Thursday, April 16, 2026

Altadena Nonprofit That Lost Offices in Eaton Fire Launches Free Music Series for Children

Loma Alta Park Gymnasium [photo credit: County of Los Angeles]

The series, which runs from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the park at 3330 N. Lincoln Ave. in Altadena, will continue on May 15 and June 12. Each session is free and open to the public. According to the organization’s event announcement, activities will include music, dancing, snacks and refreshments, giveaways, and educational booths.

The event is presented in partnership with the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, according to promotional materials from Children of One Planet.

The nonprofit, founded in 2000 by Azita Milanian, promotes the well-being of children through performing arts programs. The organization has been a partner with LA County Parks and Recreation and previously provided music and dance instruction at Loma Alta Park and the Farnsworth Park community center through the county’s Parks After Dark program, according to the organization’s website.

The Eaton Fire, which began on the evening of Jan. 7, 2025, in Eaton Canyon, burned more than 14,000 acres and destroyed more than 9,000 structures across Altadena and surrounding communities. At least 19 people were killed.

Children of One Planet was among the organizations directly affected. According to a statement on its website, the fire destroyed the nonprofit’s Altadena-based office along with its computers, administrative tools, and class equipment. The home of founder Milanian also burned, according to an event listing the organization posted on Patch.com.

Despite those losses, the organization resumed programming within weeks. The group was teaching guitar lessons at a temporary camp at Crescenta Valley Park two weeks after the fire, according to its website.

Milanian, a graduate of the University of Florida’s College of Engineering, worked for 12 years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge before founding Children of One Planet, according to the organization’s biographical materials. She has described the nonprofit’s mission as using music, dance, and life education to support children’s mental and physical health.

Loma Alta Park itself sustained damage in the Eaton Fire. The LA County Department of Parks and Recreation announced plans to reopen the park in May 2025 following emergency restoration work.

The Altadena Rotary Club has also provided support for the organization’s work at the park. Children of One Planet was among the recipients of the Rotary’s Altadena Fire Recovery Grants, with funding designated for beat-making, dance, and ukulele lessons at Loma Alta Park, according to a report from Pasadena Now.

More than a year after the fire, community-based recovery efforts in Altadena continue. More than 9,000 structures were destroyed and thousands of residents were displaced, and organizations ranging from the Eaton Fire Collaborative to the Altadena Builds Back Foundation are coordinating long-term support for affected families.

Music for Hope Altadena is free. For information, contact Children of One Planet at (818) 960-8654 or (424) 276-0266, or visit www.childrenofoneplanet.org.