At age eight, Alisa Ann Ruch was fatally injured in a backyard barbecue accident in Southern California. Using their tragedy as a catalyst for change, Alisa Ann’s parents, local firefighters and medical professionals joined together and created AARBF in 1971 with the goal of preventing burn injuries by teaching “Stop, Drop and Roll.”
About us
Since 1971, the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (AARBF) nonprofit organization has been dedicated to delivering prevention education and services to burn survivors, their families and caregivers in California.
Across this site you’ll see a wide range of programs aimed at reducing burn injuries through prevention, and enhancing the quality of life for those affected by burn injuries in California. You’ll see our passion for this mission on every page.
Learn more
AARBF Executive Director, Daniel Chacon discusses the foundation.
Impact, Innovation and Lasting Results
It is remarkable to see Alisa’s memory shared and the positive impact she has made. So many people believe in our mission and are willing to bend over backwards to support our services for kids, survivors and one another.”
Alison Clark
Board Member
Across our more than 50 years we’ve had strong impact through the delivery of programs to educate about burn prevention, and to support burn survivors in California. We make every effort is made to maximize efficiency to ensure that donor contributions go to the programs we deliver.
Innovation: We continue to expand our prevention and survivor services staying in touch with needs from our many touch points in the fire community, ongoing work with burn survivors and with hospital burn centers.
Our Safe and Warm program, for example, addresses the growing number of burn patients from the unhoused community. In partnership with The Midnight Mission in Los Angeles we developed a compact package, now distributed across California that teaches strategies for keeping warm and preventing burns.
Lasting Results: Our survivor services programs span Hospital, post discharge aid and information to our Camps, Retreats and Adventures for burn survivors and their families. Over the years, many of the burn survivors we serve “graduate” back to our volunteer community injecting meaningful stories that enhance the impact of our services. We believe there is no greater testimony to the result of our work for burn survivors.
Our Mission
To significantly reduce the number of burn injuries through prevention education and to enhance the quality of life of those affected by burn injuries in California.
Our Vision
A safe California, free from burn injuries, and a community of empowered burn survivors.
AARBF At a Glance
Impact of our programs 2023
2,651
Burn survivors and family
members who received services
29,327
Students reached via
Firefighters in Safety Education
35,728
Community members
reached for burn prevention
Allocation of spend 2024
Programs
Administration
Development
Many ways to contribute to our cause
There are many ways you can contribute to support for burn survivors:
Volunteer: Find out more about how you can volunteer in our programs there are many ways you can help us – depending on the time you have available. Or in support of our programs, you can sponsor a fundraiser in your community.
Donate: You can donate directly to us or through legacy giving. You’ll find details the many ways to give, direct your donation to the area of greatest need, in memory of a loved one, or memorialize a burn injury date.
Sponsor: Sponsor a fundraiser in your community to put the word about how we can help local families. Your donations to AARBF from these events are needed. Contact us to discuss your ideas about a community fundraiser.
Advise: If you’d like to become a member of our advisory team please contact us for more information.