SRF Victims of Pacific Palisades Fire

The following GoFundMe pages are for devotees whose homes, possessions, and income sources were destroyed in the Palisades fire. I can’t imagine what they’re going through and hope that all the love and support they receive from their devotee community will serve as a bridge that carries them to the promise of a brighter day.

On a personal note, whenever I feel I’ve made enough donations, I ask myself how I would be feeling if my home, my car, my workplace, and all my cherished mementoes and possessions went up in flames. No matter how much trust I had in Master and how much I strove to live in surrender and non-attachment, I know that panic and fear would well up in me at times to the point of being unbearable. And I would hope and pray that enough generous souls would offer donations so that I could feel the ground under my feet again. And so I challenge myself to be as generous as I hope others would be if it was me who was adrift on an endless sea of worries. 

Phil Bolsta

— Trish Luken, who was out of town when the fire started, lost her home, car, and all her possessions. Trish has selflessly served at Lake Shrine for 25 years.

— Katriina Huotari, longtime Lake Shrine devotee who has overseen operations of the Visitor Center and Temple Bookroom for the last 18 years. Katrina lost her home and possessions and lacks the financial wherewithal to make any meaningful progress toward rebuilding her life.

— Kathy Thoman, a fixture at Lake Shrine for 59 years, lost both her home and job in the Palisades Fire.

— Anna Tellez, Kathy Thoman’s granddaughter, lost the hundred-year-old apartment that had been her part-time home and sanctuary for her entire life, along with nearly everything inside.

— Cheryl Engels, who worked in the Lake Shrine Gift Shop for years, lost her home and everything she owned and had collected over the past four decades of living in Pacific Palisades, leaving her with only the clothes on her back.

— Lynne Rouillard, who’s attended Lake Shrine for 30 years, lost her apartment and everything she owned.

— Margarita Maliagros, an active Lake Shrine volunteer, who lost both her home and place of business in the Palisades Fire. Margarita has a heart of gold and will go to whatever lengths are necessary to help a friend in need, which I have personally witnessed.

— Linda Deacon, who escaped the fire with next to nothing, and lost her home of 40 years, her car, and all of her and her family's earthly possessions. Linda’s 40 years of service to Lake Shrine and her spiritual community are legend.

— Kristine Dunn, who has lived, worked, and volunteered in the Pacific Palisades for nearly 30 years, has been displaced indefinitely and lost her local gardening/landscaping business. Kristine has been a dedicated Lake Shrine volunteer for decades. 

— Kathleen Lynch, who was out of town visiting family and lost her small apartment and all her possessions in the fire.

— Kirk Scully, whose workplace burned down and is facing a financially challenging period until he finds work again.

— Reed North, who lost his home and car while trying to rescue his dad and his dog during the Palisades Fire.

— Chase Holiday, a dedicated Lake Shrine volunteer for many years, lost her home, her source of income, and all her tech equipment, which she needs for her work.

— Ajah Fambo and her 14-year-old son Gabriel, who writes, "It’s hard to feel secure when everything is gone. My mom and I hope to rebuild or find a new home where we can create new memories together.”

— Mary McMurry, who lost her Palisades home, which she was renting out as her primary source of income.

— Helen Cranmer, a grandmother who volunteered at Lake Shrine and at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica in the Emergency Department helping patients.

— Clarissa Costa, a single mom with a seven-year daughter, lost her home, where she ran her private Pilates practice.

— Louise Houghton, who is in employment limbo, ineligible for FEMA assistance, and needs to renew her visa.

— Shari Weinick, a longtime devoted Lake Shrine volunteer, lost the home she had lived in for 30 years as well as her beloved cat, escaping while the building was on fire with only the clothes on her back.

— Tawnya Warren, an unsupported single mom who lost her apartment and her small retail business in the Palisades fire. Tawnya, who has been a beacon of support for many people in need, has a huge heart and is now in need of help instead of being the helper. 

— Mindy Nye was teaching her Transitional Kindergarten class (ages 4 and 5) at Ocean Charter School in Marina Del Rey and wasn’t allowed to go back to her apartment to rescue her cat or any of her possessions. 

— Sandra de Castro Buffington had lived in her apartment building next to Lake Shrine for the last 16 years, and losing her home has been a huge emotional loss, especially so soon after the loss of her beloved son in March. Here is a 6-minute video in which Sandra talks about the fire’s aftermath and being in "complete and utter surrender.”

— Laura Armstrong, whose apartment along with her beloved flower studio near the bluffs, were completely destroyed in the fire.

— This google spreadsheet includes all the above pages and shows the status of each GoFundMe goal.

• Here is a list of organizations you can donate to.
• Here is the GoFundMe page for the Wildfire Relief Fund 2025. "We deliver cash grants directly to those impacted by domestic (U.S.) wildfires. We grant to verified individuals who qualify and are fundraising for themselves or on behalf of someone else. We may also provide grants to fundraisers benefiting small businesses and community relief efforts, or to vetted nonprofits coordinating long-term recovery."