FUND PROFILE

Altadena Builds Back Foundation

The Altadena Builds Back Foundation has been formed as a supporting organization of the Pasadena Community Foundation to focus on the long-term recovery of housing in Altadena. Our mission is to help lead and fund Altadena’s community-centered recovery, ensuring a just, equitable rebuilding process that prioritizes housing and those most affected by the Eaton Fire.

Donate to this fund Eaton Fire Fund

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OVERVIEW

About the Fund

The Altadena Builds Back Foundation (ABBF) will serve as Phase 3 of PCF’s Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund. In response to the incredible generosity of local, regional, and national communities for the Eaton Fire Fund, PCF was able to designate significant resources from the Eaton Fire Fund. ABBF will focus on the broad issue of housing recovery in Altadena.

Vision : Our community’s collective generosity and resilience will ensure that those affected by the fire who want to rebuild and remain can do so and Altadena will emerge even stronger and more interconnected.

Mission : To help lead and fund Altadena’s community-centered recovery, ensuring a just, equitable rebuilding process that prioritizes housing and those most affected by the Eaton Fire.

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Our Role and Approach

Operating as a supporting project of the Pasadena Community Foundation, the Altadena Builds Back Foundation will assist in leadership and funding of the rebuilding of Altadena through a community-centered process that reflects the strengths, opportunities, and priorities of those directly impacted by the Eaton Fire.

The resources of ABBF will be focused on the broad issue of housing with a priority to preserve the demographic, socio-economic, and creative diversity that has always been woven into the fabric of Altadena. 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 will prioritize households for which philanthropic dollars will make the most impact.

The work of ABBF will encompass several stages: Engage in a community needs assessment to gather data; identify the population that will be best served by our resources; define the most impactful housing strategies; determine key partners; and implementation.

PCF has appointed five board members who bring relevant expertise to inform ABBF’s initiatives and who reflect the diverse community of Altadena. Of the five board members, three lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, and one is displaced long term. Candice Kim serves as the Project Director for ABBF. Read Staff & Board Bios.

The ABBF Board of Directors and staff, left to right: Jennifer DeVoll, Candice Kim, Scott Christopher, Greta Mandell, Mark Mariscal, Tony Gronroos, and (inset) Robin Hughes

Fundraising & Grantmaking Numbers to Date

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$57.8 million

as of September 25, 2025.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, ABBF has raised an extraordinary amount to assist Altadena in its rebuilding efforts.

$5.6 million

as of September 25, 2025.

ABBF has made a few significant grants, including $4.55M to San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity. More funding will follow shortly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 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 will assist in the leadership and funding of the residential rebuilding of Altadena through a community-centered process that reflects the strengths, opportunities, and priorities of those directly impacted by the Eaton Fire.

Why did PCF create ABBF?

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.

Who leads ABBF?

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

Together, the founding 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 Senior Program 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.

How will the resources of ABBF be used?

The resources of ABBF will be 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’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 will prioritize households for which philanthropic dollars will make the most impact.

Has ABBF made any grants yet?

Yes, ABBF has made a few grants, most notably 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. Read more.

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.

As of mid-August, 2025, more grants are pending and will be announced soon.

Can individuals apply for funding from ABBF or PCF?

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.

Who is eligible for funding?

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.