One Year After the Wildfires: A Story of Collective Healing & Resilience

On January 7, 2025, when the Palisades and Eaton wildfires tore through Los Angeles, life changed overnight for thousands of individuals and families, including Carola Secada. The Eaton Fire not only destroyed her family’s home in Altadena but also disrupted their lives, tested their resilience, and began a long journey toward healing and recovery.

One year later, the impact of the wildfires remains—but so does the strength of our community. Through the Wildfire Response Fund and thanks to the ongoing commitment of our supporters, corporate partners and donors, United Way of Greater Los Angeles continues to stand alongside survivors, helping them rebuild not just homes, but a brighter future.

Like thousands of others who lost their homes, Secada and her family still live with uncertainty. They debate whether rebuilding is even possible. Their love for the community remains strong, but the emotional toll of navigating the barriers weighs heavily.

“We would love to stay in Altadena, but we also have to center our wellness and health. Coming back is still an option.” For now, they remain in a long-term rental.

As a cancer survivor who endured a family loss before the fires, Secada’s grief after the wildfire was overwhelming. “At first, we were all in shock. The best thing I could do was get to work—help others,” she said.

Carola Secada with other fire survivors at a donation event at DENA Heals.

Secada channeled her pain into action, founding DENA Heals as an emergency hub to provide resources and a safe space amid the devastation. Within days, DENA Heals began offering culturally centered healing programs for fire survivors. With funding from United Way of Greater LA and others, nearly 2,000 people have received emotional support through Dean Heal’s offerings of yoga, meditation, healing circles, and more.

In June, DENA Heals joined five other organizations forming the Wildfire Response Collaborative, organized and funded through the United Way’s Wildfire Response Fund. Partners include LA Voice, Bet Tzedek, Project Passion, and My Tribe Rise, working together to provide financial and legal assistance along with emotional healing. The collaborative has provided support services to at least 8,000 fire survivors.

For more than 100 years, United Way of Greater Los Angeles has responded to crises—wars, disasters, pandemics—by uniting people and bringing resources to support recovery and resilience. Our experience allowed us to respond quickly with a roadmap for recovery. Thanks to our generous supporters, we were able to launch the Wildfire Response Fund within 24 hours of the fires and quickly distribute more than $2.5 million to 30 organizations serving fire survivors across Los Angeles.

Brandon Lamar, founder of Project Passion and president of NAACP-Pasadena, has led efforts to provide food and financial assistance to at least 2,000 people with funding from the United Way Wildfire Response Fund.

Brandon Lamar

“The day after the fire, we had over 200 volunteers that came to the relief drive to really help their own community. These are people that have lost their homes, were displaced by the fire, and still they decided to come together and give back to their community,” Lamar said. “That showed the real heart of our Altadena community. The way we stand together and uplift each other.”

“We are values-aligned. Even with different methods, we share the same vision. We come to that space with creativity and hope,” Secada said of the collaboration with Lamar’s and the other organizations.

In the months ahead, the collaborative is working to develop a “People’s Action Plan,” a community-driven framework focused on co-creating solutions with residents that shape policies and projects impacting their neighborhoods. This work is facilitated by Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), with the objective of creating a build/design blueprint for a public space based on what community members articulate as their current needs and preservation goals.

As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, our mission is clear: to restore housing stability, foster collective healing, and create a stronger, more resilient Altadena and Los Angeles region.

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