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Mountain View News Saturday, February 8, 2025


MCCHRYSTAL GROUP SELECTED FOR INDEPENDENT 
REVIEW OF JANUARY 2025 FIRESTORM 
EVACUATIONS AND EMERGENCY 
NOTIFICATIONS

Friday, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger issued the following 
statement reacting to the recent announcement that an independent contractor—the 
McChrystal Group—has been selected and is now reviewing the County’s evacuation policies 
and emergency alert notification systems used in response to last month’s firestorms: 

“Ensuring accountability and being analytical about our County’s emergency notification 
work are both critical to strengthening our disaster response. I am pleased our County swiftly 
engaged the McChrystal Group to conduct an independent review of our evacuation policies 
and emergency alert systems following the devastating Eaton and Palisades Fires. This is an 
essential step toward improving transparency. The McChrystal Group’s forthcoming structured, 
thorough, and objective assessment will help us better protect lives and property in the 
future. I’m eager to review their findings.”

As shared in the press release issued by Los Angeles County’s Joint Information Center, the 
McChrystal Group is led by retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal, former leader of 
the United States military’s Joint Special Operations Command. He has extensive experience 
with disaster response reviews, including an ongoing review concerning the North Carolina 
hurricane.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion ordering this review on 
January 28, 2025, to ensure the County and the public will ultimately have a clear understanding 
of all that was done to prevent the loss of life and property during the worst fire disaster 
in modern Los Angeles County history, and to determine what factors led to the tragic deaths 
of at least 29 of our County residents.

This work has already begun, and the first progress report will be delivered within 90 days 
of the Board’s motion. All County departments, including the Fire Department and Sheriff’s 
Department, and the Office of Emergency Management, are committed to fully engaging in 
this extensive review, which will include gathering and validating the call histories of the fire, 
interviewing first responders who were on scene as well as incident commanders in the field 
and overseeing operations, searching and reviewing 911 records, and gathering information 
from many other relevant sources, including community members.

More information about the McChrystal Group and team members can be found at mcchrystalgroup.
com.

CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY GREATER SAN 
GABRIEL VALLEY ANNOUNCES 35TH ANNUAL 
ANGEL GALA, “RISE TOGETHER”

 

Sierra Madre, CA – Cancer Support Community Greater San Gabriel Valley (Cancer Support 
Community) is excited to announce its 35th annual Angel Gala, on Saturday, April 26th, 
2025, at The Langham Hotel Pasadena. This year’s gala theme "Rise Together" is a celebration 
of unity and collective strength.

 

“In the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire, we recognize the importance of coming together 
not only to support those affected by cancer but also to uplift our community who has supported 
us for so many years,” said Patricia Ostiller, Chief Executive Officer, Cancer Support 
Community. “With that in mind, Cancer Support Community will donate up to $100,000 of 
the funds raised at our 2025 Angel Ga-la to Pasadena Community Foundation’s (PCF) Eaton 
Fire Relief & Recovery Fund (Eaton Fire Fund).”

 

Proceeds from the Angel Gala will directly support Cancer Support Community’s free programs, 
which include support groups, educational workshops, healthy lifestyle classes and 
one-on-one counseling designed to improve the quality of life for families affected by cancer. 
The evening will also include a gourmet dinner, live entertainment, and a program featuring 
inspiring stories from cancer survivors and leaders in the community. Guests can participate 
in live and silent auctions, with exclusive items and ex-periences available. For more information, 
to purchase tickets, or to inquire about sponsorship opportu-nities, please visit https://
cancersupport.link/AG2025 or contact Cancer Support Community at events@cancersupportsgv.
org or (626) 796-1083. 

 

Cancer Support Community is pleased to honor the following individuals and organizations 
for their ded-ication and contributions to the community:

• Lee and Mickey Segal are renowned philanthropists and community leaders. Mickey 
is the managing partner at NKSFB, LLC, and has served in numerous influential roles in local 
initiatives, including the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 
Together, they passionately raise funds for organizations closely associated with those 
impacted by cancer.

• Anne Kennedy is the first Executive Director of The Wellness Community - Foothills, 
now Cancer Support Community Greater San Gabriel Valley. Anne has led significant efforts 
in cancer care and research, founding Kenmar Research Institute and dedicating her career to 
community service.

• USC Arcadia Hospital is a critical healthcare partner providing advanced medical 
care in the San Gabriel Valley, including comprehensive cancer treatment and emergency 
ser-vices.

“We believe that extending our compassion beyond the cancer journey and addressing the 
urgent needs of neighbors whose lives have been deeply impacted by the Eaton Fire is the 
right thing to do,” remarked Ostiller. “We hope that our Angel Gala supporters will not only 
continue to support the critical work Cancer Support Community does, but also help PCF 
provide vital resources for the greater com-munity as we rebuild together.”

