$10 Million In Debt To Be Wiped Out For California Wildfire Victims By Wescom Financial And ForgiveCo

Southern Californians still reeling from this years devastating wildfires will see an unexpected lift in the months ahead, as Wescom Financial partners with ForgiveCo to erase $10 million in consumer debt for residents living in the hardest-hit communities.

The member-owned financial institution, which serves more than 250,000 people across Southern and Central California, is launching the first phase of its multi-year initiative in two fire-affected areas — Altadena and Pacific Palisades — where more than 2,000 residents will receive a combined $5 million in relief. The effort reflects a widening recognition of how financial strain compounds the toll of wildfire recovery, particularly in neighborhoods where families are still grappling with the loss of homes, stability and income.

“At Wescom Financial, our mission is to help build better lives for Californians. The recent Palisades/Eaton Canyon wildfires in Southern California deeply affected our community. Our office headquarters are located in an affected area, and many of our members and team members live and work here,” said Darren Williams, President and CEO at Wescom. “That’s why the Wescom Foundation (our charitable arm) has partnered with ForgiveCo to help support $10 million in debt relief for those living in the impacted areas.”

The partnership draws on ForgiveCos random acts of kindness model and the Wescom Foundations grantmaking capacity, allowing debt to be purchased and forgiven without any action from recipients. Wescom noted that eligibility is not limited to its members, underscoring a regional commitment to inclusive recovery. Residents will learn they have been selected for relief through letters, emails and text messages in the coming weeks.

UCLA Womens Basketball Head Coach Cori Close — the reigning National Coach of the Year who led her program to the 2025 Final Four — is lending her support as a longtime Wescom partner and member. Throughout the 2025–26 season, Close will spotlight the initiative, create content tied to the campaign and welcome selected beneficiaries to UCLA home games.

“Even while dealing with the fires and all the terrible destruction, the people of Southern California still supported our team relentlessly throughout last season. It’s our turn to reciprocate that support and uplift our people and community,” Close said. “As a coach and leader, I can promise that our team is always committed to making the people of Southern California feel proud, but this season is definitely a little more special to us knowing whom we are playing for.”

ForgiveCos CEO Craig Antico noted the outsized burden families face when disaster recovery collides with existing financial instability.

“Debt is an extremely heavy burden on its own but combining that with the need to recover from a natural disaster can make it all seem insurmountable,” Antico said. “Wescom’s commitment and dedication to relieving some of that pressure will be carried through to not just the people that receive debt relief now, but through future generations that succeed them.”

The campaign builds on years of Wescom Foundation disaster relief efforts, including support for victims of the 2022 Southern California Wildfires, the 2023 Maui Wildfires, Hurricane Helene and the 2025 Southern California Wildfires. Since its founding in 1999, the foundation has invested $7.4 million in grants aimed at improving the lives of Californians and strengthening community resilience.