Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Niagara Cares, City Year LA Partner to Aid Wildfire-Affected Odyssey Charter School

Volunteers transform campus to support students recovering from Eaton wildfire

Niagara Cares announced that it will join nonprofit City Year Los Angeles on Thursday to help hundreds of students at Odyssey Charter Schools recover from the Eaton wildfire through a School Beautification Day featuring campus beautification and sustainability initiatives.

Volunteers from Niagara Bottling’s charitable division will spend the day landscaping, planting gardens, building planter boxes and creating outdoor learning spaces at the Altadena campus, creating a vibrant space that inspires hope, pride and resilience.

“At Niagara Cares, we believe that supporting students, schools, and communities is an investment in a brighter future,” said Ann Canela, director of corporate giving at Niagara Bottling. “As part of this commitment, we are creating spaces that inspire learning, celebrate community, and support student success in partnership with City Year Los Angeles. This initiative comes at a critical moment as these young people are navigating life post-wildfire and we are grateful to help give back and uplift their spirits.”

The event is part of City Year Los Angeles’ Civic Engagement program — an effort that mobilizes volunteers to revitalize school campuses through environmentally-focused, community-driven projects.

City Year Los Angeles is a nonprofit organization focused on supporting students and schools in under-resourced communities throughout Los Angeles. It is part of City Year, a national education nonprofit founded in 1988, which partners with public schools in 29 high-need communities across the United States, as well as international affiliates in the UK and South Africa.

The partnership reflects Niagara’s and City Year Los Angeles’ shared belief in the power of service, educational opportunity, and environmental stewardship.

“Hosting this service day in partnership with Niagara Cares is more than just beautifying a campus—it’s about restoring a sense of belonging and hope for Odyssey Charter School students who have experienced immense disruption after the Eaton Fire,” said Dr. Sandra Cano, executive director of City Year Los Angeles. “We’re so grateful for the opportunity to come together and support the Altadena community in this way.”

Research shows the more time a student spends with a City Year AmeriCorps member serving as a student success coach, the better the student outcomes—academically, interpersonally and in terms of attendance.

City Year Los Angeles, an AmeriCorps program operating since 2007, currently serves 22 partner schools and supports more than 150,000 students through holistic, whole-school support programs.

Niagara Bottling, a family-owned business headquartered in Diamond Bar, California, has operated since 1963 and runs bottling facilities throughout the U.S. and Mexico.