Learning Tools

Palisades Fire
March 2026 Workshop Schedule

SPACE IS LIMITED - REGISTER NOW

Thursday, March 19 | 5–8 PM

Insurance Claims/Contractor Guidance presented by Annie Barbour, United Policyholders (UP)

Workshop Topics Include:
Best Practices when hiring a contractor and fund control
Scope of Loss
Survivor 2 Survivor

Annie Barbour is the Liaison and Recovery Coordinator for United Policyholders. She lost her home in the Tubbs fire in 2017 and is grateful that she gets to continue helping survivors so they can have a better outcome on their recovery.

Saturday, March 21 | 1–4 PM

Fire Contamination, Cleanup, & Recovery presented by Jane Lawton Potelle, Eaton Fire Residents United (EFRU)

Workshop Topics include:
What residents need to understand about fire-related soil contamination
Why a home can look clean and still be unsafe
What independent testing can and cannot tell them
Where insurance-led remediation commonly falls short
What questions to ask before agreeing to cleaning, reoccupancy, or waivers
How EFRU’s data fits into the larger fight for standards and accountability

Jane Lawton Potelle is the founder and executive director of Eaton Fire Residents United (EFRU), a community advocacy non-profit addressing environmental hazards after the Eaton Fire. EFRU, which includes scientists and data experts, is leading a mapping project analyzing independent contamination testing and advocating for stronger remediation in Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre.

Tuesday, March 24 | 5–8 PM

Disaster Loans & Guidance presented by Kim Wetherby, Small Business Administration - Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience (SBA)
SBA offers low-interest loans to businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters not covered by insurance or other recovery funds.

Kim Wetherby is a Public Affairs Specialist for the SBA Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience. Kim’s current deployment is in Presidential Declaration CA 20953, covering the fire-torn communities of Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and Malibu.  Prior to that, she served 3 months in Texas for the damaging floods that devastated the Texas Hill Country over the July 4th weekend, and prior to that was the fire-torn area of Oklahoma.  As a PIO, Kim's primary goal is to deliver crucial on-the-ground support to those coping with the immediate and lasting effects of disasters.

Thursday, March 26 | 5–8 PM

Overview of Homeowner, Tenant, and Consumer Rights presented by NLSLA • LAFLA • Bet Tzedek • Public Counsel

Workshop Topics Include
Homeowner Mortgage and Foreclosure Issues
Post-Disaster Tenants Rights
FEMA Appeals
Understanding Rebuild Contracts and Avoiding Contractor Issues
How can estate planning support my recovery?

Tuesday, March 31 | 5–8 PM

Emotional & Mental Wellness in Recovery presented by Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services -

Workshops Topics Include
Reflecting on where we are emotionally right now—without pressure about where we “should” be—while sharing some information about trauma, loss, and coping in the longer-term aftermath of disasters.
The session will include discussion, gentle activities, and practical tools to support wellbeing. You can participate as a listener and do not need to share if you are not comfortable doing so.

 Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services has served Los Angeles for over 80 years with compassionate, whole-person mental health care, crisis intervention, substance-use support, and suicide prevention services. We recently expanded our reach through wildfire recovery services – we now offer six free sessions with a Therapist for families and individuals of all ages affected by the Eaton or Palisades Fires through our dedicated Disaster Care Program. Our trauma-informed support is designed for all forms of recovery, whether you lost a home, are supporting others, were displaced, or are carrying stress, grief, or anxiety. For those experiencing severe ongoing distress and other needs, our Therapists are trained to help identify and link you with appropriate ongoing supports following the initial six sessions. Didi Hirsch is committed to helping survivors rebuild emotional grounding, regain a sense of safety, and reconnect with community.