 

Pasadena Community Foundation: Since its inception in 1953, PCF has been an essential 
partner in the Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre communities, helping local nonprofits 
provide critical services to those in need. Recently, they distributed funds in the immediate 
aftermath of the Eaton fire to twenty local nonprofits, including Pasadena Humane, Pasadena 
Village, Shepherd’s Door, Five Acres, Flintridge Center, and many others.

 

Cancer Support Community Greater San Gabriel Valley: Established in 1990, Cancer Support 
Commu-nity walks alongside its participants and their medical team providing evidence-
based knowledge and professionally led psychosocial emotional support and activities as a 
proven method to enhance medi-cal outcomes. The non-profit connects thousands of participants 
annually with support groups led by professional therapists, educational workshops 
presented by medical experts, healthy lifestyle classes, and one-on-one counseling. All programs 
and services are free of charge.

FIVE ACRES LAUNCHES "WEAR YOUR HEART" 
INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS GROWING YOUTH MENTAL 
HEALTH CRISIS

 

ALTADENA, CALIF. — February 7, 2025 —Five Acres, a 137-year-old nonprofit serving children and 
families in Southern California, has launched its new “Wear Your Heart” initiative. The program supports 
the mental health of Southern California's youth by preserving access to quality services through 
advocacy and community partnerships by 2030 in Southern California.

 

“With the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County, mental health is more vital than ever. Children 
and youth have experienced the loss of a loved one, their childhood home, or their school, and have 
been displaced right alongside with their families,” said Five Acres CEO Chanel Boutakidis, who also 
recalled a six-year-old boy who was placed at its residential program during the firestorm on January 
7. Five Acres staff took him in, and he was safely evacuated with other 5A children to the downtown 
Los Angeles relocation.

 

“That little boy went from one placement to our campus to a hotel within five hours with people he 
didn't know. As a mother, that makes me sad to think of children with that experience,” said Boutakidis. 
“The firestorm was a terrible disaster for our community. Still, this memory reminded me that foster 
kids experience the trauma of having their lives at risk, being displaced, and experiencing loss over and 
over again as a regular part of their childhood.”

 

“One in five children is living with a mental illness. Because young kids don't wear their hearts on their 
sleeves, we don't know what they might be going through,” said Boutakidis. “The stigma of talking 
about feelings and mental health continues to be an obstacle through adolescence.”

 

The “Wear Your Heart” initiative addresses the often-unseen mental health challenges faced by children, 
underscoring that “one in five children is living with a mental illness,” yet the stigma surrounding 
mental health often silences them. In California alone, over 284,000 children experience major depression, 
with only 34% receiving the treatment they need. Suicide rates among adolescents have surged, 
making it the second leading cause of death for young people, and pediatric emergency visits for suicide 
attempts have seen a staggering 166% increase since 2016, according to The National Children’s 
Hospital Association.

 

Five Acres “Wear Your Heart” emphasizes empowering children and their families with education, 
resources, and support. Since 1888, Five Acres has been dedicated to creating safe, healthy and permanent 
loving homes for children. This initiative continues their 137-year legacy, aiming to help children 
express their feelings and receive the care they need, especially during challenging times.

 

The organization is collaborating with community, media, and service partners to support this initiative. 
Partnerships will enhance access to resources, increase awareness, and connect families with a 
comprehensive care network. Community organizations are invited to host onsite parent education 
sessions, integrate Five Acres’ mental health resources into their outreach efforts, and share content to 
amplify mental health awareness year-round.

 

“We hold children’s hands when they’re young; now, we want to help them wear their hearts by giving 
them a voice and letting them know they are not alone,” said Boutakidis. “This initiative is a lifeline 
in addressing mental health needs before it’s too late. We can meet you at your preferred setting, telehealth, 
in your home, or in your community.”

 

Current partners referring parents with young children to Five Acres are Kidspace Children’s Museum 
and the YMCA across 28 clubs in Los Angeles County. Service partners who are providing linkages 
to services outside of Five Acres for a full circle of care are Ellie Mental Health and Exodus Recovery.

 

“Our job is to help families stay together and prevent children from needing to go into the foster care 
system. When a child cannot reside safely in their home, Five Acres remains a place where foster children 
can go when they have nowhere else to go, which we have been doing for 137 years. Even when 
faced with a pandemic or firestorm, our doors remain open for children in need.”

 

For individuals inquiring about services from Five Acres, email at HOPE@5acres.org or text at 
1-800-696-6793.


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