Friday, March 20, 2026

Altadena Chamber Sends $500 Gift Cards to 450 Fire Survivors, Directing Spending to Local Businesses

[photo credit: LA County Department of Economic Opportunity]

The cards, issued through an LA County program, aim to couple household relief with commercial recovery in the burn area

Four hundred fifty residents who lost homes, businesses, or property in the Eaton Fire received $500 gift cards this month from the Altadena Chamber of Commerce — money that can only be spent at fire-impacted small businesses in the community.

The cards, delivered electronically on March 12 through the Los Angeles County Shop Local LA program, represent roughly $225,000 in directed relief.

The chamber designed the distribution to serve a dual purpose: provide immediate financial help to displaced and damaged households while steering that spending into Altadena’s commercial corridors, where businesses continue to struggle with reduced foot traffic more than 14 months after the January 2025 fire.

“Supporting our local businesses is vital to rebuilding our community,” said Judy Matthews, president of the Altadena Chamber of Commerce, in a statement. “By providing these gift cards, we are not only offering immediate financial relief to those affected, but also encouraging residents to shop locally, keep money circulating within our community, and help our small businesses recover and thrive.”

Recipients were selected through a grant application process that included verification of fire impact, according to the chamber. Eligibility extended to anyone who lost a home, sustained property damage, or was displaced by the fire. The chamber opened three rounds of applications on its website before closing the process.

Demand outstripped the available money. As of January 29, the chamber reported on its website that applications had already exceeded available funding, though it continued to accept submissions while seeking additional resources.

The gift cards are issued through the Shop Local LA County Gift Card Program, part of Los Angeles County’s broader Shop Local. Dine Local. Recover Local. campaign. Supervisor Kathryn Barger introduced the campaign in July 2025 to stabilize brick-and-mortar businesses in Altadena and other fire-impacted areas, according to the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity. The county program is funded through a public-private partnership with Yiftee and Southern California Grantmakers, supported by a $100,000 contribution from L.A. Care Health Plan. The cards are redeemable at verified fire-impacted businesses with fewer than 100 employees.

The Eaton Fire, which began on January 7, 2025, destroyed more than 9,400 structures and damaged more than 1,000 others, according to Cal Fire. The fire killed at least 19 people and burned more than 14,000 acres.

The chamber, incorporated in 1924, is fiscally sponsored by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce & Civic Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, for the purpose of receiving wildfire-related donations. The gift card distribution is one of several recovery efforts the chamber has led since the fire, including the Back in Business initiative, which pairs volunteer outreach with commercial space identification for displaced business owners.

Although the cards are issued through the countywide Shop Local LA program and can technically be used at any participating business in the directory, the chamber has encouraged recipients to spend at Altadena-area businesses to maximize local recovery.

For information about the Altadena Chamber of Commerce and its recovery programs, visit www.altadenachamber.org or call 626-794-3988.