A burned home destroyed by the Eaton Fire that started on Jan. 7 in Altadena.
Los Angeles, California – Six months after one of the worst wildfire disasters in California history, many victims of the Pacific Palisades, Eaton, and Altadena fires remain without financial assistance—despite a $100 million benefit concert organized to support them. The fundraising event, FireAid, attracted tens of millions of viewers, featured performances from major global artists, and generated massive goodwill. But according to investigative journalists and affected residents, the money has yet to reach those who lost everything.
The fires, which erupted in January, burned over 40,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures. Estimated damages range as high as $131 billion. The scale of loss was staggering, and FireAid emerged as a high-profile effort to provide relief. Hosted simultaneously at the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum, the concert was one of the most ambitious disaster fundraisers in recent memory. But the outcome has left residents disillusioned.
Investigative journalist Sue Pascoe, who lost her home in the Palisades fire, began looking into the distribution of FireAid funds after receiving inquiries from readers who were unable to find any information on how to apply for assistance. Her reporting revealed that the Annenberg Foundation, the Pennsylvania-based nonprofit charged with distributing the funds, allocated money not to individuals, but to a list of nonprofit organizations—many of which have no direct financial assistance programs for wildfire victims.
Of the $100 million raised, $50 million was initially disbursed to 120 nonprofits. Another $25 million was released in June. Organizations such as El Nido, Vision y Compromiso, and LA’s Home for Native People were among the recipients. FireAid officials have stated that these groups were chosen for their infrastructure and experience serving impacted communities. But the method of selection, the size of individual grants, and the vetting process remain opaque.
Frustration has deepened with the revelation that many of the nonprofits receiving funds employ executives with six-figure salaries, while displaced residents—especially those in rent-controlled units or mobile home parks—have seen no assistance. The Annenberg Foundation has offered little clarity about how these organizations were chosen or why no mechanism was created to assist individuals directly.
Independent journalist James Li, who has followed the financial trail behind FireAid, described the situation as one of the most egregious failures in disaster fundraising. His reporting notes that Annenberg allocates just a third of its annual expenses to charitable programs, with the rest going to administration and executive compensation.
What began as a generous outpouring of support has now become a source of anger and betrayal. For thousands of Californians who lost homes, jobs, and stability, the promise of relief has been replaced by a haunting silence. FireAid raised the money—but the people it was meant to help are still waiting.
