Chapter One
This is
Altadena.
For generations, this was more than a place on a map. It was home.
A foothill community of deep roots—families, neighbors, and a history stretching back generations.
January 7
2025
The Eaton Fire
At 6:18 PM, a fire ignited in Eaton Canyon. Driven by powerful Santa Ana winds, it tore through Altadena with a ferocity no one could have imagined.
The fire ended.
The crisis didn't.
Altadena woke to devastation. Entire blocks reduced to ash. Neighbors displaced. And an overwhelming question:
What do we do now?
When everything changes,
information becomes
infrastructure.
Residents needed trusted, understandable, hyper-local information about what was happening and what came next. Not national news. Not rumors. Not social media speculation. They needed neighbors who understood their community talking to them about their community.
The People Behind the Microphone
Brian Baccus
Co-Founder
Entrepreneur and community leader. An Altadenan who lost his own home in the Eaton Fire and stepped up when his community needed a voice.
Antoinette "Toni" Raines
Co-Founder · NHN Founder
U.S. Air Force veteran, systems administrator, and consultant whose parents lost their home in the Eaton Fire. Founder of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Initiative℠ and a co-host of the Altadena Talks Podcast.
Jamal Smith
Co-Founder
An Altadenan whose family suffered devastating losses in the fire. Became a driving force in building ATF from the ground up.
Marcus Betts
Board Member
An Altadena leader serving on ATF's Board of Directors. His family was among those who lost their home in the Eaton Fire, fueling his commitment to helping the community rebuild.
These were not outside reporters parachuting into a disaster. They were Altadenans living through it.
One community.
One conversation at a time.
Hundreds of conversations about rebuilding, insurance, housing, FEMA, legislation, mental health, local businesses, and the future of Altadena.
Hundreds of episodes. Thousands of questions. One community trying to find its way home.
Ashes & Purpose — Team Rubicon & the Altadena recovery
Talking wasn't enough.
We went to work.
The work expanded beyond broadcasting and information into organized charitable programs, community service, recovery, resilience, accessible communication, and direct action.
Neighbors
Helping
Neighbors.
After the Eaton Fire, many properties remained vacant, damaged, or awaiting reconstruction. Vegetation returned. Fire hazards increased. Some displaced homeowners faced the additional burden of maintaining properties they could not yet rebuild. The community responded.
Numbers tell part of the story.
People tell the rest.
Cleanup figures update automatically from our live Neighbors Helping Neighbors dashboard.
Families who needed help — every one a moment someone raised their hand and said: I can't do this alone.
Places where a homeowner didn't have to face the work alone — properties made safe by neighbors.
232 people who showed up — not for pay, not for recognition — but because they believed in their community.
Every dollar directed toward Altadena's recovery. Equipment, supplies, programs, and direct community support.
1.5 million moments when someone in Altadena watched, listened, and learned something that helped them move forward.
Episodes of neighbors talking to neighbors about what matters most — rebuilding their lives.
Recovery is physical.
Recovery is financial.
Recovery is emotional.
Recovery is community.
Rebuilding a community requires more than construction. ATF's Community Wellness & Recovery Series brings together health professionals, nonprofits, agencies, and businesses to support residents through every dimension of recovery.
Moments that brought us
back together.
January 7, 2025
The Eaton Fire
A fire ignites in Eaton Canyon, forever changing Altadena. 14,021 acres burn over 24 days.
January 16, 2025
ATF Incorporated
Altadena Talks Foundation officially files as a California 501(c)(3) — nine days after the fire.
March 8, 2025
Builders Town Hall
Hundreds of residents meet architects, designers, and builders at 1497 N. Hill Ave to navigate the path to rebuilding.
April 7, 2025
Altadena Day
A wellness day for children and families — food, games, and activities to give the community a moment of joy.
November 22, 2025
A Day of Thanks
Hundreds of Altadena residents gather at Loma Alta Park Gym to share a meal, community, and gratitude.
