The Pacific Palisades Community Council plans to briefly address this update at its next board meeting
The Pacific Palisades Community Council has received a detailed response from FireAid organizers addressing its earlier concerns about the distribution of funds raised by the January 30 benefit concert, which collected an estimated $100 million to aid victims of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
In May, PPCC sent letters to the Annenberg Foundation, seeking transparency after nearly four months of limited clarity on how the money reached fire victims. The letters, signed by PPCC President Sue Kohl, At-large Representative Christina Spitz, and Area 5 Representative Kimberly Bloom—all of whom lost homes in the January wildfires—highlighted the fire’s devastation, including destroyed homes, businesses, and landmarks like the recreation center and library, and noted that many residents were uninsured or underinsured.
FireAid’s response, detailed in an email from LA Clippers Chief Communications Officer Chris Wallace on May 16, revealed that $50 million in Phase 1 funding was distributed within weeks of the concert to organizations providing relief across Los Angeles County, with over $21 million directed to Palisades and adjacent areas.
Recipients included Westside Food Bank, Meals on Wheels West, Chabad Jewish Community Center, Palisades Charter High School, and the Palisades Recreation Center’s Symbol of Hope Project, among others, offering housing, financial aid, and mental health support.
The PPCC, which had previously questioned why only three Palisades-specific organizations were listed on the FireAid website, welcomed the updated information. Wallace noted that the grantmaking process involved local outreach and an independent advisory committee, and that $25 million in Phase 2 funding—over $14 million proposed for Palisades, including the library and high school baseball field—is under review.
PPCC plans to briefly address this update at its next board meeting on June 12, at 6 p.m. via Zoom, with the agenda to be posted on pacpalicc.org on June 9.
