Saturday, July 11, 2026

Pasadena Nonprofit to Give Away Backpacks, Supplies at City Hall on Aug. 9

[photo credit: Eventbrite]

The organization founded by an Altadena family has held the annual event since 2012

LOV Olive Branches CDC will hold its annual back-to-school backpack giveaway on Sunday, Aug. 9, from noon to 4 p.m. at Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Ave.

The nonprofit’s annual events have typically included free backpacks, school supplies, food, haircuts and braiding services for young ladies, according to the organization’s website. LOV Olive Branches has held its back-to-school giveaway each August since 2012, serving students and families from Pasadena and Altadena. The Aug. 9 event comes one week after the separate 3rd Annual Dena Community Backpack Giveaway scheduled for Aug. 2 at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

Pasadena City Councilmember Justin L. Jones, who represents District 3, promoted the event in his district newsletter, according to source material provided to Pasadena Now.

LOV Olive Branches was founded in 1999 by Pastor Leroy and Anna Toliver, longtime Altadena residents who served as advocates for at-risk youth and as DCFS and Family to Family community partners in North Pasadena, according to the organization’s website. The Tolivers became foster parents and eventually adoptive parents.

“We began the Back to School Community Give Back because we observed a need to empower students to have a fresh start each school year, and this was our opportunity to give back and bring resources to the families that are in need,” the organization stated on its website, in a passage attributed to Valerie Toliver.

Valerie Toliver, whose parents founded the nonprofit, is listed as the event organizer on Eventbrite.

The organization describes its mission as working “to graft in and give life to as many broken branches (children and families) as possible,” according to its website.

LOV Olive Branches also participates in the larger Dena Community Backpack Giveaway at the Rose Bowl. In 2025, six organizations partnered for that event: Rose Bowl Stadium, the Rose Bowl Institute, LOV Olive Branches, Neighborhood Servants, Pasadena Educational Foundation and the City of Pasadena, according to a prior Pasadena Now report. The first annual Rose Bowl giveaway in 2024 served more than 1,500 families and distributed over 1,000 backpacks, according to Valerie Toliver.

The Aug. 2 Rose Bowl event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Aug. 9 event at City Hall is a separate LOV Olive Branches event, according to its Eventbrite listing.

Families seeking more information about the Aug. 9 event can call (626) 484-5639 or email Info@lovolivebranchescdc.com.

The number of backpacks available and whether registration is required have not been publicly posted by the organization.