A significant focus of the Change Reaction's direct giving efforts in 2025 was directed toward survivors of the Palisades and Eaton Fires. These wildfires, the most destructive in a generation, devastated communities across Los Angeles County, leaving thousands of families displaced and searching for a way forward. 

One of those families was the Linares, four generations all sharing a property in Altadena, who suddenly found themselves, along with countless others, without a home, their landscaping business destroyed in an instant. 

And that's where this special episode begins. Aurianna Tuttle, a frequent guest on the show, introduces us to the Linares Family and tells the unlikely, incredible story of how this hardworking, multi-generational family, like so many others in Altadena, was, in some way, supported by the Change Reaction and how their faith was renewed in the process. 

We're grateful to have had the opportunity to serve and support so many over the past year and remain committed to helping our communities and neighbors rebuild in the coming year. 

Special thanks to the entire Linares family for sharing their story with such bravery and vulnerability. 

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

In this year-end recap, co-founder Greg Perlman and Brooke Perlman reflect on a year that tested, stretched, and ultimately deepened their philanthropic efforts.

From wildfire relief that mobilized thousands to the ripple effects of Michael Dell’s $6.25B gift, they explore what real charity impact looks like, and why altruism in action isn’t about headlines or scale, but about trust, presence, and timing.

Together, we unpack:
– The limits of large-scale giving
– Why force multipliers are the future of community health
– What happens when your work suddenly gets noticed
– And the inspiring stories  and lessons that will guide the year ahead

This isn’t just a conversation about our biggest year to date; it’s a window into how meaningful change really happens.

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

How do you build a world where pain doesn’t keep getting passed down?

In this episode of The Change Reaction podcast, we're joined by Shirley Torres, Co-CEO of Homeboy Industries, who shares a powerful blueprint for transforming survival into healing and pain into purpose.

This conversation is a masterclass in compassion and vision. 

We cover: 
- Creating safety for those who’ve never known it
- The power of being invited vs. being punished
- Why people don’t need to be saved — just seen
- The radical act of leading with love, even when systems don’t

Radical Kinship. It isn't a theory. It’s decades of lived experience, standing at the margins, offering hope where others turned away.

🟡 A must-listen for anyone working in service, justice, or community building. 

More on Homeboy Industries: 
http://www.homeboyindustries.org/

Check out their podcast, The Homeboy Way: 
https://youtu.be/yKHdElzgmHI?si=G9bdk181r1B-fPl5

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

We're excited to reconnect with the remarkable Aurianna Tuttle, a Change Agent who has dedicated her life to lifting up young girls in the community that she came from. This past year, Auri has expanded her work in community engagement and social impact beyond her hometown of Watts to support Fire Survivors in Altadena.  She shares her personal journey, one filled with acts of kindness and selfless support that ultimately inspired her to make a difference for others. 

Auri is motivation personified, and her story will inspire you to find your own way to give back - in whatever way you can!  🎧✨

Learn More:  

Roc Era: https://rocera.org/

Pasadena Church East Campus: https://pasadenachurch.com/

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

Designer Brenda Equihua didn’t set out to build a brand. She was healing, channeling grief, culture, and vision into something that felt like hers. What started as a hoodie made from a San Marcos blanket has turned into a cultural movement worn on the world’s biggest stages, from Vogue to the NFL.

In this episode, Brenda shares what it means to design with purpose, without a safety net, and to honor your community with every stitch. It's about art as therapy, entrepreneurship as activism, and learning to receive even when you’ve been the one giving.

If you've ever chased a dream that felt bigger than your resources or struggled to believe you're worthy of support, this one’s for you.

Learn more about Equihua: https://equihua.us/

See the NFL Collection: https://equihua.us/collections/nfl

More about The Change Reaction: https://www.changereaction.org/

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

What if everything you believed about success, about “enough,” was wrong?

In this episode, Matt, Wade, and Brooke get real about wealth, hustle culture, and the quiet epidemic of disconnection. 

It starts with a trillion-dollar pay package and leads into a conversation that hits something deeper:

 — Why more isn’t always better
 — What a “generous economy” could actually look like
 — How connection might be the most radical act of all

We talk about what it means to live with heart when the world feels heavy, and how small acts - eye contact, kindness, giving when it hurts - might be the key to shifting everything.

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or just searching for meaning, you’re not alone. This one is about finding the courage to care and the power of one kind thing

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

What started as a family packing snack boxes during COVID has grown into one of LA’s most impactful nutrition initiatives.

In this episode, Yossi Segelman, Executive Director of OBKLA, shares the story behind Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles and how a few volunteers in a garage transformed into a movement that feeds hundreds of thousands across the city.

But this isn't just about meals. It’s about restoring dignity, building community, and asking more profound questions about what it means to show up for each other.

Matt West and co-host Brooke Perlman delve into the current crisis surrounding SNAP, food insecurity, building with integrity, and how one act of service can have a ripple effect far beyond what you expect.

🎧 Listen in — and ask yourself: What’s one way I can help?

More about OBKLA: https://www.obkla.org/

Aaron's Pantry: https://bit.ly/43mIPPU

Mazon: https://mazon.org/

More on The Change Reaction: https://www.changereaction.org/

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

What if the most radical thing you could do right now… was just one kind act?

In this episode, Matt West sits down with Change Reaction President, Wade Trimmer, to talk about generosity as a movement and a medicine. From buying flowers for strangers to standing in the gap where systems fail, we unpack how simple actions ripple out in powerful ways.

We also get into:

• Why the people with the least often give the most
• How food insecurity is being politicized and what we can do about it
• The myth of needing to “solve” everything before you start doing something
• Connection vs protection and bridging real divides

This one’s about heart, action, and remembering that we all have something extra to give.

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

What do you do when your world ends?

Joe McDonough lost his son Andrew to cancer when he was just a teen - but what grew in his absence was a movement that’s helped thousands of families carry impossible burdens.

In this episode, Joe shares the origin of the B+ Foundation, from a boot-strapped fundraiser to a movement that's raised millions for families facing the same tragedy and supporting children's cancer research across the globe - and why staying positive isn't just a mindset, it's a mission.

We talk about:

• Turning pain into purpose
• What families fighting cancer really need
• The importance of appreciating every day - no matter the odds. 

Learn more about B+ Foundation 

More about The Change Reaction

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The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.

What does it take to walk away from a life that’s stealing your soul and build one that sets others free?

In this raw and powerful episode, author and advocate Harmony Dust shares how childhood trauma made her vulnerable to exploitation, how she escaped life under a trafficker’s control, and why she founded Treasures, a survivor-led organization supporting women in the commercial sex industry. 

From strip club outreach to global training, Harmony is changing the conversation around trafficking and what it means to heal.

This is not just a survivor story - it's a redemption epic. 
It’s a reminder that every woman deserves a way out and a way forward.

Topics include:
The misunderstood face of trafficking
What it really takes to leave
Trauma, recovery, and the power of choice

🔗 Learn more about Treasures:https://www.iamatreasure.com/
📙 Read Harmony's Memoir: https://harmonydust.com/book/
🎧 Subscribe for more stories that challenge, change, and connect.

The Change Reaction Podcast is a weekly series that shares stories of transformation and impact across LA and Southern California.

Hosted by Matt West and featuring members of the Change Reaction team, each episode highlights the inspiring individuals and Change Agents making a difference by helping those who need it most.

From powerful success stories of people who have been uplifted, to conversations with community leaders and those actively working on the ground, we highlight the real, tangible work being done to create change in our communities.