On Tuesday, a bus carrying over one hundred survivors of the 2025 Eaton Fire departed Pasadena for Sacramento. The group, joined by advocates and community leaders, plans to meet state legislators and agency officials to press for the Community Aid for Rebuilding Equity (CARE) Fund, a proposed $25 million disaster‑recovery program.
Local survivors lead the push
Before the six‑hour journey, the survivors gathered at a press conference outside the Pasadena Community Job Center. Pasadena NAACP President Brandon Lamar opened the event, emphasizing that the mission is not complete until every displaced family can return home. “Disasters don’t discriminate. Recovery does,” Lamar said, echoing the concerns of many families still living in temporary housing.
Altadena resident Damon Blunt, who lost his home, job and truck after living in the area for 26 years, described the financial strain of rebuilding. “Loans are not going to cut it,” Blunt said. “We need grants to be able to come home, and that’s why I’m specifically going up to ask for this CARE Fund.”
Why the CARE Fund matters
The Eaton Fire, which ignited on Jan. 7, 2025, burned more than 14,000 acres, destroyed over 9,400 structures and claimed at least 19 lives. It ranks as the fifth deadliest and second most destructive wildfire in California history. While the state and federal agencies have provided some assistance, many low‑income renters and families remain without the resources needed to rebuild.
The CARE Fund is intended to fill that gap. It would allocate $25 million directly to grant programs for low‑income households, ensuring they are not permanently displaced from their neighborhoods. The NAACP and a coalition of local nonprofits, including Dena Rise Up Coalition, My Tribe Rise, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, End Child Poverty CA, and Altadena Rising, have publicly endorsed the proposal.
Calls for accountability
Job center director Jose Madera used the send‑off to criticize Governor Gavin Newsom for what he described as unfulfilled post‑disaster promises. “Survivors still lack the funding and permits necessary to rebuild their homes and lives,” Madera said. “We don’t need lies. We don’t need false promises.”
In Sacramento, the group hopes to meet with members of the State Assembly and Senate, as well as officials from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, to secure legislative backing and expedite the fund’s approval.
Community response
The send‑off drew support from a broad cross‑section of the community, including faith‑based groups, local business owners, and volunteer organizations. Many attendees expressed a shared belief that recovery efforts must be equitable and that the state has a constitutional responsibility to protect the welfare of its citizens, especially those most vulnerable.
As the survivors board the bus, they carry with them a united message: the CARE Fund is not merely a financial proposal but a promise to uphold the dignity and stability of families who have already endured profound loss.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
