The contribution will strengthen medium- and long-term recovery efforts in communities affected by the California wildfires and Tibet earthquakes
SARASOTA, Fla. , Feb. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Patterson Foundation is providing $500,000 to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) to strengthen recovery from recent global disasters. The total contribution includes:
- $250,000 to the CDP California Wildfires Recovery Fund to support communities across the state as they work to rebuild and recover.
- $250,000 to the CDP Global Recovery Fund to strengthen recovery efforts from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake and aftershocks that struck Tibet and other disasters worldwide.
2025 began with multiple devastating natural disasters worldwide. In early January, a Santa Ana wind event struck Los Angeles County with winds up to 80mph. The winds combined with drought conditions and warmer-than-typical temperatures caused a massive wildfire starting in Pacific Palisades and subsequent fires in Lidia, Sunset, Eaton and Hurst. Of these, the Eaton and Palisades fires are two of the top five most destructive fires in California's history.
On Jan. 7, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Tibet, killing at least 126 people in one of China's deadliest quakes in recent years. Two powerful aftershocks followed on Jan. 13 – a magnitude 4.9 quake and then a magnitude 5.0 one minute later. More than 1,000 homes were damaged, leaving many without shelter.
Through these contributions, The Patterson Foundation hopes to catalyze recovery efforts from these disasters in the months and years to come while highlighting the prevalence of large-scale disasters affecting people around the world.
"While much of our focus is on our surrounding four-county region in Florida, we are also citizens of the world," said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. "The Patterson Foundation knows it can't do everything, which is why it works with time-tested partners like the Center for Disaster Philanthropy who have the network and knowledge to make a difference."
CDP works to connect donors with insight and information from experts in philanthropy and frontline organizations to increase donors' impact before and after domestic and international disasters. According to CDP's State of Disaster Philanthropy report, 66 percent of all funds donated by foundations, corporations and public charities to disaster response in 2022 were for immediate relief efforts, while less than 12 percent were for long-term recovery.
The CDP California Wildfires Recovery Fund is focused on medium- and long-term needs in the impacted regions, especially those of more vulnerable populations, such as rebuilding homes and livelihoods, supporting mental health services, and addressing other urgent challenges identified by the affected communities that arise as recovery efforts progress.
The CDP Global Recovery Fund provides critical life-saving and life-sustaining funding for low-attention disasters where situations remain dire or high-attention disasters with underfunded recovery needs. The Patterson Foundation helped catalyze the CDP Global Recovery Fund through a $1 million commitment and match at its 2019 launch.
"The wildfires across Los Angeles County continue to burn as survivors grapple with what's next on the long road to rebuilding lives and communities. Meanwhile, around the world, devastating disasters and humanitarian crises also demand our attention," said Patricia McIlreavy, president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. "In these challenging times, we are grateful to The Patterson Foundation for its generous support and continued leadership in mobilizing much-needed resources for recovery and rebuilding efforts both in the U.S. and abroad."
Both funds are a resource for donors interested in contributing to disaster relief and recovery efforts to give proactively. Any support will go toward medium- and long-term recovery efforts such as rebuilding homes, infrastructures and livelihoods for communities affected by the disasters.
Since 2013, The Patterson Foundation has given more than $7 million to CDP for operations and recovery efforts in the aftermath of disasters around the world.
To learn more about the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and to contribute to either its CDP California Wildfires Recovery Fund or its CDP Global Recovery Fund, visit disasterphilanthropy.org. Please visit thepattersonfoundation.org for more information on The Patterson Foundation.
About The Patterson Foundation
The Patterson Foundation strengthens the efforts of people, organizations and communities. The Foundation focuses on issues that address common aspirations and foster wide participation, along with ways organizations learn and share as they evolve. For more information, please visit www.thepattersonfoundation.org.
About the Center for Disaster Philanthropy
CDP mobilizes philanthropy to strengthen communities' ability to withstand disasters and recover equitably when they occur. It provides expert advice and educational resources, supports diverse coalitions and manages domestic and international disaster funds on behalf of corporations, foundations and individuals through targeted, holistic and localized grantmaking. Find out more at disasterphilanthropy.org and on X and LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Branan Jacobs, The Patterson Foundation, 1 941-953-9191 Ext. 2, [email protected]
SOURCE The Patterson Foundation
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