The organization raised $26 million during Grammy Weekend events in February
Three months since Grammys 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 million to more than 3,100 music professionals across Los Angeles and $3.969 million 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.
โThe music community does amazing things when it comes together,โ states Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason Jr. โThis 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.โ
โWhat moved us most in the days following the Grammy telecast wasnโt 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. Thatโs why we partnered with trusted community organizations who are helping Angelenos across the region access the care, resources and support they need to rebuild,โ adds 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.
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.
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 residentsโparticularly those uninsured or underinsuredโfaced 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.
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 is Emergency Relief.ย Phase 2 is Interim Housing, Children’s Mental Health, Case Management, and Family and Childcare Support. Phase 3 is 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 milestoneโa common time when PTSD symptoms emergeโapproaches this summer.
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.