California Community Foundation

Wildfires now burn more than 10,000 acres at a time and megafires can scorch over 100,000. That's why this #EarthDay, we’re honoring the powerful role of science in combating the climate crisis. Through our Wildfire Recovery Fund, we’re proud to support our grantee, the UCLA Climate & Wildfire Research Initiative (CWRI). CWRI is a team of top researchers building smarter fire prediction tools, training the next generation of climate leaders, and more. Learn more about their work here: https://lnkd.in/gFgapvrx 🌍

This Earth Month, we're proud to honor our Wildfire Recovery Fund grantee Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, whose stewardship of Huhuunga (Place of the Bears) helped mitigate the devastating effects of the Eaton Fire through Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). For Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, “everyday is Earth Day on Indigenous land,” and they encourage you to participate in these four actions: 🌿 Practicing “maxaa:” the word for giving or exchange to live in reciprocity with all relationships on Earth 🌿 Joining local clean-up efforts 🌿Starting a Native garden in your backyard or a community garden 🌿 Volunteering with local Native nurseries or conservancies Through our Wildfire Recovery Fund, CCF supports frontline organizations like Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy who combine ancestral knowledge with community resilience to heal the land and protect our future. Their leadership shows that recovery isn’t just about rebuilding—it’s about restoring balance, honoring the land, and investing in long-term solutions.

When the LA fires broke out, 19 families at Pasadena Church lost everything. For the church, it wasn’t a question of opening its doors beyond its congregation and for the entire community affected by the Eaton Fire. Pasadena Church quickly served over 15,000 families, providing more than $140,000 in emergency assistance and short-term housing, distributing over $12,000 in gift cards for gas, groceries, and essentials, and serving more than 20,000 hot meals. As a grantee of our Wildfire Recovery Fund, the church will continue to serve as a community anchor, offering hope and support to wildfire victims. As Pastor Kerwin shared in our latest #LAStrong video, “There is beauty in the ashes. We’re going to see this through. I believe God created community so we can be here for each other.”

In January 2025, the LA wildfires burned over 40,000 acres, severely impacting our air quality. SmartAirLA provided real-time wildfire smoke alerts to safeguard our communities and let us know when to stay inside, mask up, etc. As one of our Wildfire Recovery Fund grantees, SmartAirLA will continue to enhance its air quality monitoring systems and help more Angelenos stay safe during the wildfire season. This #EarthMonth, we celebrate their commitment to healthy air quality for all Angelenos. Throughout the month, we will continue spotlighting more of our grantees who are protecting the planet and fighting climate change. 🌎

Undocumented immigrants are essential to California’s workforce and economy—yet they remain excluded from many public services. These same workers contribute nearly $9 billion in state taxes each year. New polling shows 59% of California voters support providing essential services to all low-income residents, regardless of immigration status. When immigrants thrive, our state moves forward. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gn8iHV6n #UnitedForCalifornia #CAForAll #ImmigrantJustice #CommunityCare

We are deeply grateful to Archstone Foundation for their generous $100,000 grant to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund. This funding will support mid- and long-term recovery efforts for older adults impacted by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, especially those facing mobility challenges and systemic barriers. Since 2003, the Wildfire Recovery Fund has delivered over $30 million in aid to vulnerable communities, helping families rebuild homes, access medical care, and navigate the long road to recovery. With partners like Archstone Foundation, we can ensure that older Californians are not left behind in times of crisis. 🔗 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gWgi8ggv

Since 2019, Ready to Rise has reached nearly 26,000 youth across Los Angeles County — a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we invest in healing, not punishment. Last week’s Ready to Rise Summit brought together the 2025 cohort of grantees, community leaders, and partners united in our mission to transform systems of incarceration into pathways of opportunity. Co-hosted with our partner Liberty Hill Foundation, the gathering was a celebration of community-based solutions and a call to keep pushing for a more just and equitable future for all youth. Thank you to all who spoke, contributed and showed up to the summit!

We’re proud to welcome Silvia Argueta and Tony Hoang to the California Community Foundation Board of Directors! Silvia leads the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, where she’s spent her career fighting for dignity and justice for low-income communities. Tony serves as Executive Director of Equality California, advancing LGBTQ+ rights and racial justice statewide. Their leadership will be instrumental in catapulting our mission to create lasting, systemic change for all Angelenos.

As a Wildfire Recovery Fund grantee, we spoke with Watch Duty CEO John Mills about why he founded the app, the moment he realized its critical role, and what drives him to keep going. He recalls, “The first 911 dispatch for the Palisades Fire came in at 10:30 AM. Our first alert? 10:32 AM. We knew this day would be catastrophic. Within 24 hours, 600,000 people had downloaded Watch Duty. By the time the fires were over, 2.5 million residents were relying on it.” When the January wildfires broke out, Angelenos turned to Watch Duty for real-time alerts to evacuate, know where the fire was moving, and how to stay safe. The app provided life-saving information faster than traditional sources and acted as a safety net for millions in Los Angeles County. In working together with Watch Duty, we are honored to spearhead community resilience and help empower trusted sources of information during crises like these. We encourage you to learn more about Watch Duty and its important mission through this video.

On #CesarChavezDay, we proudly honor the legacy of a leader who fought for the dignity, rights, and fair treatment of workers. As we reflect on Cesar Chavez’s legacy of workers’ justice, we remember his efforts organizing farmworkers in the 1960s, leading strikes and boycotts to demand fair wages and safer working conditions. His founding of the United Farm Workers (UFW) brought national attention to the exploitation of agricultural laborers and inspired a movement with lasting change. Today, we recommit to standing by those who work to keep our communities strong—especially in their greatest moments of need.