Pasadena Community Foundation: Rebuilding Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre After the Fires

When the Eaton and Palisades fires erupted in January, thousands of families lost homes overnight.

Amid the devastation, millions of Californians rallied to support neighborhoods in need. One of the first organizations to respond was the Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF), which has served Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre and the surrounding region for over 70 years.

Since 1953, PCF has worked to connect donors to the causes that matter most in the Greater Pasadena area. An East West Bank client since 2011, PCF is a trusted partner and frequent collaborator on charitable efforts in the community we both call home.

This year, PCF launched the Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund and established the Altadena Builds Back Foundation (ABBF), helping raise tens of millions of dollars to support rebuilding efforts across Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre. East West was among the first supporters of the Eaton Fire Fund. PCF this year also welcomed a new President and CEO, Khanh Russo, following the retirement of longtime leader Jennifer DeVoll.

Earlier this year, East West supported PCF as the organization prepared for its leadership transition. East West recently spoke with Russo, previously Vice President of Policy and Innovation at the San Francisco Foundation, to discuss PCF’s ongoing wildfire recovery efforts and more.

Fighting Fire as a Family

The January wildfires destroyed more than 16,000 structures and killed dozens of people, with overall economic losses potentially exceeding $250 billion. When Russo joined PCF in June, the Eaton Fire had just devastated the region, displacing thousands of families and rendering entire neighborhoods unrecognizable.

Southern California responded by coming together as one large family. Neighbors helped neighbors, while nonprofits and donors mobilized overnight. Russo saw firsthand how quickly the Greater Pasadena community rallied. “The spirit and the soul of this community is what continues to draw me to Pasadena,” he said.

Drawing on its long history of crisis response, PCF acted swiftly. Within 24 hours, the Foundation launched the Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund, seeding it with $100,000 from PCF reserves and distributing $500,000 in grants within 10 days. The East West Bank Foundation donated $250,000 in January to support critical disaster-related services. Beyond financial donations, East West employees also volunteered in the community, providing water, supplies and hands-on assistance during the most intense stages of recovery.

Russo’s deep crisis-recovery experience, including work following more than a dozen major disasters such as the 100-year flood in San José, has already helped guide PCF’s strategy. “I had the foundation and the background and the experience to really help us build equitably,” Russo said.

Leading by Listening and Learning

A critical first step in any disaster recovery effort, Russo said, is to get out into the community and hear directly from those impacted. Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre each have their own histories, strengths and challenges. Russo tailored his community outreach street by street. “Listening is where you have to start,” he said.

“The best way to serve community is to center community, and center community voice,” Russo added. “They are the experts. They are the ones who really know how to solve the issues they're experiencing. PCF is here to be a co-facilitator and help bring their vision to life.”

PCF’s role as facilitator has been on full display throughout their wildfire response. To date, the Foundation has granted $13.5 million to more than 100 nonprofits assisting residents at every stage of recovery—from delivering food, shelter and childcare to providing mental health support, rental assistance and home rebuilding resources.

PCF launched the ABBF with $5 million in seed money from the Eaton Fire Fund, and ABBF has committed $57 million to support residents returning home and help them pave a path back to recovery. This includes removing certain properties from the speculative real estate market through land banking and helping residents build modular homes and accessory dwelling units. As Russo put it, “Our commitment to Altadena will never stop.”

That spirit of unity, resilience, and giving continues on January 7, 2026, on the fires’ one-year anniversary, with “A Concert for Altadena” at the historic Pasadena Civic Auditorium. All proceeds from the concert, which will feature an all-star lineup including Dawes and Friends, Jackson Browne, Eric Krasno, Mandy Moore, Brad Paisley, Stephen Stills and many more, will be directed to the Altadena Builds Back Foundation.

Looking Ahead: Housing, Education and AI’s Role in Community Development

While Russo’s team is engaged with daily recovery efforts, these remain just one piece of PCF’s broader mission. The Foundation sees affordable housing as a persistent challenge in Greater Pasadena, both as part of the rebuilding plan as well as ensuring long-term affordability and stability in the area. Russo pointed to East West’s active role in community and economic development through its affordable housing financing and other initiatives as a vital part of that effort. “Housing continues to be one of the pressing issues of our time, and it has been exacerbated by the wildfires,” he said.

Russo worries about the ripple effects of a lack of affordable, stable housing. “Housing is the root of our community’s ability to be healthy and get an education and really improve upon our jobs and our conditions,” he says. “Housing is really the core and the root of a lot of the issues that we’re experiencing, and that will continue to be an area of focus for us.”

PCF is also taking long-term, more holistic view of community development by dedicating resources to foster education and youth development programs. And, Russo is exploring how emerging technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), can help nonprofits better serve communities while still safeguarding privacy. His goal is to use innovation “in a way that is responsible and ethical” by closing gaps, not widening them.

By adding new tools to PCF’s long-standing collaborative strategy, Russo hopes to inspire the next generation of donors, particularly new Pasadena-area residents who are getting to know the community. With PCF as a connector, philanthropy can be a powerful way for people to build relationships and invest in their new community.

PCF’s Superpower: Building Local Partnerships

With deep relationships across aligning donors, nonprofits and civic leaders, PCF’s partnerships remain its “superpower.” To strengthen capacity and connection, Russo’s team is helping nonprofits access resources, share actionable data, and collaborate for greater impact. While there are still many challenges facing Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre, PCF sees plenty of opportunities for partnership—even beyond funding.

Much like East West builds bridges within the communities it serves, Russo’s goal is to connect current and future philanthropists. “Philanthropy begets philanthropy,” he explained. “The more that we do and the more that we share, it just inspires more folks to get involved.”

Despite the long road ahead, Russo remains optimistic, “Rebuilding efforts have to be guided by love,” he said. “We have to maintain faith and hope in the work that we do.”

Led by Khanh Russo and strengthened by decades of community trust, the Pasadena Community Foundation continues to help Greater Pasadena feel like home.

How to Support Local Recovery

To learn how you can support wildfire recovery and year-round community resilience, visit pasadenacf.org.

Visit East West’s fire relief resource center.