted in substantial donations delivered to two respected local organizations:
- **Pasadena/Sierra Madre YMCA** - Supporting displaced families with immediate necessities - **Sierra Madre Animal Hospital** - Ensuring pets affected by the disaster receive proper care
The multi-location approach demonstrates how distributed teams can unite for community impact, even when crisis strikes far from some offices.
## The Business Case for Community Engagement
For commercial design professionals, Tangram's response offers valuable insights into corporate social responsibility during crisis situations. The company's approach showcases several strategic elements:
**Immediate Resource Deployment**: Rather than lengthy approval processes, Tangram quickly identified available inventory that could serve emergency needs.
**Strategic Partnerships**: Working with established community organizations like Aveson Charter School ensured donations reached legitimate recipients efficiently.
**Employee Engagement**: The company-wide collection drive fostered team unity while multiplying impact beyond corporate resources alone.
**Local Connection**: With many employees living in affected areas, the response felt personal rather than performative.
## Lessons for the Industry
This initiative highlights how commercial furniture dealers can maintain community connections beyond typical client relationships. Having warehouse inventory available for emergency deployment, established relationships with local organizations, and engaged employees across multiple locations creates a framework for meaningful crisis response.
**"I'm proud to be a part of such a generous organization,"** noted Nick Meter, Tangram President. **"Many of our employees live in LA, and almost everyone knows someone who lost their home due to the fires. Our heart goes out to our community and all those affected."**
As climate events become more frequent and severe, the commercial design industry may find increasing opportunities—and responsibilities—to support community resilience. Tangram's approach demonstrates that furniture dealers possess unique resources and positioning to make tangible differences during local emergencies.
The temporary classrooms at Aveson Charter School represent more than furnished spaces—they embody the restoration of normalcy for students whose worlds were upended. In an industry focused on creating functional environments, few projects deliver more immediate and meaningful impact than helping a community rebuild its foundation for learning.
