Altadena Builds Back Foundation

The creation of the Altadena Builds Back Foundation (ABBF) serves as Pasadena Community Foundation’s (PCF) commitment to long-term support for Altadena recovery.

Operating as a subsidiary of PCF, ABBF is supporting the residential rebuilding of Altadena, prioritizing a community-centered process that reflects the strengths, opportunities, and priorities of those directly impacted by the Eaton Fire.

Pasadena Community Foundation established ABBF to focus on the long-term recovery and rebuilding of Altadena. Many donors to the Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund requested that their gifts be directed to the long-term rebuilding of housing for both renters and homeowners.

In the initial weeks following the Eaton Fire, PCF spent countless hours learning from community foundations across the country that had also experienced catastrophic disasters, including the Hawaii Community Foundation (Lahaina Fire), North Valley Community Foundation (the Camp Fire in Paradise), and the Community Foundation of Boulder County (the Marshall Fire). All recommended that PCF reserve significant resources to extend beyond the initial crisis and to focus on long-term recovery.

ABBF’s founding board has four members: Scott Christopher, Tony Gronroos,  Robin Hughes, and Mark Mariscal. Tony, Robin, and Mark are longtime Altadena leaders and residents, and all lost their homes to the Eaton Fire. Learn More.

Together, the board brings a professional, collective understanding of affordable housing development, finance, nonprofit organization, community relations, and urban planning. They bring lived experience of residing in the beautiful, creative, and diverse place of Altadena, as well as a vital network of connections throughout the Altadena community.

The ABBF board is supported by two staff members: Jennifer DeVoll, who served as PCF’s President/CEO for 22 years; and Project Director Candice Kim, who has served as a community organizer and nonprofit administrator and brings important experience in getting resources to historically underfunded frontline community organizations.

The resources of ABBF are focused on the broad issue of housing with priority to preserve the demographic, socioeconomic, and creative diversity that has always been woven into the fabric of Altadena. ABBF-supported projects assist homeowners and renters alike.

As of March 2026, ABBF has provided vital funding to local nonprofits on the forefront of the rebuilding process: San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity, Beacon Housing, and The Foothill Catalog Foundation.

ABBF’s goal is to help provide resources and options for people who want to stay and rebuild in Altadena and to preserve and enhance the affordability for both homeowners and renters. To that end, the ABBF prioritizes households for which philanthropic dollars will make the most impact.

Yes, ABBF has made two significant grants as of March 2026: a $4.55 million grant to San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity to support the rebuilding of 22 homes in West Altadena owned by longtime, lower-income residents; and Beacon Housing’s project to re-establish 14 units of affordable housing for very low-income renters. ABBF has also supported The Foothill Catalog Foundation in its efforts to streamline and reduce the cost of the pre-construction phase.

ABBF also provided capacity-building funding for local nonprofit Day One and the Eaton Fire Collaborative in their formation of a Long-Term Recovery Group to address the ongoing needs of Altadena families and individuals affected by the Eaton Fire.

PCF and ABBF have determined that the most effective way to get resources to our community is by partnering with trusted community-based organizations that have the infrastructure for intake, case management, or distribution centers.

PCF’s nonprofit partners that have received Eaton Fire Fund grants have provided fire survivors with direct cash assistance, food assistance, interim housing, case management, mental health support, emergency childcare and more during the emergency response phase of recovery.

ABBF resources will be distributed in the same way during rebuilding. While we are unable to make individual grants, we will be partnering with community-based organizations with expertise in financial counseling, affordable housing development, and case management to move resources into our community.

ABBF grants are restricted to nonprofit organizations. We are not accepting unsolicited inquiries for long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts at this time.

We have received a high volume of inquiries from architects, manufacturers, builders, and housing developers who wish to help Altadena. ABBF grants will be restricted to nonprofit organizations.