Actor Steve Carell is stepping up to help the kids of Los Angeles following the wildfires that leveled entire sections of the city in January.
But he's not just giving money to the Red Cross or any of the usual go-to gestures, he's poured money into an effort that might not occur to most of us—sending kids to prom.
It may seem frivolous, but being able to feel a sense of normalcy among tragedy is known to be healing for those dealing with the aftermath.
Accordingly, Carell teamed up with the charity Alice's Kids to pay for prom tickets for every senior at six high schools impacted by the LA wildfires.
Carell announced the initiative in an Instagram video last week.
Of course, being Steve Carell, he made the announcement with his trademark deadpan humor. In the video, he said:
"Attention all seniors. This is Steve Carell with a very special announcement."
"Alice's Kids wanted me to let you know that they will be paying for all of your prom tickets."
He then added that anyone who had already purchased prom tickets would be reimbursed by the charity.
He then went on to joke:
"It's a pretty good deal. Have fun, enjoy the prom and remember, this is Steve Carell."
The schools being treated to the free tickets are in Altadena and Pasadena, which were both severely impacted by the giant Eaton Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains.
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Much of Altadena in particular, a historic Black community, was leveled in a way similar to the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles, with entire neighborhoods burned to the ground.
Alice's Kids, which is based in Virginia, specializes in helping kids in need with activities like field trips, summer camps, instrument rentals and other enrichment-type activities that can be unaffordable for many students.
People on social media were deeply moved by Carell's act of goodwill.
The Alice's Kids partnership will help students at six high schools in the Altadena and Pasadena area, including Aveson Schools, Blair High School, John Muir High School, Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, Pasadena High School and Rose City High School.
The Eaton Fire burned more than 14,000 acres, which included more than 4,000 homes in Altadena and Pasadena. It is the second most destructive wildfire in California history, after the 2018 Camp Fire that infamously destroyed the entire town of Paradise.
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