May 2026
NHN Initiative Launches
The Neighbors Helping Neighbors Initiative℠ formally launches, clearing fire-damaged properties across Altadena.
2025 & 2026
Candid Platinum
ATF earns Candid Platinum transparency for two consecutive years — the highest recognition for nonprofit accountability.
November 22, 2025
A Day of Thanks
Five programs. Five answers.
Every program exists because a disaster exposed a need. Here's what we found — and how we responded.
The Problem
Residents couldn't find trusted, hyper-local information after the fire.
Our Response
Altadena Community Information & Public Media ProgramDelivered through the Altadena Talks Daily Podcast, this program provides residents with reliable, accessible information about community issues, disaster recovery resources, and local services. After the Eaton Fire, many residents struggled to find timely, accurate updates on housing assistance, health services, and recovery programs. Live weekday broadcasts help residents understand recovery programs, navigate resources, and connect directly with trusted community leaders and experts.
The Problem
People needed direct access to officials, agencies, and reliable answers.
Our Response
Altadena Community Resilience & Recovery ForumsA series of in-person town halls and virtual civic check-ins that give residents direct access to information, resources, and community leadership following major emergencies such as the Eaton Fire. The forums create space to ask questions, receive reliable updates, and connect with organizations providing recovery assistance — covering housing, FEMA, tenant rights, insurance, and wildfire preparedness while keeping community voices part of the recovery process.
The Problem
Seniors, Spanish-speakers, and people with disabilities were left out of the information flow.
Our Response
Community Information Access & Digital Inclusion ProgramEnsures residents of all ages and abilities can access reliable community information and participate in digital communication platforms. After the fire, accurate, understandable information became especially critical for seniors, Spanish-speaking residents, and individuals with disabilities. This program removes barriers through accessible digital content, multilingual (Spanish) communication, captioning, ADA-accessible materials, and hands-on technology support.
The Problem
Altadena needed durable, trusted local media infrastructure it could own.
Our Response
Altadena Community Media & Disaster Recovery Communication NetworkExpands ATF's ability to deliver trusted, real-time information, civic dialogue, and recovery updates across multiple platforms. The network powers the Altadena Community Media Network and the Disaster Voices Lab — preserving survivor stories and strengthening disaster communication. To date it has produced 300+ broadcasts, 1,100,000+ organic views, and reaches roughly 50,000 monthly viewers.
The Problem
Fire-damaged properties needed clearing — homeowners couldn't do it alone.
Our Response
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Yard Cleanup Initiative℠ATF's flagship community recovery program. A community-driven initiative that brings neighbors, volunteers, and partners together to reduce wildfire risk, support property recovery, strengthen neighborhood preparedness, and help build a safer, more resilient Altadena — providing free vegetation management, property cleanup, and stewardship for fire-affected residents.
If we don't preserve
our stories,
who will?
The Disaster Voices Lab documents the lived experience of Altadena's fire survivors — recording oral histories, preserving community stories, and building a digital archive so that what happened here is never forgotten and can help future communities prepare for disaster.
What we learn here
should help the
next community.
ATF's work is evolving beyond immediate recovery. The goal is not to leave Altadena behind — it's to take what Altadena teaches and build systems that can help other communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disaster.
We are not done.
Altadena is still rebuilding. So are we.
Transparency & Accountability
501(c)(3) Status
California nonprofit public benefit corporation, tax-exempt under IRC §501(c)(3).
Candid Platinum
Earned Candid's highest transparency recognition for 2025 and 2026.
75% to Programs
75% of every dollar goes directly to community programs serving Altadena.
Financial Reports & Public Documents
Made possible by people who
believed in Altadena.
Every sponsor, donor, and partner helps write the next chapter of Altadena's recovery.
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Community Partners
Community Partners
L.A. Works partners with Altadena Talks Foundation and the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Initiative℠ on the September 12, 2026 community service effort.
The fire changed Altadena.
It did not end our story.
We're still here. We're still rebuilding.
And we're doing it together.