One year after the Palisades Fire destroyed the Palisades-Malibu YMCA, officials with Bank of America announced on Friday that it was giving a $1 million grant to help rebuild it.
The grant, according to the bank, is “the first and largest corporate award to date for the YMCA’s $25 million capital campaign that was launched over the summer.”
“As we mark the first anniversary of the devastating fires, we also celebrate the incredible progress of the YMCA’s efforts to rebuild its destroyed Via de la Paz site and a nearby campus,” Raul Anaya, Bank of America president for Greater Los Angeles, said in a statement. “The wildfires destroyed so much – thousands of homes, businesses and communities – but it never destroyed L.A.’s spirit. As a longtime supporter of the YMCA, we’re proud to help bring this space back to life for so many residents, and encourage other donors to help bring this important effort over the finish line.”
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Natasha, a resident who lost her home, told KNX News’ Jon Baird that the YMCA means everything to the people there.
“The Y is home. The Y is family. The Y is the gym,” she said. “Y is the place to go to when you have nothing. Y is the place where you get your first groceries right after the fire, when you don't even have any appetite to eat.”
The groundbreaking for the YMCA, which will be renamed the Lowe Family YMCA, will take place in June.
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