Nearly $10 Million of Fire Relief Aid Distributed From GRAMMY ® Telecast Contributions

Business Wire

02-05-2025

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Three months since GRAMMY ® telecast viewers generously contributed nearly $10 million for Los Angeles Fire Relief efforts, that money has made its way to recipients across the region, helping both music professionals and the broader local population affected by the devastating wildfires.
MusiCares ® has distributed $6,125,000 to more than 3,100 music professionals across Los Angeles and $3,969,005 has been directed to three community-based organizations: California Community Foundation, Direct Relief and Pasadena Community Foundation.
Donations made during the GRAMMY telecast came from everyday supporters around the world, with the median contribution of $53.50. This overwhelming show of solidarity demonstrated how people across the globe opened their hearts, and their wallets, in support of Angelenos in need. The GRAMMY telecast also included several performances and segments dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis created by the wildfires.
'The music community does amazing things when it comes together,' said Recording Academy ® and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason jr. 'This outpouring of love and support was humbling, whether it was performing or participating on the show, making contributions or donating their time and items for fundraisers. We are grateful for this amazing community and the GRAMMY viewers who felt inspired to give.'
'What moved us most in the days following the GRAMMY telecast wasn't just the scale of support, it was the spirit behind it. Thousands of people gave what they could, and together, their generosity became a lifeline for those in crisis, which reached far beyond our industry. That's why we partnered with trusted community organizations who are helping Angelenos across the region access the care, resources and support they need to rebuild,' said Laura Segura, Executive Director of MusiCares.
When disaster strikes, emergency support is only the first step. Recovery is a phased process that stretches well beyond the news cycle. While MusiCares responded within days of the fire's outbreak to provide immediate assistance, the long-term needs of music professionals are now coming into sharper focus. From loss of work and instruments to the emotional toll of displacement and trauma, the aftermath continues to affect lives.
Few cities embody the soul of music like Los Angeles. Thousands of people here make a living in music, often relying on specialized tools and gig-based income to survive. With equipment destroyed, events canceled and homes damaged or lost, the music community has faced a multifaceted crisis. MusiCares continues to provide aid through customized case management, mental health support and financial assistance to those with lasting need.
To address the broader community impact beyond the music industry, MusiCares and the Recording Academy partnered with California Community Foundation, Direct Relief and Pasadena Community Foundation, three trusted organizations already embedded in the neighborhoods hit hardest by the fires. Below are updates on how these funds are helping rebuild Los Angeles as a whole.
California Community Foundation (CCF)
CCF is supporting groups working on rebuilding the infrastructure that binds communities. Along with funding organizations that provided cash assistance and emergency supplies immediately after the fires, we are supporting our partners in reviving the places where people in neighborhoods come together as a community.
'Recovery isn't just about rebuilding homes,' said CCF President and CEO Miguel Santana. 'People who lost their homes also lost schools, churches, stores -- the places that connected them to their neighbors to form the community they treasured. As we bring activity back to places like a park, a church, or a school, people can re-connect as a community. Those chances to be together can give people strength and hope as they continue the difficult process of rebuilding their individual lives.'
Direct Relief
In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires, Direct Relief mobilized its resources to address both the immediate and long-term healthcare needs of affected communities. As the fires displaced thousands and overwhelmed local healthcare systems, many residents—particularly those uninsured or underinsured—faced significant health risks, compounded by housing instability, food insecurity, and the loss of essential services. Direct Relief responded by delivering critical medical supplies to health centers, collaborating with local healthcare providers to ensure access to emergency care, and supporting mental health services to help survivors cope with the trauma. Beyond healthcare, the organization worked to stabilize the broader community by providing grants to local organizations focused on restoring housing, food security and essential services, ensuring a comprehensive recovery approach for those hardest hit by the disaster.
'Recovery from wildfires involves more than rebuilding physical infrastructure—it requires addressing complex social challenges such as housing instability, food insecurity, and healthcare disparities,' said Dr. Byron Scott, CEO of Direct Relief. 'Community health centers and free and charitable clinics serve as vital anchors, providing not just medical care but comprehensive support including mental health counseling, housing assistance, and nutritional services. MusiCares' generous funding will empower safety-net providers to continue delivering the holistic care that Los Angeles communities urgently need.'
Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF)
Pasadena Community Foundation has played a vital role in distributing critical resources to Altadena and surrounding communities, where many families were displaced, and community systems were overwhelmed. Through its Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund, PCF adopted a three-phase funding approach focused on immediate relief, stabilization and support, and long-term housing recovery.
Phase 1: Emergency Relief
Phase 2: Interim Housing, Children's Mental Health, Case Management, and Family and Childcare Support
Phase 3: Rebuilding Housing in Altadena through Altadena Builds Back Foundation.
In collaboration with Pasadena Unified School District and several other child health-centered nonprofits, including the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena and Pasadena Sierra Madre YMCA, PCF is now channeling funds into supporting mental health initiatives for children and subsidizing summer programming. These efforts aim to foster a sense of stability and healing for youth, particularly as the six-month post-trauma milestone—a common time when PTSD symptoms emerge—approaches this summer.
'Nonprofits in Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre have been our partners on the ground for more than 70 years. Throughout the last three months, PCF has seen these organizations meet the moment in countless ways—disbursing cash assistance and emergency supplies, securing stable housing, addressing the unique challenges of older adults, rescuing and tending to lost and injured pets, and so much more. We are so grateful for the support of organizations like MusiCares, which allowed PCF to get resources to these organizations very quickly and begin our community's recovery,' said Jeannine Bogaard, VP of Community Impact at Pasadena Community Foundation.
As Los Angeles continues to recover, MusiCares remains committed to seeing its music community through every phase of this journey. MusiCares has a long history of crisis response dating back to Hurricane Katrina and beyond and will continue to walk alongside those who have lost so much until they are fully back on their feet.
For more information on the MusiCares Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort or to donate, please visit www.musicares.org.
ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum ®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares ®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards ® — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
For more information about the GRAMMY Awards and the Recording Academy, please visit GRAMMY.com and RecordingAcademy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on X, 'like' Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. For media assets, please visit the Recording Academy's Press Room.
MusiCares helps the humans behind music because music gives so much to the world. Offering preventive, emergency and recovery programs, MusiCares is a safety net supporting the health and welfare of the music community. Founded by the Recording Academy in 1989 as a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) charity, MusiCares safeguards the well-being of all music people through direct financial grant programs, networks of support resources, and tailored crisis relief efforts. For more information please visit: www.musicares.org.