Written by Jennifer Chien
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Adriana DiBenedetto
One hundred days after the Eaton Fire brought devastation to Los Angeles County on January 7, 2025, the spirit of compassion and care continues to reverberate through the community. On April 19, Representative Judy Chu (CA-28) hosted her 15th annual Congressional Women of the Year Awards Ceremony at the Arcadia Community Center, recognizing nine extraordinary women for their contributions during the crisis. Among the honorees was Debra Boudreaux, Chief International Affairs Officer of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation.
Gratitude to Southern California Organizations
The ceremony’s location held added significance, as well. The Arcadia Community Center had once served as a temporary shelter during the fire. In attendance were officials from the city governments and fire departments of Arcadia, Pasadena, and Altadena, who witnessed this moment of shared gratitude and hope.
In her acceptance speech, Boudreaux gave heartfelt thanks to Tzu Chi’s founder, Dharma Master Cheng Yen, and to the volunteers whose dedication made relief efforts possible. “I am grateful for Master Cheng Yen’s compassion in leading all Tzu Chi volunteers to care for the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires,” she said. “I am also grateful that many associations and organizations in Southern California have come together to support Tzu Chi’s relief effort, endowing Tzu Chi with enough positive energy to serve, including the unseen corners on the fringes of society.”
Tzu Chi volunteers give without asking for anything in return. With gratitude, respect, and love, they continue to bring warmth to every corner of the world.
Directly following the wildfires, Tzu Chi USA’s National Headquarters established a service station at the Disaster Recovery Center to assess survivors’ needs. Relief supplies were distributed from the San Gabriel Valley Service Center in El Monte, California, and a dedicated prayer space offered spiritual comfort. The distribution of cash cards helped address survivors’ financial difficulties in a timely manner.
On the 100th day since the disaster, Boudreaux shared that Tzu Chi’s Charity and Character Education teams had launched medium- and long-term care programs. These include character education on school campuses, wheelchair donations, and sustained support for firefighters so that the energy of love may continue to thrive in the community.
Congresswoman Judy Chu shared that the Eaton Fire caused significant damage in the San Gabriel Valley, leaving countless families displaced. She expressed gratitude to the first responders and civic organizations for their swift mobilization and hoped that, like the nine women honored, the community could come together to continue supporting the medium- and long-term recovery of the disaster area.
Representative Chu also gave recognition to Tzu Chi’s contributions: “I’m always amazed at how Tzu Chi is always the first there at the start of a disaster. The day after [the disaster], they were there to provide all kinds of resources, from clothing to food, to medications, to the survivors.”
I was amazed at how much they provided to the survivors, especially up to $1,500 in direct financial assistance to at least 4,400 families. Tzu Chi has played a marvelous role.
Chu also personally commended the swift, well-organized support she witnessed at the San Gabriel Valley Service Center, and Tzu Chi’s role in disaster relief nationwide.
Delivering the ceremony’s opening remarks, Arcadia Fire Chief Chen Suen shared his long-standing connection to the organization, saying, “I attended Tzu Chi Academy a little over 30 years ago, and it had a great impact on my life. It brought me back to Arcadia — and that’s a big reason why I chose to serve this city as a Taiwanese American.”
Being grounded and learning a lot about Chinese and Taiwanese culture brought me back to Arcadia.
Chief Suen also congratulated Tzu Chi on its upcoming 59th anniversary and expressed gratitude for the foundation’s decades of compassionate service.
A Pillar of Strength in the Community
Mayor Sharon Kwan — the first Asian American woman to serve as mayor of Arcadia — also addressed the gathering, recognizing Tzu Chi’s committed and far-reaching presence: “Tzu Chi is always the first to arrive wherever help is needed. In the wake of the wildfire, it would have been much harder for residents to recover without Tzu Chi’s support.”
Tzu Chi’s assistance has helped us move through hardship more quickly and regain our footing.
Mayor Kwan also shared that her four children were enrolled in Tzu Chi schools, where they studied Chinese language and culture. She praised the spiritual values instilled, like broad-mindedness, integrity, and filial piety, as treasured spiritual inheritances in her family.
In addition to Debra Boudreaux, the 2025 honorees included: Sharon Gray, Owner of Eaton Dam Stables; Victoria Knapp, Altadena Town Council Executive Committee Chair; Maricela Viramontes, President of Altadena Rotary Club; Jennifer DeVoll, CEO of the Pasadena Community Foundation; Dr. Randy Taplitz, Professor and Chair of Medicine at City of Hope; Jasmin Shupper, Founder and CEO of the Greenline Housing Foundation; Sharon Strong, Member at Large of the Pasadena Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); and Anna Babayan, Interim Principal of Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School. Together, their unwavering service continues to light the path forward for their communities.
