Thursday, July 17, 2025

WalkUnitedLA 2025 to Support Wildfire Recovery, Education, and Housing Initiatives Across Los Angeles

Thousands expected at Rose Bowl on Sunday for family-friendly charity walk/run supporting community rebuilding and opportunity

Thousands of participants are expected to gather at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium, located at 1001 Rose Bowl Drive on Sunday, July 20, for WalkUnitedLA 2025—a family-friendly walk/run event supporting long-term recovery, equity, and opportunity throughout Los Angeles County.

Organized by United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, the event will feature Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly Stafford, as honorary chairs. According to organizers, proceeds will “support community-driven wildfire recovery and rebuilding, enhance community resilience, housing stability, financial security, and provide access to education and career pathways through United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ initiatives and programs.”

Among the beneficiaries is PCC’s Summer Construction Career Academy, which provides students from Eaton Fire-impacted neighborhoods with hands-on construction training and college credit. “This program is helping ensure that residents have opportunities to participate in rebuilding their communities,” United Way stated in event materials.

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Caltech Hosts Summer STEM Boot Camp for Student Veterans

Students who are veterans of enlisted military service will participate in an intensive STEM academic boot camp at Caltech from July 19 to 26, part of a national initiative to prepare former service members for success in higher education. The program, hosted in partnership with the nonprofit Warrior-Scholar Project, will offer a weeklong immersive college experience simulating the rigors of finals week through 75 hours of academic instruction.

Veterans will engage with Caltech faculty, research leads, and mentors while exploring campus resources, fostering a deeper familiarity with the academic environment. Designed to ease the transition from military service to civilian life, the boot camp also emphasizes identity formation and personal growth.

“The lab tours were invaluable and inspired me to want to learn and become a researcher in science,” said Navy veteran and program alumnus Warren Knowles. “I met many graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors who made me excited about science through their genuine love of it.”

The Warrior-Scholar Project reports that 88% of its alumni have completed or are on track to earn a college degree—well above the national average of 54% for veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill and 61% for full-time civilian students.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Family Foundation Donates $72,000 to Chamber of Commerce to Help Altadena Businesses Displaced by Eaton Fire

The grant will support relocation and reopening costs for businesses affected by the January blaze

A local family foundation has anonymously donated $72,000 to the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Foundation to aid Altadena small businesses recovering from January’s destructive Eaton Fire.

The donation will fund mini-grants ranging from $500 to $2,500 to cover relocation and reopening costs, including expenses already incurred. Businesses in the 91001 ZIP Code—or those that operated there on January 6—are eligible to apply, said Pasadena Chamber Foundation Executive Director Paul Little.

“They were very specific that the funds go directly to support Altadena businesses impacted by the Eaton Fire,” Little said. He noted the foundation’s trustees chose anonymity to keep the focus on those in need.

Applications will be reviewed by a foundation committee and awarded based on financial need and proposed use of funds.

The donation nearly doubles the foundation’s available support for fire-affected businesses, complementing a SoCalGas grant received in June.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Hispanic Retailer Curacao Unveils Free Relief Program for Families Facing Hardship

The outreach initiative provides essential household items and groceries with free home delivery to families in need

Curacao, one of the largest Hispanic community retailers on the West Coast, on Wednesday announced the launch of its Essential Assistance Program, a free outreach initiative aimed at supporting families struggling with basic needs.

Through the program, Curacao will provide essential household items — such as microwaves, compact refrigerators, TVs and other small appliances — completely free of charge, alongside limited grocery supplies and complimentary home delivery for those unable to leave their homes or facing urgent hardship.

Relief will be granted on a case-by-case basis after careful review, the company stated.

“This new program reaffirms Curacao’s pledge to stand by its customers not only as a retailer, but as a neighbor, providing hope, dignity and real help when it matters most,” the retailer stated.

The effort responds to rising challenges — including economic instability, fear and limited mobility — faced by many in Curacao’s core communities.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

LA County Launches eCheck AI Pilot to Accelerate Fire Recovery for Altadena Residents

Homeowners whose single-family properties were damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire can now benefit from faster rebuilding approvals after Los Angeles County launched a free eCheck AI Pilot program online Tuesday.

The initiative, part of the County’s “Express Lane” recovery strategy, is available to residents in unincorporated Altadena whose homes are or were located in R-1 single-family residential zones.

The eCheck AI Pilot is an automated tool that uses artificial intelligence to review architectural plans for zoning compliance. Residents can participate as Early Adopters by signing up at start.archistar.ai/us/lacounty, entering their property address, and uploading architectural drawings in PDF format.

Participants may choose either a like-for-like or non-like-for-like rebuild project.

During the pilot phase, results may take up to 10 business days, though faster turnaround times are possible. Once complete, homeowners can download the AI-generated report and include it in their County Disaster Recovery Permit – Rebuild Project application.

