How CORE’s Disaster Case Management Program is Changing Lives in Altadena
You’ve read the headline and watched the terrible television footage. In January 2025, the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, destroying an entire community. The blaze killed 19 people, and at least 9,000 homes and businesses were destroyed. One of the worst disasters in state history had unfolded.
People were left without homes and a million questions about whether they could eventually return. But many didn’t even know where to begin or who to call. That’s where CORE’s Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) comes in. Through a partnership with Catholic Charities of California, for the past year and a half CORE has hired a dedicated roster of case managers, whose job it is to help survivors navigate the maze of paperwork and hurdles to get back home.
Today, many still aren’t home, but our case managers are looking out for survivors, guiding them on this long journey and making sure they know they’re not alone.
Ruben’s Story
Ruben had spent the last 30 years in Altadena, building a life: from his career as a carpenter to his growing family. In his free time, he’d built things around the home. Wherever you looked, you could see the fingerprints of his beautiful craftsmanship. He even made a crib for his children — one he hoped to one day pass down to his grandchildren.
Then, the Eaton Fire came. At first, Ruben didn’t worry that much, even though his adult children urged him to leave. Fires weren’t all that uncommon in the foothills, after all, and the fire department was responding. But as we know now, the Eaton Fire was anything but normal.
Then, around 4 AM, Ruben saw the entire neighborhood he loved on fire. He grabbed what he could, jumped into the family car, and fled. Thankfully, he and his family were safe. But the Eaton Fire took everything. Gone was his home. Gone was the crib he built for his family’s future.
The days that followed felt like a blur as he tried to navigate the almost impossible reality that he found himself in. Eventually, Ruben made his way to the Pasadena resource center to figure out what came next. It was all so overwhelming, with different organizations that he’d never heard about before all packed in the space, all offering help.
By chance, he made his way to CORE’s booth. There, they encouraged him to apply for CORE’s cash assistance program, meant to help Ruben buy the things his family needed most in those early days. He gave them his information without really thinking about it and went about trying to figure everything out.
A while later, Ruben received a call, letting him know he’d received the cash assistance. It was a small blessing. Something to get him through those tough initial moments. Maybe some money for gas or groceries. And he was happy with his interaction with CORE and thought that was the end of it.
RELATED | LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
In the months that followed, Ruben bought an RV and lived in it for a time. However, the conditions weren’t sustainable, and Ruben went through some really dark times as he became more withdrawn from his community. He was resilient, though; he began looking for an apartment. That’s when he got a call from Daniela, a case manager at CORE’s Hub, checking in on him after reviewing the information he’d filled out at the resource center all those months before.
“Somebody called me and said, ‘Hi, my name is Daniela, calling from CORE, and we wanted to ask you how are you and what do you need?’” Ruben recalled.
The timing was happenstance, but perfect.
How Disaster Case Management Changed Everything for Ruben
When Daniela reached out to Ruben, it came at the perfect time. He’d just begun looking for an apartment, and the whole process was frankly overwhelming and expensive.
On the phone, Ruben told Daniela about his search. “So, she told me to go find an apartment and let her know how much they were asking,” Ruben said. “So, I did, and she started doing all kinds of paperwork.”
From that moment on, Daniela became Ruben’s biggest advocate. She filled out the paperwork and got back to Ruben; she’d secured him three months of rental assistance. This meant, thanks to Daniela, as a retired contractor, Ruben could put away some money and not worry about the next few months’ rent.
Then Daniela let Ruben know she could help source furniture for his new place. After months away from his home, living in an RV, it was a great relief. Ruben now had a dedicated space that he could call his own. A solid base from which he could begin to rebuild everything he’d lost.
Why Disaster Case Management?
Two-thirds of families impacted by the Eaton Fire still aren’t home.
Disaster Case Management is more than a one-sized fits all solution. It’s tailored to help people where they are at in their recovery.
Learn more about what our Disaster Case Management Program offers and how it works.
Since then, Daniela has continued working with Ruben as his case manager, helping him fill out paperwork and manage deadlines. Beyond those important things, Daniela is also there to check in on Ruben to make sure that he’s doing okay.
In their talks, Ruben opens up and shares about how, after months, he’s reconnected with his community. He’s going to church again and even began picking up a few painting and miscellaneous projects there to help out. He’s now taking music lessons, something he’s always been interested in, but never done before. Ruben also has his eye set on the future. He’s picked up his tools and is now making a new family crib, one that can be passed down from generation to generation.
Today, construction on Ruben’s home has gone vertical. He has the biggest smile on his face every time he shows someone videos of workers on his lot putting up the frame. It’s been a long time coming, and, while nothing can ever replace the priceless things that were lost, it’s home and new start.
Daniela feels honored to work with Ruben. When talking about his progress and his journey back home, tears come to her eyes. Ruben has come so far, and despite going through some dark times, he is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel again.
Ruben is eager to share the work that Daniela and CORE has done. “I tell everybody that I know, my neighbors, ‘Have you guys gone to CORE? Go there. Just explain to them what you need, what problems you have,'” Ruben said. “I’m hoping they come, hoping they receive the same help that I have been receiving. And I really appreciate it. I’m so happy to have met Daniela. Thank you, thank you very much.”
If you would like to support CORE’s LA Wildfire response, please donate here. If you are unable at this time, please share Ruben’s story and follow us on social media for timely updates on our responses across the globe.