FIREAID Letter to Annenberg: Where’s the Money?

Olivia Rodrigo; Stevie Nicks; Stevie Wonder; Pink were among the A-list of stars who performed to raise money for fire victims.

(Editor’s note: CTN ran a story on May 12, “Fire Aid Concerts Net $100 Million: Fire Victims Ask Where’s the Money?” Subsequently the Westside Current ran the story on May 13. The Pacific Palisades Community Council sent the letter (below) on May 15. KABC Radio Host Randy Wang has invited this editor to speak about the story on Monday, May 19. He takes comments from callers and you are invited to dial in.)

To Annenberg Foundation: Via email communications@annenberg.org, Wallis Annenberg, Chair, Board of Directors Via email info@annenberg.org, Cinny Kennard, Executive Director Via email ckinnard@annenberg.org, Barbara Chen, Media Strategist Via email bchen@annenberg.org

Re: FireAid Concert Donations – Accounting

Dear Ms. Annenberg, Ms. Kinnard and Ms. Chen:

Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) has been the most broad-based community organization and voice of Pacific Palisades since 1973. As you know, our community was devastated by the massive Palisades Fire in January 2025. Community members were forced to evacuate on an emergency basis, with many fleeing on foot from encroaching flames.

Thousands of our members, friends and neighbors lost their homes and a lifetime of possessions (including all three of the undersigned); our business community was largely destroyed; our beloved recreation center was substantially damaged; our library, our houses of worship and other landmark gathering places are gone; and all community members were traumatized by this unprecedented catastrophe.

In addition, hundreds if not thousands of Palisades homeowners were uninsured or underinsured. As a result, innumerable Palisadians will be faced with the difficult choice of either leaving the Palisades – where they expected to live out the remainder of their lives – or substantially reducing their retirement funds in order to rebuild, placing them in a potentially precarious economic position going forward.

Against this backdrop, we were heartened to learn of the FireAid Concert, which reportedly raised over $100 million (and by some recent reports, purportedly over $800 million) in donations that were intended to help victims of the Palisades and Eaton Fires. We were also encouraged that the Annenberg Foundation would oversee distribution of the funds raised. We thank the Foundation and Concert organizers for their work in raising these substantial funds to assist communities affected by the fires.

However, almost four months after the Concert, we now write to inquire as to the extent to which any of the donated funds have in fact been distributed to assist actual victims of the Palisades Fire.

Unfortunately, this information is not available either on https://annenberg.org/ or on https://fireaidla.org/.

When your website indicates that the Annenberg Foundation advised the “FireAid Grants Advisory Committee” as to distribution of grants from donated funds, which were in turn awarded by the “FireAid Board of Directors” (unfortunately, there is no information on the FireAid website as to who are members of the FireAid Board). The FireAid website also states that donations are continuing to be received, with matching funds (“dollar for dollar”) donated by Connie and Steve Ballmer (https://fireaidla.org/#donate).

Moreover, the Annenberg Foundation website states that additional donations totaling $3.175 million have been paid or committed by the Foundation to “over fifty nonprofit community partners” for fire relief (aside from FireAid grants). There is no information after February 2025 on either the Annenberg Foundation website or the FireAid website as to the status of FireAid grants, other donations made or committed, or donations received for fire aid and relief.

One of the undersigned recently repeatedly called your office for more information, she received no response to her calls and messages.

Moreover, the FireAid website (a link buried on your website) lists only names of organizations, not the amounts given to each and whether or how any funds were distributed to victims of the Palisades Fire. In fact, our investigation mirrors the efforts described by a local journalist in the Westside Current: click here.

More specifically, the FireAid website names only three Palisades organizations that received grants (among almost 120 organizations listed as receiving grants, none of whom are specific to Pacific Palisades): Kehillat Israel, Chabad of Pacific Palisades and Palisades Charter High School.

While we are pleased that these respected community entities received grants, it is not clear how distributions to these organizations specifically helped fire victims throughout the Palisades. Indeed, other than funds to rebuild Palisades High (which are greatly appreciated), it is currently unclear whether any of the tens of millions of dollars in FireAid funds have actually gone to help the wider Palisades community or specific fire victims, either in the short or long term.

As the voice of the Palisades, PPCC accordingly requests that the Annenberg Foundation provide an accounting of all funds donated in connection with the FireAid Concert, including any and all matching funds for donated amounts provided by the Ballmers; the grant amounts that were received by each of the organizations listed on the FireAid website; all funds donated or committed to be donated by the Annenberg Foundation (aside from FireAid) for fire relief, and the specific amounts that have been distributed to date to actual victims of the Palisades Fire and/or toward recovery and rebuilding from the Fire.

We also request that you provide a more detailed explanation as to how the FireAid Grants Advisory Committee determined to make grants to the recipients listed on the FireAid website, including an explanation as to why only three Palisades-specific organizations were included.

Finally, we ask that you please advise whether the Annenberg Foundation or FireAid websites will be updated as of May 2025 to list any additional grants made since February 2025.

Thank you for your consideration and anticipated prompt attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Sue Kohl, President

Christina Spitz, At-large Representative

Kimberly Bloom Area 5 Representative

Pacific Palisades Community Council

www.pacpalicc.org

Tahitian Terrace and Palisades Bowl mobile homes parks were destroyed in the Palisades Fire. Those victims have received no funds from FireAid.