Westlake Village, Calif. (Jan. 17, 2025) – The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has pledged $2.5 million to support immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts for Los Angeles communities affected by the tragic wildfires. The funding support, including a $500,000 grant for the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund, will focus on the Hilton Foundation’s existing partners in Los Angeles that have seen their resources and operations impacted.
“Our hearts are with everyone affected by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. The incredible support shown by Angelenos stepping up to help their neighbors is truly inspiring,” said Peter Laugharn, President and CEO of the Hilton Foundation. “In that spirit, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is committing $2.5 million to the recovery of L.A., which we and so many of our partners call home.”
To date, twenty-seven people have died in the wildfires and thousands of structures – including homes, schools, businesses and houses of worship – have burned. Tens of thousands of people near the ongoing Palisades and Eaton fires remain under evacuation orders or warnings.
The Hilton Foundation’s grant to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund will be used to address critical needs, rebuild infrastructure and assist vulnerable populations in Los Angeles County efforts. The remainder of the funding committed today will help current Hilton Foundation partners working to support childcare access, individuals experiencing homelessness, youth in foster care, and Catholic sisters in areas impacted by the fires. In the long-term, the funds will help foster community resilience, promote equitable recovery and ensure vulnerable populations have the resources needed to rebuild their lives.
“We are deeply grateful for our frontline partners and others who are working tirelessly to help ensure no one is left behind during both the immediate response and long-term recovery,” said Laugharn. “Today, tomorrow and throughout the recovery efforts from the fires, we will all be L.A. Strong.”
Since 1989, the Hilton Foundation’s Disaster Relief and Recovery program has provided vital assistance and flexible funding to local and national organizations and networks dealing with the onset of a disaster or ongoing humanitarian crisis. In addition to providing fast and flexible funding, the grantmaking portfolio supports institutions, catalytic partnerships and innovations that strengthen both the United States’ and the international community’s ability to respond to disasters.