EAST MEADOW, Long Island (WABC) -- From near and far, Long Island is coming together to help the lives of complete strangers in the wake of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, pitching in with animal rescues and crucial donations.
"So, here we are. We've been doing door-to-door searches here at the request of property owners to look for their animals," said Paws of War Nesconset Director of Animal Welfare and Logistics Niki Dawson.
Dawson touched down near the devastating Palisades wildfires on Monday.
Two days later, she helped reunite a cat named Ziggy with her 80-year-old owner.
"She's so incredibly grateful. It was just something that we needed to keep doing, this heartbreaking work," Dawson said. "Having that success story was really meaningful to us."
Back on Long Island, businesses like Hitch Boutique in Babylon are banding together to pitch in.
"We're taking brand new donations because sadly we don't have enough time to look through any of the used items, but we are taking toiletries, chargers, batteries, everything," said Hitch & Bestea employee Julia Domagala.
"I feel like it's really important to come together as a community and actually give back," said Vasia Bachas, who gave donations.
The boutique has collected so many items that it's literally filling up its store front window, which is why much of it is being sent to storage in a nearby church.
Reverend Brad Morgan showed Eyewitness News their gym inside of First Presbyterian Church of Babylon.
"We already have been receiving items," Morgan said. "We have already been receiving materials. We're going to be here stockpiling whatever we can to send out to help with the logistics."
Further west in Nassau County in East Meadow, there's wishing well in Stew Leonards' two grocery stores on Long Island, and cash resister bill round ups to donate to the American Red Cross' California Wildfire Relief Fund.
"The Stew Leonard family actually has family out in California," said Stew Leonard Vice President Joe Vota. "And we see the devastation and we just wanted to do our part of it and partner with American Red Cross and our goal is to raise between 50 and 100,000 over our eight stores."
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