A partnership between the USC Credit Union Community Foundation and Los Angeles County has distributed $80,000 in emergency cash assistance to 80 workers impacted by the devastating Eaton and Pacific Palisades wildfires that struck the region in January.
The collaboration between the foundation, the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity and the county's America's Job Centers of California provided $1,000 payments to fire survivors for urgent needs including housing, healthcare and daily essentials. The program concluded July 30 with the distribution of final checks.
"Public partnerships give us the ability to extend our reach and serve more of our neighbors," said Dr. Rocio Flores, CEO of the USC Credit Union Community Foundation and Chief Social Impact Officer of USC Credit Union. "This initiative shows what's possible when resources are aligned toward a shared purpose."
The targeted relief effort emerged from the foundation's Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund, created in response to the January windstorms and wildfires that devastated communities across the region. The foundation partnered with the county's economic development department in May to leverage local job centers for outreach to affected workers.
Through the collaboration, wildfire survivors who lost homes, jobs or income received one-on-one application assistance to ensure aid reached those most in need. The county's West Los Angeles and East San Gabriel Valley job centers conducted targeted outreach to identify eligible recipients.
"When disaster strikes, the role of government is not just to respond — it's to meet people where they are, with the support they need," said Kelly LoBianco, director of the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity. "Through this partnership with the USC Credit Union Community Foundation, we acted quickly, connected wildfire-impacted residents to trusted community resources, and delivered direct financial relief."
The $80,000 distribution represents part of a much larger regional recovery effort. Earlier this year, the county's economic opportunity department launched the LA Region Small Business and Worker Relief Funds, which have delivered more than $21.3 million in aid to over 1,441 businesses and 2,840 workers across the region.
An additional $3.5 million is currently being distributed to further support impacted businesses and workers through partnerships with public and philanthropic organizations including LA County, the State of California, LA Rises, the California Community Foundation, Wells Fargo, Annenberg Foundation, Hilton Foundation, Prologis and Fire Aid.
The Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund has raised $330,676 to date, with half of all contributions coming from peer credit unions — reflecting the credit union movement's core principle of "people helping people." The fund has provided $302,000 in emergency assistance to 302 households and individuals so far.
The January fires caused widespread destruction across Los Angeles County, forcing thousands of residents from their homes and destroying entire neighborhoods. The Eaton Fire burned through parts of Altadena and Pasadena, while the Pacific Palisades Fire devastated the affluent coastal community.
Recovery efforts continue across the region, with residents still grappling with housing displacement, job losses and property damage months after the blazes. The direct cash assistance model employed by the USC Credit Union partnership aimed to provide immediate relief while allowing recipients to focus on longer-term recovery planning.
Residents impacted by the Eaton and Pacific Palisades wildfires can continue accessing support services through their nearest America's Job Center location. The county maintains updated information on recovery and rebuilding efforts online.
The USC Credit Union Community Foundation operates as a certified 501(c)(3) charitable organization, guaranteeing that 100% of donations go directly to those impacted by disasters. Contributions to the Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund are tax-deductible.
County officials say the partnership model demonstrated in this initiative could serve as a template for future disaster response efforts, combining private foundation resources with government outreach capabilities to efficiently deliver aid to affected communities.
For more information on available services, residents can visit ajcc.lacounty.gov to find job center locations or access bit.ly/DEOWildfireResponse for wildfire recovery resources.