In the last week, a series of devastating wildfires associated with an extreme wind event swept through Southern California, prompting swift action from local, state, and federal authorities. Thousands of structures have been affected, over 200,000 residents have been displaced, and at least 24 civilians have lost their lives. Government officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, issued emergency declarations as the fires intensified, allowing for the rapid deployment of resources to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure. These declarations were followed by a major presidential disaster declaration, signed by President Biden within days of the fires' peak intensity.
Philanthropy California – the alliance of SoCal Grantmakers, Northern California Grantmakers, and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties comprising 600+ funders across the state – is working in close partnership with the Governor's Office, The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and the League of California Community Foundations to coordinate cross-sector response to these devastating incidents. We invite you to join us for a special funder briefing on the January 2025 firestorm and wildfires in Southern California, where we will provide an update on the current philanthropic response in the region. Panel speakers will include representatives from emergency management, government, community foundations, and other organizations addressing unmet needs on the ground.
The speakers will be:
- Emily Bradley, Director, Strategic Investments, United Way of Greater Los Angeles
- Abby Browning, the Chief of the Office of Private Sector/ Non-Governmental Organization Coordination at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
- Lily Bui, Manager, Climate and Disaster Preparedness and Resilience, SoCal Grantmakers
- Julián Castro, CEO of Latino Community Foundation
- Jennifer DeVoll, CEO, Pasadena Community Foundation
- Miguel Santana, President & CEO, California Community Foundation
Open to the philanthropic community.