Stoller's $3M Gift Aims to Heal Fire Scars and Historical Injustices

LOS ANGELES, CA – December 16, 2025 – In a landmark philanthropic move, songwriting legend Mike Stoller and his wife, esteemed jazz musician Corky Hale Stoller, have pledged $3 million to support Black communities in Altadena and Pasadena still reeling from the catastrophic wildfires that swept through the region in January. The contribution is directed to the Black LA Relief & Recovery Fund, an initiative designed not only to rebuild homes but to actively dismantle the systemic inequities that made these historically Black neighborhoods uniquely vulnerable in the first place.

The fund, spearheaded by the Black Freedom Fund (BFF) in partnership with the California Community Foundation (CCF), represents a paradigm shift in disaster response—one that places power and resources directly into the hands of the communities most affected.

The Echoes of History in the Ashes

The devastation of the January 2025 wildfires, particularly the Eaton Fire, was not a random tragedy. The blaze, which scorched over 14,000 acres and destroyed more than 9,400 structures, cut a devastating path through the very heart of Altadena and Pasadena’s long-standing Black communities. Preliminary assessments revealed a staggering truth: nearly half of the households destroyed or severely damaged in Altadena belonged to Black residents. This disproportionate impact is deeply rooted in the region's history of racial segregation.

For decades, discriminatory practices like redlining and racist housing covenants systematically shaped the geography of Los Angeles County. Residential Security Maps from the 1930s designated Black and mixed-race neighborhoods as "hazardous" for investment, effectively denying residents access to federally-backed mortgages and financial resources. In Altadena and Pasadena, these policies corralled Black families into specific areas, often in less desirable locations closer to environmental hazards like canyons prone to wildfires.

This segregation was compounded in the 1960s when the construction of the 210 freeway displaced numerous Black families from Pasadena, many of whom resettled northward in Altadena. While these families built vibrant, tight-knit communities and established deep roots with high rates of homeownership, their neighborhoods remained on the front lines of environmental risk—a legacy of injustice that turned a natural disaster into a social catastrophe.

A New Model for Equitable Recovery

Recognizing that conventional disaster relief often fails to address these underlying issues, the Black LA Relief & Recovery Fund is pioneering a different approach. As California's first and only Black community foundation, the Black Freedom Fund is focused on building long-term power and resilience from within.

The Stollers' contribution is a critical catalyst for this mission. "This isn't just about houses," said Mike Stoller in a statement. "It's about people - people, for many years denied equal access to real estate in Los Angeles…people who created a community for their families and friends, their churches and businesses. Corky and I wish to support the preservation of this community and to inspire others to help in that preservation."

This philosophy directly challenges the typical post-disaster cycle, where displaced, under-insured families are often forced to sell their land to developers and never return, eroding generational wealth and community fabric. The fund’s community-led model aims to reverse this trend by providing holistic support that empowers residents to rebuild on their own terms.

From Funding to Foundations on the Ground

Over the past year, the fund has already channeled investments into 37 grassroots organizations providing a spectrum of critical services. These groups are on the front lines, offering everything from immediate housing stabilization and financial aid to mental health programs for grieving families and policy advocacy to protect Black homeownership.

Partners like Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County (NHSLA) are providing families with the trusted, one-on-one guidance needed to navigate the labyrinthine process of recovery. "Across every stage of this recovery, families are carrying layers of loss. We care about every family and not just that they return home, but how they return home matters," says Lori Gay, President & CEO of NHSLA. Her organization offers a full suite of homeownership programs, including free property assessments, financial counseling, affordable loans, and construction management to help residents close the gap often left by insurance and federal aid. "Black homeowners shouldn't be forced into displacement simply because the system wasn't built for them," Gay adds.

The Stollers’ investment has already yielded tangible results. Jasmin Shupper, Founder and CEO of Greenline Housing Foundation, confirmed the funds are making an immediate difference. "This investment secured two community lots for our novel landbanking model, in addition to supporting housing grants to 33 families, opened new housing pathways through a corporate lease, and launched rebuilding support to close the gap left by insurance and FEMA," Shupper explained. "Our focus is keeping families rooted in the communities they call home."

This work is crucial, as Corky Hale Stoller noted, because history has shown the dire consequences of displacement. "If families are forced to leave while they rebuild, the odds of returning drop dramatically. We're working to change that," she stated.

The donation from Mike Stoller—famed for co-writing timeless hits like "Hound Dog," "Jailhouse Rock," and "Stand by Me"—and Corky Hale Stoller is more than charity; it is a strategic investment in justice. It fortifies a model where philanthropy trusts and empowers community leaders to heal not just the scars left by fire, but the deeper wounds of a century of inequity, ensuring that the rebuilding of Altadena and Pasadena is also a renewal of hope and Black prosperity.