SACRAMENTO, CA — One year after the devastating Palisades and Eaton Fires swept through Los Angeles County, the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC) announced today that it awarded $492,000 in Los Angeles Wildfires Recovery Grants to continue to support community college students impacted by the wildfires. 

When the fires struck in January 2025, more than 11,000 students, faculty, and staff across 13 California community colleges were impacted – many losing homes, income, and stability. In response, FoundationCCC, the official nonprofit auxiliary of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, quickly mobilized a fundraising effort for the Wildfire and Disaster Relief Fund and worked alongside college partners to provide urgent support and stabilize students’ lives so they could continue their education.

During the first months following the fires, FoundationCCC distributed $757,500 in emergency relief to meet immediate needs. The newly announced $492,000 in recovery grants will fund longer-term efforts to help students who experienced losses remain enrolled, re-enroll if their circumstances interrupted their community college education, and progress toward their educational and career goals.

 “The one-year anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton Fires is a powerful reminder that recovery doesn’t happen on a timeline, and that our students deserve sustained support as they rebuild their lives,” said Keetha Mills, President and CEO of the Foundation for California Community Colleges. “These recovery grants were made possible because of those who stepped up in a big way in response to those devastating fires, such as the Walgreens Foundation, with a $250,000 gift from donations by customers, and a $1 million gift from the Jay Pritzker Foundation. Their generosity, and the generosity and the compassion of so many other donors, helped us meet immediate needs last year, and now we can invest in the longer-term stability that allows fire-affected students to rebound, persist, and succeed.”

Recipients of the Los Angeles Wildfires Recovery Grants include:

• Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges — $92,000
  HOME Grants (Housing Opportunity to Maintain Enrollment) will support rental assistance and basic needs for students affected by the January 2025 fires.
• Glendale Community College — $100,000
  Continued direct financial assistance and counseling support for impacted students and employees, including assistance with re-enrollment, plus student-led documentaries to elevate recovery stories so additional support can be secured to meet the continuing needs of fire-affected students.
• Santa Monica College — $100,000
  Direct support to help impacted students cover basic needs and educational materials, paired with expanded outreach to ensure students remain connected to resources.
• Los Angeles City College — $100,000
  Financial relief, success coaching, coordinated case management, and access to health, housing, and transportation supports to prevent disruption and sustain enrollment.
• Pasadena City College — $100,000
  Direct cash aid to students to support continued transfer studies and completion of career training programs.
  

Several grant recipients are leveraging established disaster relief infrastructure to reach students quickly and equitably, including the Los Angeles Community College District’s LA Strong: Disaster Response Fund.

“LACCD’s LA Strong: Disaster Response Fund, supported by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, stands as a compelling example of how generosity, when paired with trusted institutions, can respond quickly, equitably, and at scale to previously unimaginable challenges,” said Kelly King, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges. “As both the pandemic and the LA fires have demonstrated, community colleges are uniquely prepared to reach and serve impacted communities in the wake of major challenges and disasters.”

At Glendale College, early, compassionate response during the crisis continues to help shape recovery efforts today.

“We are deeply grateful to the Foundation for California Community Colleges for their extraordinary support during the Los Angeles County fire crisis. Their partnership enabled us to respond swiftly and compassionately, providing emergency housing, food assistance, and essential resources to both students and employees who were displaced or otherwise affected by the fires,” said Paola Santana, Executive Director, Glendale College Foundation. “At a time when many in our campus community were facing profound uncertainty and loss, this support helped ensure our students could continue their education and our employees could focus on recovery and stability. One year later, we remain committed to standing with all those still rebuilding their lives, and we are thankful for the partners who make that mission possible.”

About the Foundation for California Community Colleges

The Foundation for California Community Colleges works to benefit students, colleges, and communities by accelerating paths to economic and social mobility, strengthening communities, and reducing barriers to opportunities for all Californians. FoundationCCC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1998. It serves as the official statewide nonprofit organization supporting the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation. For more information, visit www.foundationccc.org.