Over 10,000 families. One disaster. And the tech-driven response that changed everything.

In this episode, Dana Yaari talks to Christoph Gorder from Airbnb.org and Maribel Marin from 211 LA to discuss their partnership during the 2025 LA wildfires. Together, they navigated chaos, coordinated across teams, and faced overwhelming demand, all while under immense pressure.

Christoph and Maribel share the challenges they encountered, how they stayed organized during the crisis, and why trust was essential to their response. You’ll hear how their collaboration helped deliver housing to evacuees and scale operations to shelter more than 10,000 families.

You’ll learn:

• The power of rapid coordination between tech and nonprofit organizations
• Overcoming logistical challenges when responding to large-scale crises
• The human aspect behind tech-driven disaster responses

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Welcome to Digital Humanitarian, Christoph Gorder & Maribel Marin

(01:31) How the LA wildfires happened

(04:00) Quick coordination in disaster relief

(06:07) Airbnb.org’s role in the LA fires

(08:24) Giving evacuees housing choices

(10:01) Housing challenges with pets and families

(12:57) Identifying victims who are most vulnerable

(16:00) Collaboration between Airbnb.org and 211 LA

(18:49) Logistical hurdles of matching housing needs

(21:09) Trust and transparency in partnerships

(23:29) Keeping up with the demand surge

(25:59) Data collection for long-term support

(28:29) Looking ahead: Housing solutions beyond LA

Resources:

• Connect with Christoph
• Learn more about Airbnb.org
• Connect with Maribel
• Learn more about 211 LA
• Connect with Dana
• Learn more about mondayERT