Once you are done surviving, you then have to start living. This, I think, is what makes recovery, any recovery, so challenging.
I live in a place that has a season of fires. As the weather warms, we look to mountains that still have a dusting of snow and hope there is enough to keep the flames at bay. We have an evacuation location where we keep important documents and, for much of the year, an emergency bag packed in the entryway closet—just in case.
This is the reality for many in our industry who live in California. We are a mecca of fresh food, of sunshine, of beaches, of temperate days. Except when we are on fire.
It is a rising concern for all. But, for many just 40 miles north of me, January 2025 made it a terrifying reality. Yet landscapes turned to ash make way for stronger seeds to take root. In the case of Westfalia Fruit North America, the fires that heralded 2025 gave rise to the Tree of Gratitude.
“The Tree of Gratitude stands for everyone who shows up when it matters most—firefighters, community members, business owners, our friends in produce, and more—who came together in those early days with courage and compassion,” Raina Nelson, President of Westfalia Fruit North America, shared. “It also honors the quiet heroes who continue the work long after the flames are gone—the ones rebuilding, sustaining, and showing up day after day to help their neighbors heal. Their resilience is the root of this movement, and a reminder that true recovery takes time, heart, and all of us.”
In the middle of it all was Westfalia, a company that calls the very area home that many watched burn in horror. Amid surviving, a turning point galvanized Raina and her team into action.
“Raina recognized a clear and urgent need—first responders and community members affected by the Los Angeles fires didn’t just need food; they needed fresh, nourishing produce. She mobilized our team at Westfalia Fruit, our Topanga community leader Marissa Maples, and our dear friends in produce immediately, leaning on deep industry relationships and our core belief that fresh fruit can be a form of healing,” Christina Ward, Director of Marketing and Product Brands, told me, giving a particular shoutout to industry maven Jill Overdorf, Founder and President of The Produce Ambassador. “Food Forward was our first call and an incredible partner. Our first delivery was made to the Will Rogers Staging Station on January 15, 2025, and from there, we continued to activate drop points and establish partnerships.”
Those early handheld boxes were simple but powerful, with citrus, mangos, berries, and packets of yellow mustard. A fun, random fact that Christina imparted to me: yellow mustard is helpful for relieving muscle cramps, so Westfalia added this in initial deliveries to first responders.
“The feedback was immediate and deeply moving. People shared that it was the first moment of normalcy they’d had in days,” she reflected.
Marissa Maples, Chief of Staff for Westfalia, took me back to those early moves.
“We mobilized an increased influx of fresh produce to support the distribution site, but it quickly became clear that limited refrigeration was a barrier to sustaining the effort,” she remembered. “Within days, Golden Eagle Trucking delivered a refrigerated trailer to the Pasadena Job Center—and it’s been there ever since. That trailer became a lifeline, repeatedly filled with fruits, vegetables, and cold water for the volunteers and families most impacted by the Eaton Fire.”
Marissa added, “We wanted to make a difference by supporting the efforts of organizers already engaged with the community. National Day Laborer Organizing Network does incredible work every single day and was immediately at the forefront of the recovery efforts. It has been an honor to partner with them.”
Not only is recovery its own battle, but it is one waged after the attention and—often—aid have moved on. There is only so much a public on the outside can take of an experience that is not theirs. Understandable as this is, it does not alleviate the vacuum of recovery.
“As the fires were extinguished and communities began searching for a new sense of normalcy, it became clear our work had only just begun,” Raina pointed out. “Recognizing the passion and positive impact of the individuals already embedded in the recovery efforts, we sought strong, purpose-driven partners. When we saw the scale and heart behind NDLON’s distribution at the Pasadena Job Center—where more than 12,000 volunteers have supported over 45,000 people affected by the Eaton Fire—we knew we wanted to be part of that momentum. Marissa was instrumental in making these lasting partnerships happen.”
“Their resilience is the root of this movement, and a reminder that true recovery takes time, heart, and all of us.”
- Raina Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Westfalia Fruit North America
It cannot be emphasized enough the power these actions have as families are working to find each other, pets, places to sleep, and (for many) more than a day’s worth of supplies, which could include everything from clothing to food. Life is distilled to its most basic needs, yet the wheels of our industry kept turning so smoothly many had no idea several of our own were also in this position. Even Raina herself.
“What moved me most was learning that Raina had been evacuated from her own home on the very first day of the fires—she was displaced for weeks,” shared Christina. “Yet, in the middle of her personal uncertainty, all she could think about was the safety of our team, the health of our communities, and how we could give back. Even while navigating so much behind the scenes, she never lost focus on keeping our avocado world turning. Her leadership is the embodiment of our purpose to do good.”
That purpose, Raina pointed out, continues to guide her and her team beyond recovery and into rising up.
“Gratitude is the first step,” she said. “The Tree of Gratitude is putting down deeper roots and spreading out farther. The refrigerated trailer was our initial way of showing gratitude. We’re also planning a heartfelt thank-you event for our partners and first responders, which we are excited to execute soon. It’s more than just a celebration; it’s a reflection of the connections that were formed through the crisis. For our team, it symbolizes commitment. For the community, it’s a tribute to strength and solidarity. It’s also a chance to pause and recognize the many hands that made this work possible.”
None of this, Raina emphasized, would have been possible without collaboration. From Food Forward and NDLON to the Pasadena Job Center, a network came together quickly and without hesitation.
“The feedback was immediate and deeply moving. People shared that it was the first moment of normalcy they’d had in days.”
- Christina Ward, Director of Marketing and Product Brands, Westfalia Fruit North America
“This truly is a celebration of the ecosystem that came together to pull this off,” added Raina. “David Sherrod at Southeast Produce Council and Mike Casazza, Sr. at FreshSource made the refrigerated trailer and expansion of clean energy to the frontlines possible. RMNG Hunger also shared our passion for getting nourishing fuel to the athletes of the front lines. The list goes on.”
Not only does the list of support continue, the range in which it serves the community does as well.
“Golden Eagle Trucking’s donation of a refrigerated trailer was a game-changer. Volunteers—over 12,000 of them—stepped up to support brigade work, sorting, distribution, and donations. It was a true community effort, powered by purpose. In the earlier days of the fires, we also donated fresh avocados to restaurants, including Lola’s Mexican Cuisine in Bixby Knolls. They have partnered with the World Central Kitchen for years, and we were honored to be able to support their teams with Westfalia Fruit avocados, naturally, but also Peelz® Mandarins,” Christina recounted. “Many thanks go to Maile Devers for bringing this donation to life.”
The most important lesson, the team concurred, is one Maya Angelou said best: Do the best you can until you know better. Then, do better.
“Food is medicine. Fresh produce is healing. Our industry can meet basic needs and elevate the human experience. That’s our focus today and always,” Christina stated.
This experience showed us the power of fast, purposeful action—but also the need for systems that allow us, as an industry and the communities we call home, to respond even better in the future.
To everyone in Westfalia Fruit’s wide-reaching web who showed us how, I sit in awe and in gratitude. Here is to you, known and unknown, who demonstrate what it means to be not just champions, but warriors. 
