Help Matthew & Mom Recover After Fire

Help Matthew & Marijess Recover from the ashes of the Eaton the Fire

Matthew and his mother Marijess have both tragically lost their Altadena homes in the catastrophic Eaton Canyon fire. Both homes on the land are a complete loss. They have a long road ahead of them to recover from the financial collapse. In the face of this loss they remain thankful that Matt was able to evacuate Marijess in time.

For the past 30 years Matt has dedicated himself as a chef to the nourishment, education and food supply of his community in Los Angeles. If you are lucky enough to have eaten food prepared by Matt, you know his passion goes much further than his years as a chef and culinary educator. Matt creates community and family through food. He brings people from all walks of life together in the universal experience of sharing a meal, a story and each other's company. Matt has mentored and helped launch the careers of countless new chefs as well. Always lending a hand to upskill, job hunt and network for the newly minted culinary journeymen.

After losing her husband, Marijess moved to Altadena, and into the home Matthew lovingly built for her on his property. Marijess lives on a fixed income and could no longer afford her own place. Mathew made many personal and financial sacrifices to allow his Mom the independence she wanted and the security she needed including taking out a second mortgage. Marijess absolutely loved her home and spent countless hours tending to her plants and turning it into a beautiful garden oasis. Marijess has lost ALL HER POSSESSIONS in the fire. Losing family heirlooms and over 8 decades of photographs is irreplaceable. Your help will go a long way to enable Marijess to start building new good memories.

Willow, Matthew’s daughter is thankfully safe at college in Ohio, mourning the loss of her childhood home and providing emotional support from afar.

To begin to recover is a very long road of bureaucracy; it will likely take at least a year if not longer. Our goal is to raise enough money to help Matthew and Marijess have resources they need while dealing with the process of insurances and coverages to kick in. This will truly make a difference as well as provide some emotional breathing room. These financial gifts will cover items not covered by FEMA. This will include basic essentials for Marijess such as immediate needs for daily activities of life including replacing her walker and computer for communicating and staying in touch with her community.

Please join our village and gift a donation. Any amount toward this effort is greatly appreciated. If it’s not a good time for you to donate please share this page with others who may be able to help. Thank you so much for your generosity and support.