One year after the Palisades and Eaton Fires in Los Angeles County, the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC) has announced the distribution of $492,000 in recovery grants to support community college students affected by the wildfires.
The fires, which occurred in January 2025, impacted more than 11,000 students, faculty, and staff across 13 California community colleges. Many individuals lost homes and sources of income. In response, FoundationCCC began a fundraising effort to provide urgent relief and help stabilize students so they could continue their education.
In the immediate aftermath of the fires, FoundationCCC distributed $757,500 in emergency relief to address urgent needs. The new round of recovery grants aims to provide longer-term support. These funds are intended to help students who experienced losses remain enrolled or re-enroll if their education was interrupted by the disaster.
Keetha Mills, President and CEO of FoundationCCC, stated: “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. 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.”
Grant recipients include:
– Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges: $92,000 will be used for HOME Grants (Housing Opportunity to Maintain Enrollment), supporting rental assistance and basic needs for students.
– Glendale Community College: $100,000 will go toward financial assistance and counseling for impacted students. Funds will also support student-led documentaries highlighting recovery stories.
– Santa Monica College: $100,000 will be used for direct support covering basic needs and educational materials with expanded outreach efforts.
– Los Angeles City College: $100,000 will fund financial relief along with coaching services and coordinated case management.
– Pasadena City College: $100,000 will be provided as direct cash aid to help students continue transfer studies or complete career training programs.
Several colleges are utilizing existing disaster relief resources like the Los Angeles Community College District’s LA Strong: Disaster Response Fund to ensure quick distribution of aid.
