Fundraising for Long-Term Recovery Efforts Continues to Support Victims in Los Angeles
CHARLESTON, S.C., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, is sharing how its customers are raising funds for ongoing disaster relief and recovery efforts for the people of Los Angeles in the wake of the catastrophic fires that burned more than 50,000 acres and destroyed many communities.
"In this difficult time, we're proud to support our customers' vital work to help individuals and communities across the greater Los Angeles area get back on their feet," said Mike Gianoni, president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors, Blackbaud. "From nonprofits to corporate foundations to K-12 schools, our customers are stepping up and providing critical resources for affected communities and the rebuilding process. We're honored to support these organizations and power the impact that will make a tangible difference in so many lives."
Nonprofits Providing Critical Services and Raising Funds Nonprofits across the country and around the world rely on Blackbaud technology to manage donor outreach and process donations. Many in the Los Angeles area and beyond have stepped up to provide resources and support for victims of the recent wildfires, responding to both immediate needs during the onset of the fires, and attending to long-term needs as recovery continues.
Foothill Family is providing several critical recovery services for the community, including accessible mental health care and on-the-ground mental health support in partnership with the American Red Cross; offering workspaces for organizations displaced by the fires; supporting displaced students with resources for navigating emotions and managing stress; creating wellness and resilience workshops to help children and families process trauma and begin to rebuild, and more.
Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles has more than 3,000 members who have been impacted by the wildfires, either being forced to evacuate or losing their homes completely. For their annual cookie season, the organization has set up a dedicated cookie sales page with purchases and donations going directly to support affected members and their families. In addition, the team has created a wildfire resources and support page on their website with information on how to help affected Girl Scout troops and families through uniform and badge donations to replace those lost in the fires, and a letter-writing campaign that's generated more than 5,600 letters of encouragement for impacted Girl Scouts so far.
Jewish Family Service LA (JFSLA) has been a cornerstone of support for the diverse communities of Los Angeles for over 170 years. Addressing challenges such as homelessness, mental health care, food insecurity, domestic violence and poverty, JFSLA offers a network of comprehensive social services tailored to meet the wide-ranging needs of individuals and families.
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank distributes food and other essentials to individuals in need. The organization has increased its operations and program activity to respond to the impact of the wildfires, convening more than 9,000 volunteers and distributing more than 24.5 million pounds of food and products since the outbreak of the fires.
Union Station Homeless Services set up an emergency relief fund to support critical needs like emergency housing, food, and supplies for those displaced by the fires. The organization is now transitioning from emergency response to community recovery, helping assemble essential items needed to provide a foundation for rebuilding.
"The recent fires have left widespread devastation in our community, causing deep emotional wounds for countless families, especially children," said Steve Allen, CEO, Foothill Family. "The need for mental health support continues to grow as individuals process their grief and trauma. We're committed to walking alongside our community every step of the way, ensuring children, families, and individuals have the support they need to heal and rebuild their lives. The long-term recovery efforts will take all of us coming together to meet the needs of the community."
Corporate Customers Supporting the Cause Corporations leveraging YourCause® from Blackbaud® have been able to quickly deploy employee giving and matching donation campaigns to cultivate the generosity of their workforce. To date, more than 215 companies have set up dedicated response programs on the YourCause platform, facilitating more than $8.1 million for Los Angeles wildfire relief through employee donations and corporate matches. These donations are supporting organizations like American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, Pasadena Humane, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, and California Community Foundation.
In response to the California wildfires, Pennymac, a leading national home loan lender and servicer, implemented a robust employee-driven campaign, focused on donations, matching gifts, volunteerism and volunteer grants. To maximize the impact of employee donations, the company established a 5:1 matching program, a substantial increase from their standard 1:1 or 2:1 match. Furthermore, recognizing the value of volunteerism, Pennymac is providing $100 volunteer grants for every hour of service dedicated to relief efforts, a considerable enhancement from the standard $100 per 10 hours. Both the matching gift and volunteer grant programs have no dollar cap, ensuring maximum support for those affected.
"Pennymac acknowledges the significant challenges Los Angeles has faced, and we are inspired by the collective strength and resilience of the communities we serve," said Kisha Parker Croom, Managing Director of Corporate Sustainability at Pennymac. "Our commitment is to support the rebuilding and healing efforts of vital organizations, restore hope to affected communities, and empower our workforce to actively participate in these relief efforts."
Blackbaud's Commitment In support of the Los Angeles fires, Blackbaud has donated to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the American Red Cross. In addition, the company recently announced a multi-year, major gift to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to foster disaster response and resilience in global communities on a broad scale.
About Blackbaud Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, India and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more atwww.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Forward-looking Statements Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.
