Thank you to our ECO family for your generous support of Southern Californians impacted by the wildfires!  We want to share with you some of the stories of gratitude.  Following are examples of how your ECO Fire Response Fund has helped individuals, families, and church communities as they attempt to recover from the massive and widespread devastation.  In general, names are not provided 

“In as much as you have helped the least of these my brethren, you have helped me.”  That’s our job as hands and feet of Christ.

1. A family of five (including two young children) whose home in Altadena was completely destroyed on January 8^th is now in a sixth rental house because of difficulties acquiring insurance payout, and finding that all appliances and furnishings are not provided with this rental. The head of the family was approached by a lay leader at Glenkirk Church; and after initially receiving two $250 gift cards, requested funds to purchase a washer and dryer.  Upon receiving an additional $2000 in funding that covers not only the purchase, but also the installation, of an appropriately priced washer and dryer, the applicant expressed her sincere gratitude to Glenkirk Church for connecting her to this important and timely blessing.
2. The Altadena home of a family of four, with two young children and one parent unemployed, although still existing is currently uninhabitable, as it sustained extensive smoke and water damage, particularly to the roof.  And, the insurance company is refusing to declare the extent of roof damage sufficient to require total replacement; hence, there is a complaint in process that is holding up work and extending the time to live elsewhere.  The family car also sustained extensive damage and must be refurbished in order to be drivable.  The family was connected by a Glenkirk Church deacon to the ECO Southern California Fire Response Fund; and the family has received a $5000 gift to aid in paying rent and vehicle refurbishment.  This gift is truly a gift, as it is not a loan and the family’s gratitude is priceless.
   
3. The daughter of a deacon at Christ Pacific Church and her husband and two young children completely lost their home in Altadena, along with all furnishings and much clothing.  They were unable to acquire a rental that included enough beds; so, the two children were sleeping on the floor.  Through the church’s connection to the Fire Response Fund, the family requested and received $500 which purchased a pair of bunk beds for the children.  This initial gift primed the pump of hope and follow-through that has driven a so-far successful process of re-establishing a healthy living environment for the family.
   
4. A psychologist formally trained and previously practicing in Denmark for ten years was living in a rented room in Altadena while taking online courses to gain a renewed license in California. However, she had not changed any paperwork to the new address, including not even on her driver’s license; so, she had no rental insurance to cover her loss.  The rental home was completely burned out in the Altadena fire; thereby necessitating her to live in various temporary places while trying to complete her online course work.  She returned to Denmark for two weeks in order to attend to various tasks related to closing out her practice there including past taxes on her private practice. She is now back in the U.S. trying to advertise for and build a local practice, and needs more permanent housing.  During her search she traveled extensively in a large radius from Valencia, to Westwood to Buena Park to San Diego to Banning (spending $550 on gas for her car) while bouncing between temporary homes with family members and friends and even taking pet/housesitting positions.  She identified a rental opportunity that required she prepay three month’s rent at $1500 per month.  So, her request, which we honored through St. Andrews Church connection to Altadena losses response, was for $550 + $4500 = $5050.  Hopefully, her practice here will help some of those who, as she was, have been displaced by the fires.

5. The ECO Fire Response Fund gave Malibu Pacific Church 50 cash gift cards, totaling $12,500. The church gifted those cards to 29 families to help with their expenses related to the Pacific Palisades Fire.  Malibu Pacific Church is well acquainted with wildfires. On October 21, 2007, the church was burned to the ground in a wildfire. They were able to hold their first service inside their new building on January 27, 2013. In December 2024 the Franklin Fire burned to their parking lot, resulting in smoke damage. Their Christmas Eve service was held on the patio. They were just cleared to go back inside the church for services on January 7, 2025, the day the Pacific Palisades Fire erupted. A local Malibu Volunteer Fire Brigade sent a team out to the church, vowing to protect it in case the Palisades Fire got close. Because of the timing, they were unable to hold services in the sanctuary from early December until early February.

   In spite of this, they continue to work tirelessly to love people, come alongside them, provide support, and be a force to help rebuild their city. They were so thankful for the gift cards, allowing the church to give them out and show love to those experiencing pain. They thank everyone that contributed to the Fire Response Fund for supporting those who have suffered such loss in their community.

6. A single mom was given a gift card from Malibu Pacific Church. She sent a text, thanking them for the gift from ECO and Malibu Pacific Church. She was brought to tears of gratitude to know that someone saw her and cared for her at this time. She said “some days are more difficult than others. Everyone’s prayers, God’s grace, and little moments like this keep me going. With a big thanks and love.”
   

7. A cash gift card was given, through Malibu Pacific Church, to a five-person family. They sent a text message with a picture of a drawer full of silverware and the message “Thank you, Malibu Pacific Church and ECO. Having flatware again is amazing and I think of my church family every time I use it. It’s the little things that matter right now”.

8. A cash gift card was given to a single woman through a contact at El Montecito Presbyterian Church. She was no longer able to work at her job at JPL in Pasadena due to a degenerative disease. She is sometimes wheelchair bound and was living with her brother and sister-in-law when their home and all of their belongings were destroyed in the Altadena Fire. While they were able to find a place to live in Thousand Oaks, they were still assessing and processing their losses. She sent a text of thanks, saying “We’re grateful we have a place to live, but every day is a new day of discovering things that were lost. This morning, I had to go out and buy a pair of scissors and some tape, because we no longer had them. It’s the little things like this that your gift card will help us with. God bless you and the people that have been so generous to donate to your fund.”
   

9. A cash gift card was given to a couple through a contact at El Montecito Presbyterian Church. They lost their home and belongings in the Altadena Fire, escaping with only their two cars. She told a harrowing story of driving away with the neighborhood on fire and fire on both sides of the street as they drove out. They are staying with her parents in Carson, but that is a temporary solution, because when their kids return home from university for the summer, there won’t be enough room in the house. They are grateful that most of their son’s and daughter’s belongings were with them as they were both away at school. They both worked at JPL in Pasadena, but he had just been laid off in December.  She expressed gratitude for the gift card. Although it doesn’t seem like a lot, considering what they lost, it makes them feel loved and cared for. They are also planning on rebuilding as soon as possible and the money will help with all of the fees they are needing to pay for permits and applications.