Latino-Owned Businesses Hit by LA Fires Focus on Rebuilding and Supporting Staff in Altadena
Los Angeles is still grappling with two major fires on the city’s east and west. The Palisades Fire, which burned through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, continues to burn and is 17 percent contained. The Eaton Fire, which destroyed Altadena and is 37 percent contained, also continues to burn. As the days pass, some Latino business owners are learning that their businesses have burned to the ground.
This growing list will be updated as we learn more about the destruction caused by fires.
Amara Kitchen – Altadena
According to its website, Amara Kitchen is a Latina-owned business in Altadena that “was founded in 2013 out of a love for healthy, yet delicious and casual food. ” It offers alternatives for people with all kinds of diet restrictions, from gluten-free to paleo to vegan.
The Eaton Fire destroyed Amara Kitchen on January 10, 2025, leaving behind the shell of a thriving business.
“We are devastated to announce the loss of Amara Kitchen Altadena to the Eaton Fire. While we are deeply grateful that our staff is safe, many of us have been displaced and evacuated from our homes,” reads the Instagram post announcing the loss of the business. “Never in 1 million years did we imagine this could happen to our team or our community. We are acutely aware of how many others in Los Angeles have been affected by this tragedy and are working with trusted partners to find ways to support ourselves and those around us during this challenging time.”
Amara Kitchen has a GoFundMe page asking for donations to care for the employees who are now unemployed. The goal is $40,000. As of this posting, they have raised $36,589.
“As soon as we are able, we will begin the process of finding a new kitchen-ready space to reopen and resume serving our community,” reads part of the GoFundMe page. “With your help, we hope to raise the necessary funds to keep our staff employed and build a stronger path forward during this uncertain time.”
Café de Leche – Altadena
Another Latino-owned business lost in Altadena is Café de Leche. The owners plan to rebuild. But in the meantime, they want to ensure that they take care of the people who make their business a success: the employees, who are now facing an uncertain future.
“We are reaching out to you in the hope that you can help us support these amazing people during this incredibly difficult time,” reads a GoFundMe page set up to help the Café de Leche employees. “While we work to rebuild our lives and the café, our priority is to ensure that our team has the support they need to get through this. From lost wages to the challenges of starting over, they need our help now more than ever.”
At the time of this posting, the GoFundMe page has exceeded the $12,000 goal, with a total of $19,882 raised so far. However, as the future of their employees is so uncertain, the more relief they can get, the better they can care for them.
