LIFT International Church in Altadena launched its financial aid support program on March 30.

More than 30 families affected by the Eaton fire took the first steps in getting help from the North Lake Avenue church. The Eaton fire erupted on Jan. 7 and took a month to contain. It destroyed more than 9,000 structures, killed 18 people and caused from $7 billion to $10 billion in damage.

“At LIFT International Church, we believe in the strength of community and the importance of providing support where it’s needed most,” said the Rev. Anthony McFarland. “This financial aid program is a testament to our commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of our community members.”

McFarland and his wife, Micheline, lost their Altadena home of 32 years in the Eaton fire. They were unable to rescue their pets Ziggy, their 4-year-old white poodle, and their cat Sophie, both of whom were lost in the fire. They said they are one of about 6,000 households who face the decision to stay and rebuild or sell and move away.

The couple, who raised two daughters in Altadena, and continue their ministry there, are determined to rebuild. They want people to get educated on their options no matter what decision they make.

“It’s their home,” Robert McFarland said shortly after the fires. “It’s their place, that people you know years ago set down the stakes and paid the price for them to be here, and that they should stay, that they should rebuild. And if they decide not to rebuild, they should sell to a young family that looks like them for a reasonable price who could not otherwise afford to live here.”

The McFarlands founded LIFT International as Abundant Harvest Christian Center in 2000, serving as a church and community hub for those in need. After the fires it opened a crisis center, offering food, clothing, food, toiletries, counseling and hope to victims seeking to rebuild their lives, said spokesman Ron Carter.

McFarland also led a meeting at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pasadena on April 4, inviting representatives from FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, emergency responders, nonprofits and experts on insurance and other related matters, such as land trusts, lot sales and lawsuits. Their church has been sharing space with the Presbyterian congregation since the fires.

For more information, go to lift411.org or call 626- 797-6056.

The church is one of 28 trusted community groups rooted in the Black community of Pasadena and Altadena that is supported by the Black L.A. Relief and Recovery Fund, which will distribute $2.2 million through a fund established by the California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF) and the California Community Foundation.

“I am profoundly moved by the community leaders we’ve met since we opened this fund,” said Marc Philpart, executive director of CBFF. “Collectively, they are providing direct relief, advocating for the needs of those displaced and impacted by the fires, and doing the important work of rebuilding their community during one of the singular greatest climate crises the region has ever seen.”

For its first round of funding, CBFF identified the 28 groups that directly support residents with housing, financial aid, goods distribution, youth services, counseling and healing. In addition, these local leaders are building power among residents so they can return, reclaim and rebuild amidst threats like landgrabs and gentrification, fund officials said.

“Donors must step up to help impacted communities rise from the ashes,” said Miguel Santata, president and CEO of California Community Foundation. “This is our opportunity to support the Black community in shaping the future they envision.”

Another fund recipient is DENA Relief Drive, which launched on Jan. 8 and used local networks to provide supplies and programs to wildfire victims. Brandon Lamar, founder of DENA Relief Drive, said while disasters don’t discriminate, recovery efforts do.

“We are working hard to make sure this is not our community’s reality,” Lamar said. “Altadena and Pasadena have always stood strong in the face of adversity, and now, that resilience and unity are driving real action. I’m continually inspired by the power of our community — how we rise, organize and support one another. This moment reaffirms that, together, we can tackle even our most complex challenges.”