East West Bank Launches $100,000 Matching Grant for Sunday’s WalkUnitedLA Event at Rose Bowl

Pasadena-headquartered East West Bank has pledged a $100,000 matching grant to support WalkUnitedLA, doubling individual contributions made during the fundraising campaign in an effort to expand recovery and resilience programs across Los Angeles County.

Sunday’s annual walk/run fundraiser — organized by United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with the Los Angeles Rams — will take place at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

East West Bank’s grant will match every donation to United Way of Greater Los Angeles dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000, effectively turning $25 into $50 and $500 into $1,000. The initiative aims to mobilize community support and maximize funding for critical services, including wildfire recovery, housing stability, financial security, community resilience, education and job training.

This year’s event holds special significance as it comes just six months after the destructive Eaton and Palisades wildfires. Funds raised will help rebuild fire-affected communities and sustain local programs such as Pasadena City College’s Summer Construction Trades Academy, which offers construction skills training and college credit to 80 high school students from wildfire-affected areas.

Festival activities at the event include food trucks, live music, a Kids Zone and appearances by Rams cheerleaders and mascot Rampage. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly Stafford, will serve as honorary chairs.

Top fundraisers are eligible for exclusive incentives, including VIP access to Rams training camp for the first 20 individuals who raise $500, photo opportunities with Matthew Stafford for leading fundraisers and tickets and memorabilia from the Los Angeles Rams. All participants will receive official event bibs, and the first 1,000 registered runners will receive medals.

East West Bank serves as lead platinum sponsor and has maintained a long-standing partnership with United Way of Greater Los Angeles. Beyond WalkUnitedLA, the bank regularly invests in local nonprofits and initiatives supporting affordable housing, disaster recovery and financial literacy across Southern California.

Donations made during the campaign will be matched dollar-for-dollar by East West Bank up to the $100,000 threshold, generating up to $200,000 in impact for critical causes.

Registration begins at 6:00 a.m., with the event running from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants can choose to walk or run a nearly 5K course.