When the Eaton Fire struck in January, it displaced thousands of Pasadena Unified School District students, families, and educators. More than 1,000 families of PUSD students and 200 staff members lost their homes, and many remain still displaced today. Support has come in every form—penny fundraisers organized by elementary students, neighborhood concerts, and heartfelt messages of encouragement, alongside transformational gifts from philanthropists and foundations. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of individuals, schools, businesses, foundations, and national partners, Pasadena Educational Foundation has already distributed more than $7.4 million to our PUSD community—and that number continues to grow. In the weeks and months ahead, we remain committed to directing millions more to supporting those most affected and to supporting our community’s long-term recovery.
Together, in deep partnership with PUSD, these efforts have restored athletic equipment, replaced musical instruments, provided new Chromebooks, expanded mental health resources, supported scholarships, helped stabilize families through direct aid and more. This collective generosity continues to make recovery possible for our students, families, and educators.
Direct Relief to Families
Immediately after the fire, we distributed almost $100,000 in emergency gift cards to PUSD educators and staff who had lost homes or were displaced by the fire so that we could help the district get back on its feet. These cards helped cover groceries, clothing, and other basic necessities in the first critical weeks after the disaster.
In April, we gave $1.8 million in direct aid to 1,800 families who were displaced or facing hardship. Each household received $1,000 in immediate support—help that meant stability, security, and a way to begin rebuilding.
Alongside this financial assistance, PEF and our partners distributed food, new clothing and shoes, emergency supplies, hygiene kits, teddy bears, books, prom clothes, and more. These donations helped meet urgent needs while also restoring comfort and dignity for families during an incredibly difficult time.
Support also came through partnerships that provided additional resources. Working with the Tournament of Roses, PEF distributed $100,000 in grocery gift cards donated by the Albertsons Companies Foundation to families experiencing food insecurity. National donors contributed thousands more gift cards totalling over $22,000, ensuring help for students through programs that serve homeless families and schools in the hardest-hit areas.
Restoring Classrooms and School Communities
— Westwood, MA
Schools are more than buildings—they are foundational to our strong community as centers of belonging, creativity, and growth. PEF awarded more than 700 Classroom Response Grants totaling over $340,000, helping educators and administrators meet immediate classroom and campus needs and continue supporting their students.
Athletes returned to practice with new gear, musicians received replacement instruments, and Instacart’s national Classroom Carts campaign delivered supplies straight to teachers’ doors. In total, more than $600,000 in athletic equipment, musical instruments, technology, books, school gardens, and more has been replaced.
In addition, $525,000 went directly to the schools with a substantial percentage of students impacted by the fire, with the largest grants supporting Eliot Arts Magnet Middle School and Altadena Arts Magnet Elementary School, the two campuses most heavily impacted by the fire who had to relocate their entire schools. Science labs had to be rebuilt, musical instruments replaced, theater costumes remade, athletic gear restocked, and classrooms outfitted with the essentials needed to welcome students back to learning.
A major boost for future classroom restoration came from the College Football Playoff Foundation, which, along with the Tournament of Roses and the other New Year’s Six bowl game partners and School Specialty, pledged $1.5 million toward restoring the historic Eliot Arts Magnet School that had been heavily impacted by the fire. The initiative also provides support to McKinley Middle School, where Eliot Arts students are currently relocated.
Prioritizing Mental Health and Wellness
To date, PEF has invested $675,000 in student mental health and wellness. Schools established calming spaces, expanded crisis counseling, and partnered with local agencies to provide targeted support. The mental health and wellness needs have grown significantly in the wake of the Eaton Fire. To meet this need, PEF is supporting an expansion of services districtwide—through the hiring of new crisis counselors, specialized trauma-informed training for teachers and staff, summer support programs, and enhanced school-based health services. Funds are also supporting confidential spaces for counseling, expanded hours at the district health clinic, and targeted interventions for students showing signs of trauma. These efforts aim to ensure that every school is a safe, supportive, and healing space for students and the entire school community, both now and in the years ahead. Thanks to generous funding from Save the Children, as part of PEF’s Summer Enrichment Program, each of our summer school sites had an RTI (Response to Intervention, a.k.a. “Wellness”) teacher. These educators provided targeted support to help students manage stress, trauma, and academic challenges. Recognizing the importance of equipping our staff to support students effectively, we also organized two workshops to help staff better understand trauma-informed practices and strategies for fostering resilience. This year, we expanded our long-term scholarships initiative, facilitating a record $300,000 in scholarships for graduating PUSD students. This significant achievement was made possible through sustained partnerships and an exceptional outpouring of generosity following the Eaton Fire. This represented an intentional focus to reach students who were severely impacted by the fire. A major component of this effort was the development of the Eaton Strong scholarship, a multiyear scholarship program that began with $1,000 awarded to the 107 PUSD seniors who lost their home. Students themselves also stepped forward through the PUSD Student Think Tank and Student Assembly, young leaders organized peer support, volunteered at events, and shared poetry and essays about loss, resilience, and hope. Their creativity and courage gave voice to the collective recovery. We are profoundly grateful to the foundations and philanthropists who stepped up with overwhelming generosity in the immediate aftermath of the Eaton Fire. Many had never before funded PEF—or even worked in our region—but responded without hesitation to the urgent need. Their swift and significant support has been truly transformational. We extend our deepest thanks to visionary partners like the Ballmer Group, Jeffries Financial Group, Disney Worldwide Services, the Jones Day Foundation, DirectRelief, the Walton Family Foundation, the Sundheim Family Foundation, the Callahan Family Foundation, and many others whose commitment has already made a lasting impact on the lives of our students, educators, and families. Additionally, FireAid 2025, the national benefit concert, donated $1 million. Across the country and around the world, thousands responded with compassion and creativity: And just as importantly, individuals everywhere stepped in to help: This wave of generosity—large and small—reminded our community that we are not alone. The road to recovery is long, but together, we are making progress step by step. From scholarships and classroom grants to mental health and enrichment, your generosity is helping restore stability, joy, and opportunity across Pasadena Unified schools. While we’ve accomplished so much together, the journey toward full recovery continues, and our community’s needs remain significant. We are still working to raise the funds necessary to support ongoing long term recovery efforts and ensure no student or family is left behind in rebuilding their lives and dreams. Our priorities include: Thank you for standing with PEF. Together, we are ensuring that every student, every educator, and every school has the support they need to heal and thrive. You can help continue this work. Make a gift today.
— Pasadena, CA
Student Growth & Leadership
National Generosity, Local Resilience
— Manchester, NH
Looking Ahead
Expanding counseling services, wellness programs, and resources that promote resilience and wellbeing across all schools.
Growing our long-standing program that provides educators with resources to enhance teaching, learning, and enrichment opportunities particularly for the students most impacted by the fires.
Supporting PUSD graduates with scholarships that help open doors to higher education and future opportunities.
Offering engaging summer programs that keep students learning, connected, and inspired during the break from school.
Expanding opportunities that prepare students for higher education and careers, with a focus on helping them gain the skills and confidence to participate in their community’s recovery and future growth.Thank You!
