The Walt Disney Company is committing $15 million to recovery efforts in the Los Angeles area, following this week's devastating fires.
"We will be supporting vital organizations offering essential services on the ground, including the American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, among others," Disney said in its press release announcing the donations.
Disney is also supporting its Employee Relief Fund to help cast members facing hardship due to the fires, which have burned thousands of homes. Disney's corporate headquarters in Burbank stands not far from where the Eaton Fire destroyed much of the community of Altadena, which has been home to many Disney cast members and Imagineers.
"As this tragedy continues to unfold, The Walt Disney Company is committed to supporting our community and our employees as we all work together to recover and rebuild from this unbelievable devastation," Bob Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company, said. "Walt Disney came to Los Angeles with little more than his limitless imagination, and it was here that he chose to make his home, pursue his dreams, and create extraordinary storytelling that means so much to so many people around the world. We are proud to provide assistance to this resilient and vibrant community in this moment of need."
To illustrate in one image what the community is facing, I want to share a photo that a friend forwarded me this morning.
This is what remains of the auditorium at the Eliot Arts Magnet school in Altadena, California. It's just one of the schools in the public Pasadena Unified School District that have been devastated by the Eaton Fire. Thousands of students and teachers in the district have lost their homes or schools in this disaster.
If all you know is the Rose Parade, you might think that Pasadena is a wealthy community, but its school district is not. It is where the working people of Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre send their children. It's where my kids went to school. And it needs our help.
I don't have anywhere near the resources of The Walt Disney Company, but today, I donated to the Pasadena Educational Foundation to help support affected schools and families in the district. Here is that link. I hope that you will consider donating, too.
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