California wildfire.
The $6.3 billion Wescom Financial in Pasadena, Calif., announced a partnership with ForgiveCo to eliminate $10 million in consumer debt for Californians affected by this year’s Southern California wildfires, focusing initial efforts in Altadena and Pacific Palisades.
The first phase of the campaign will erase $5 million in debt for more than 2,000 residents, with additional rounds of relief planned as part of a multi-year recovery initiative. The program combines ForgiveCo’s “random acts of kindness” model with the Wescom Foundation’s grantmaking capabilities to provide unexpected financial aid to individuals, regardless of whether they are Wescom members.
“Debt is an extremely heavy burden on its own, but combining that with the need to recover from a natural disaster can make it seem insurmountable,” Craig Antico, ForgiveCo's CEO, said. “Wescom’s commitment will have generational impact.”
Wescom President/CEO Darren Williams said the program reflects the credit union’s mission to help Californians rebuild: “Our headquarters and many members live in the affected areas. Partnering with ForgiveCo helps us provide real relief to our community.”
Joining the effort is UCLA Women’s Basketball Head Coach Cori Close, a longtime Wescom partner, who will spotlight the relief initiative throughout the 2025–26 season.
Wescom’s disaster recovery record includes previous relief efforts tied to the Maui wildfires, Hurricane Helene and earlier California disasters.
Since 1999, the Wescom Foundation has invested $7.4 million in community improvement initiatives statewide.
Residents will be notified by letter, email or text message if their debts are forgiven in the coming weeks.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.