The Fireweed Foundation was born from a critical gap identified during the 2025 Typhoon Halong disaster in Western Alaska. When over 1,650 survivors were evacuated to Anchorage, founders Kim and Adam Hays, being the kind of Alaskans who always want to find a way to help, reached out to Alaska Native community leaders and offered to help coordinate a massive donation drive, involving over 100 volunteers.

Working alongside organizations like Team Rubicon, the Red Cross, and tribal leaders, the Hays family recognized that donated items often did not match the evacuees' most urgent needs. They developed a unique, agile model: collecting private donations and rapidly routing funds to procure the exact items needed. This approach addressed critical gaps faster than many other organizations, earning encouragement from partner agencies to pursue a more sustainable and organized model before the next disaster.

Alaska sees an average of 2-4 major disasters or declared emergencies annually, and as a result Alaskans have adapted to a culture of resilience and helping each other in times of need.  This foundation is not a novel concept, but rather a much more efficient way for Alaskans to support each other like we have done for decades.  Like the Fireweed plant that is the first to bloom after a devastating Alaskan wildfire, The Fireweed Foundation is designed to move quickly, plant a seed, and begin regrowing the entire ecosystem of relief and recovery.