will.i.am Partners with Assemblymember Mark González to Provide Air Purifiers to Boyle Heights

LOS ANGELES, CA — In partnership with Honeywell and Helen of Troy, will.i.am and Assemblymember Mark González have distributed over 200 air purifiers to the Boyle Heights community.

Expanding their commitment to community resilience, will.i.am and his i.am Angel Foundation are providing a grant to the Estrada Courts Boys & Girls Club. The funding is dedicated to covering the costs of ongoing fire relief support for the Estrada Courts community in Boyle Heights.

will.i.am, Founder of the Black Eyed Peas, the i.am Angel Foundation, and Founder & CEO of FYI.AI, said “Residents in my Boyle Heights community have been severely impacted by the warehouse fire, including toxic smoke and now foul odors of rotting food that have blanketed the area. My deepest appreciation and thanks go out Helen of Troy for donating the Honeywell air purifiers to help people in my hometown breathe easier. Kudos to Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez for coordinating this community-wide relief effort – Boyle Heights Strong!”

Although the immediate warehouse fire has been successfully contained, the lingering environmental and operational impacts continue to disrupt the daily lives of the youth, families, and seniors served by the Estrada Courts Clubhouse. To mitigate these challenges, i.am Angel Foundation’s grant will directly fund expanded programming, extended Club hours, and additional transportation for relocated summer camp outings and educational field trips. These
adjustments ensure local youth can participate in enriching experiences in a safe environment, significantly reducing their prolonged exposure to the poor air quality affecting the Boyle Heights area.

Furthermore, the grant addresses the urgent needs of vulnerable older adults by providing hot meals, personal protective equipment (PPE), and community resource support. It also establishes dedicated transportation assistance for seniors living in the Estrada Courts community, ensuring they can safely travel to medical appointments, grocery stores, and other essential services while strictly limiting their time outdoors during the recovery period.

“When we first learned how severely the warehouse fire was impacting families in Boyle Heights, we knew we had to act quickly,” said Lilly Kam, Director of Programs at i.am Angel Foundation, “We’re grateful to have rallied incredible partners, including Honeywell and the Estrada Courts Boys and Girls Club, to provide resources to help our community safely recover. This effort is a reminder of how important strong community partnerships are in delivering rapid disaster relief when it’s needed most.”

“We were deeply moved to see the lengths to which the Boyle Heights community and volunteers have gone to address the ongoing air quality concerns for Boyle Heights residents, and we are grateful to be able to provide our support through a donation,” said Claudia Metcalf, VP of Marketing at Helen of Troy, “Helen of Troy is proud to donate 216 of our Honeywell PowerPlus HEPA Air Purifiers to support this vital community. This donation is a part of our ongoing commitment to help ensure cleaner air reaches the families and communities who need it most during these types of environmental crises.”

Through the generosity of L.A. Care, the offices of Assemblymember Mark González and Congressman Jimmy Gomez have provided over 1,000 air purifiers and thousands of masks to impacted residents and small businesses throughout the cities of Los Angeles, Montebello, and Commerce. Additionally, we have provided hundreds of air purifiers to local community organizations, like Proyecto Pastoral in Boyle Heights.

“I am deeply grateful to all the wonderful organizations that have stepped up and worked tirelessly to serve affected children, families, and seniors,” said Assemblymember González. “My continued partnership with will.i.am is a testament to the strong community bonds in Boyle Heights, ones that show up in times of celebration and in crisis.”

As response efforts continue, Assemblymember González will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure that the community has access to critical short and long-term resources.