(L-R) Khanh Russo and Michael Ocon (Photo – pasadenacf)
The Pasadena Community Foundation announced today a $1 million grant to the Eaton Fire Collaborative Long-Term Recovery Group, providing a major boost to ongoing efforts to help survivors of the devastating Eaton Fire rebuild their lives and communities.
By News Desk
The grant will be divided equally between direct assistance for fire survivors and strengthening the infrastructure needed to coordinate long-term recovery efforts. Half of the funding — $500,000 — will support survivors through the Unmet Needs Table, a collaborative program that connects individuals and families with financial assistance and recovery resources. The remaining $500,000 will enhance the Long-Term Recovery Group’s capacity to coordinate services, mobilize resources, and support survivors throughout the rebuilding process.
The Eaton Fire Collaborative Long-Term Recovery Group serves as a central hub for recovery efforts, bringing together nonprofits, faith-based organizations, government agencies, community groups, and businesses. The coalition helps fire survivors navigate complex recovery challenges, including accessing financial assistance, securing essential home repairs, and rebuilding damaged properties.
A key component of those efforts is the Unmet Needs Table, which convenes funders and service providers to review cases referred by disaster case managers. The group identifies gaps in available assistance and works to connect survivors with resources tailored to their specific needs. Organizers say the Unmet Needs Table already has a pipeline of referred individuals and is expected to begin reviewing cases in the near future.
Foundation leaders described the grant as a critical step in accelerating recovery efforts following one of the most destructive wildfires in California history.
“The Unmet Needs Table offers both hope and tangible assistance, helping survivors regain a sense of stability and move forward with confidence as they rebuild their lives,” the foundation said in its announcement.
The Pasadena Community Foundation emphasized that while the grant will help launch and sustain key recovery programs, the scale of the disaster requires broad community support and continued investment from multiple organizations.
The foundation highlighted partnerships with the American Red Cross, California Community Foundation, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, and other organizations that have already contributed to recovery efforts. Officials are encouraging additional funders and partners to join the initiative to expand assistance available to survivors.
The need remains substantial more than a year after the fire. Rebuilding costs across affected communities are estimated to reach into the tens of billions of dollars.
According to an April 2026 survey conducted by Department of Angels, two-thirds of residents who were living in Altadena when the Eaton Fire occurred remain displaced from their homes. The survey also found that nearly half of survivors have depleted significant portions of their savings, while more than four in 10 have taken on debt to cope with recovery-related expenses.
Recovery leaders say those figures underscore the importance of sustained, coordinated support in the years ahead.
The Eaton Fire Collaborative Long-Term Recovery Group and its Unmet Needs Table are expected to play a central role in helping survivors secure assistance, address remaining recovery gaps, and rebuild stronger communities over the long term.
Fire survivors seeking assistance and community members interested in learning more about recovery efforts can find information through the Eaton Fire Collaborative.
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