Paris Hilton Awards $25K Grants To 50 Small Women-Owned Businesses Impacted By Eaton Fire

Socialite Paris Hilton gave grants to 50 small, women-owned businesses impacted by the Eaton Fire.

Paris Hilton’s nonprofit, 11:11 Media Impact, in partnership with GoFundMe.org, has awarded $25,000 grants to 50 small, women-owned businesses in Altadena, California, to support their rebuilding efforts following the Eaton Fire.

Childcare centers, bakeries, bookshops, dance studios, and salons struggling in the wake of the devastating fire are finding relief through funds provided by GoFundMe and Hilton, whose Malibu home was lost in the Palisades Fire.

“These women are the backbone of their communities,” the reality TV star said in a statement provided to the Associated Press. “Through this powerful partnership, we’re not just helping them rebuild—we’re investing in their futures, their families, and their neighborhoods.”

Among the grant recipients was The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop, a family-owned business known for its signature shrimp and grits, a local favorite since Anna Faquir’s grandmother founded the restaurant half a century ago. Faquir praised Hilton’s grant program for its smooth and accessible application process, noting it was far easier than the rigorous requirements of smaller grants from other donors.

“They saw us,” Faquir said. “They heard our story.”

After receiving a surge of applications for its program, 11:11 Media Impact and GoFundMe.org increased the number of grants from 11 to 50. According to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, over 1,800 businesses were located in the Eaton and Palisades fire zones, which employ 9,600 workers and generate $1.4 billion in annual sales.

The county estimated that the resulting economic losses, income reductions, and decline in tax revenue will total in the billions.

“Seeing the overwhelming response from women entrepreneurs in need of support showed us how important and urgent the need is to help this community rebuild,” Hilton said.

Renata Ortega ran her Orla Floral Studio out of a converted garage next to the home she shared with her husband and three dogs in the Altadena foothills. Since the Eaton fire destroyed their property, Ortega has been working from a shared workshop in downtown Los Angeles, thanks to the generosity of a friend and fellow floral designer.

Now, thanks to the grant, Ortega plans to put down a deposit for rent on a new studio while she and her husband rebuild their home. Additionally, she needs to replace all the vases, shelving, and tools she lost in the fire.

“I can continue a business that was once just a dream for me,” Ortega said. “Now we’re going to make it.”

The grants were primarily funded through GoFundMe.org’s Wildfire Relief Fund, which has raised $7.7 million from 43,000 donors to date. Paris Hilton contributed $150,000 to the fund.