The pilot complements additional Express Lane options,

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Village Post Office to Open at Webster’s Pharmacy in Altadena

Supervisor Kathryn Barger will join local leaders and federal officials Wednesday to celebrate the grand opening of a new Village Post Office at Webster’s Pharmacy in Altadena, marking a new step in restoring essential services to the community.

The event, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on July 16, will unveil a new postal hub created in partnership with the Altadena Recovery and Rebuild Corporation (ARRC) and the United States Postal Service.

The Village Post Office will offer mail and package drop-off services and sell forever stamps.

The previous post office was destroyed in January in the Eaton Fire which decimated Altadena and killed 18 people. Returning postal service to the area is a major milestone in the effort to rebuild the community.

“This new site will serve as a vital hub for the community,” officials said, highlighting its role in meeting ongoing service needs in the region.

In addition to Supervisor Barger, speakers at the event will include Cipriano Corona,

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

L.A. County Board Approves Streamlining Film Permits, Eyes $100 Million Innovation Fund

The initiative seeks to boost entertainment industry recovery and support tech innovation in film production.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously passed a motion to overhaul film permitting procedures and explore a proposed $100 million public-private investment fund, aiming to strengthen the region’s entertainment industry amid ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the dual Hollywood strikes of 2023.

The initiative, co-authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey P. Horvath, directs the Department of Economic Opportunity’s LA County Film Office to collaborate with several County departments—including the Department of Regional Planning, Fire Department, Department of Public Works, Department of Beaches and Harbors, Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Sheriff’s Department—to evaluate current permitting policies and identify improvements. Officials hope to make filming in the County more efficient, affordable and competitive compared to other production centers such as Georgia, New York and Texas.

“Our region is the heart of entertainment,” Board Chair Barger said. “We’re taking action today to cut through outdated bureaucracy,

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

East West Bank Launches $100,000 Matching Grant for Sunday’s WalkUnitedLA Event at Rose Bowl

The grant will double donations to support wildfire recovery, housing, and educational programs in Los Angeles County

Pasadena-headquartered East West Bank has pledged a $100,000 matching grant to support WalkUnitedLA, doubling individual contributions made during the fundraising campaign in an effort to expand recovery and resilience programs across Los Angeles County.

Sunday’s annual walk/run fundraiser — organized by United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with the Los Angeles Rams — will take place at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

East West Bank’s grant will match every donation to United Way of Greater Los Angeles dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000, effectively turning $25 into $50 and $500 into $1,000. The initiative aims to mobilize community support and maximize funding for critical services, including wildfire recovery, housing stability, financial security, community resilience, education and job training.

This year’s event holds special significance as it comes just six months after the destructive Eaton and Palisades wildfires. Funds raised will help rebuild fire-affected communities and sustain local programs such as Pasadena City College’s Summer Construction Trades Academy,

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Pasadena Private Lending Backs Local Business Recovery Through ‘Build Back Dena’ Initiative

The coordinated campaign was created to strengthen small businesses in Pasadena and Altadena following the Eaton Fire

On Tuesday, Pasadena Private Lending Inc. announced its financial contribution to, and strategic partnership with, Build Back Dena: The Business Resilience Project, a coordinated campaign to help small businesses in Pasadena and Altadena recover from the devastating Eaton Fire earlier this year.

Pasadena Private Lending is a non-bank lender affiliated with Pasadena Private Financial Group. It joined forces with Hope Ventures to offer targeted financial resources and business advisory services tailored to entrepreneurs navigating the path to recovery.

“We’re not just here to lend capital—we’re here to lend strength,” said Iain A. Whyte, founder and CEO of Pasadena Private Lending.

“Our roots are in this community, and we believe in showing up when it matters most. Rebuilding from a disaster like the Eaton Fire will take years, and we are committed to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the businesses, families, and leaders shaping that future.”

According to the partners,

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Housing Crisis Deepens for Many Black Families After Eaton Fire

Study finds steep disparities in damage, foreclosure risk among Altadena homeowners

Six months after the Eaton Fire tore through Los Angeles County, Black homeowners in Altadena are facing a deepening crisis of foreclosure and displacement, a new study reports.

According to a study from UCLA’s Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, 61 percent of Black households were located within the fire perimeter, compared to 50 percent of non-Black households. Nearly 48 percent of Black homes were severely damaged or destroyed, and at least 2,800 families were forced to evacuate within 24 hours of the fire’s January 7 outbreak.

The same study, led by Lorrie Frasure, revealed stark disparities in financial resilience: 45 percent of Black homeowners in Altadena are cost-burdened, while 28 percent spend more than half their income on housing—both significantly higher than non-Black homeowners.

Additionally, 57 percent of Black homeowners are older than 65, and 81 percent have mortgages, underscoring heightened vulnerability to foreclosure and financial exploitation.