Dear Friends,

Eighteen months ago, Los Angeles County experienced one of the most devastating disasters in our region’s history.

The Eaton and Palisades fires changed lives in an instant. Families lost homes that had sheltered generations. Small businesses disappeared. Neighborhoods that represented the heart of our communities were forever altered. For many Angelenos, the trauma of those days remains as vivid now as it was in January 2025.

In the aftermath of the fires, people from across California, across the nation and around the world came together with an overwhelming message: You are not alone.

Through your generosity, the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund became one of the largest philanthropic responses to the destruction that forever changed communities across Los Angeles County. Nearly 50,000 donors contributed more than $100 million to support survivors on the long road to recovery ahead. In the first weeks after the fires, your support allowed us to move quickly, directing critical resources to trusted nonprofit partners serving those most in need.

Today, as we mark this 18-month milestone, we reflect on both how far we have come and how much work remains.

Recovery from a disaster of this magnitude is measured not in months, but in years. While debris has been cleared and rebuilding has begun, many families remain displaced. Many are navigating insurance disputes, rising construction costs and difficult financial decisions. Seniors, renters, working families and historically underserved communities continue to face significant barriers to returning home and rebuilding their lives.

Eighteen months later, the reality of recovery remains sobering.

A survey from our partner, the Department of Angels, has found a continued picture of recovery that is slower, more complicated and more unequal than many anticipated. The Community Voices: LA Fire Recovery Report survey, which has now reached more than 8,000 fire survivors across Los Angeles County, has become one of the most comprehensive efforts to understand what families are experiencing long after the headlines faded.

The findings are a reminder that recovery cannot be measured solely by permits issued or homes under construction. More than a year after the fires, seven in 10 survivors still had not returned home. Nearly half reported depleting a significant portion of their savings, while many have taken on debt simply to remain housed. For lower-income families, seniors and communities of color, the burdens have been especially severe. Many survivors are confronting difficult choices about housing, finances and whether they can ultimately return to the communities they call home.

The survey also reveals a growing concern that many families are approaching the limits of their temporary housing assistance before they have been able to rebuild. As insurance benefits expire and rebuilding costs continue to rise, survivors face mounting uncertainty about what comes next. The risk is not only that homes are lost, but that longstanding communities are permanently altered if residents can no longer afford to stay.

Perhaps most troubling are the findings related to mental health. More than eight in 10 survivors report that their mental health is worse today than it was before the fires. The trauma did not end when the flames were extinguished. For many families, the stress of navigating insurance claims, securing housing, replacing what was lost and planning for an uncertain future has become its own ongoing crisis.

These findings reinforce an important lesson: disaster recovery is not a linear process. There are moments of hope and visible progress, but there are also setbacks, frustrations and difficult decisions.

This is why CCF remains committed to the long haul. The generosity of our donors has enabled us to respond quickly, but our responsibility does not end when emergency relief concludes. We know that rebuilding a home can take years. Rebuilding a community takes even longer.

As we mark this 18-month anniversary, we do so with gratitude for your partnership and with a clear-eyed understanding of the challenges that remain ahead.

The need remains urgent, and the next phase of recovery will require all of us. We invite you to continue standing with our neighbors as they rebuild their homes, restore stability and heal from the lasting impacts of this disaster.

Your continued support of the CCF Wildfire Recovery Fund will help ensure that survivors — especially those facing the greatest barriers — are not left behind as the recovery continues. Together, we can help families return home, protect the communities they love and build a stronger, more resilient Los Angeles.

Thank you for standing with wildfire survivors during their darkest moments and throughout the long recovery that continues today. Your generosity has provided more than financial support. It has provided hope, dignity and the reassurance that no one has to rebuild alone.

Together, we will continue supporting families, strengthening communities and working toward a recovery that is equitable, inclusive and lasting.

With gratitude,

Miguel A. Santana
President and CEO
California Community Foundation