Category: News
March 07th, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Elle Communications, forward@ellecomm.com
Dena Care Collective Raises $1 Million to Support Families Affected by Eaton FireAfter Eaton Fire
Empowering Equitable Disaster Recovery in Altadena and Pasadena
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Dena Care Collective has now raised over $1 million to support families devastated by the Eaton Fire, thanks to a surge of contributions, including a recent grant from FireAid. Dena Care Collective provides long-term recovery support for people in Altadena and Pasadena’s historic Black communities, uniquely combining direct cash payments with case management, user-friendly tech, and real data insights to bolster rebuilding and healing long after traditional relief efforts fade. As Altadena’s historic Black communities face compounding disasters, including recent mudslides, Dena Care’s innovative, equity-driven approach has also received support from major philanthropic players, including Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Futures Foundation.
At a time when nearly 60% of Americans can’t afford a $1,000 emergency, former Stockton, CA mayor Michael Tubbs and former Compton, CA mayor Aja Brown started the Dena Care Collective to reimagine disaster relief for underserved communities who are often left behind by traditional relief efforts. Their organizations, End Poverty in California (EPIC) and FORWARD launched the program to cut through systemic barriers and deliver equitable aid and long-term recovery support.
“Even under normal circumstances, people are struggling to make ends meet,” Tubbs, founder of EPIC, said. “A disaster like the Eaton fire can mean financial devastation for families, small businesses, and individuals because it can take years and mountains of red tape to recover. Our goal builds on my commitment to provide cash with no strings attached and give people access to the resources they need to build their own futures. This is more than just relief; it’s a blueprint for resilience, ensuring historically underserved communities don’t just rebuild but emerge stronger.”
“We’re thankful at the Dena Care Collective to our fund partners that are committed to direct, equitable aid for Altadena families, now surpassing $1 million in aid, ” said Aja Brown, Former Mayor of Compton. “Growing up in Altadena, I witnessed the powerful strength and beauty of the Altadena community. It’s where I developed my passion for justice and commitment to uplifting those too often overlooked. This community is resilience personified and many families overcame socio-economic barriers to be here and will overcome to remain.”
With the support from FireAid, the Dena Care Collective will be able to expand its support, which currently includes:
EPIC will also champion storytelling by people directly impacted by the disaster, ensuring that families have a platform to share their challenges, ambitions, and ideas to inform recovery efforts.
“This work can’t just stop at delivering cash,” Tubbs said. “We know that real stories are the root of impactful policies, and this work will help seed an agenda that repairs harm and builds resilience for communities.”
For more information on the Dena Care Collective, visit www.dencarecollective.org.
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About EPIC
Led by former Mayor of Stockton, California, Michael Tubbs, EPIC is a nonprofit organization that serves as a hub to bring together communities, local leaders, advocates, policymakers, and funders to reduce the number of Californians in poverty and to level the economic playing field. EPIC aims to end poverty in California by elevating the voices of people experiencing it, creating and implementing bold policies rooted in their needs, and advancing a state agenda focused on equal opportunity for all.
About FORWARD
FORWARD partners with governments and organizations to deliver resources and funding to communities using human-centered technology and customized solutions. Over 80% of the team members have worked in government and understand the unique challenges and what it takes to execute, enabling the team to operate with speed, precision, and competency. FORWARD automates complex program administration processes that increase back-office capacity, improve transparency and trust with data, and break down silos to unlock coordination and service delivery quickly and securely — all while maintaining compliance.
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