Saturday, April 4, 2026

Pasadena Village Distributes $450,000 in Cash Grants to Older Adults Displaced by Eaton Fire

John Jackson on his Altadena property. [Pasadena Village photo]

A team of nine older adults designed the process that awarded grants of up to $8,175 to 61 residents in Altadena and Pasadena

Sixty-one older adults still displaced by the Eaton Fire have received direct cash grants from Pasadena Village, a Pasadena-based nonprofit, totaling $450,000 and funded by the California Community Foundation.

The grants, ranging from $5,000 to $8,175, went to residents ages 55 and older in Altadena and Pasadena who remain displaced nearly 15 months after the fire destroyed more than 9,000 structures and killed at least 19 people in January 2025. More than 40 of the 61 recipients identify as Black or African American, according to a press release issued by Pasadena Village and the California Community Foundation.

A recovery team of nine older adults designed and carried out the distribution process, according to the press release. The California Community Foundation awarded the $450,000 grant to Pasadena Village in November to provide direct cash assistance to wildfire survivors in the two communities.

Of the 61 recipients, 52 lost their primary residence entirely. Nine are still waiting to return to homes severely damaged by smoke and ash.

John Jackson, an 80-year-old Altadena resident, lost the home he had lived in for 50 years in the fire. Gone with it were the outdoor kitchen where he gathered with friends, furniture he crafted by hand and a workshop filled with woodworking tools — none of which were insured.

“The Village has offered me unbelievable support,” Jackson said. “While most people needed computers and electronics, I needed saws and hand and power tools to rebuild my storage shed.”

Jackson plans to rebuild his home and workshop and replace essential tools such as a table saw, router and planer. He also hopes to rebuild fencing and restore his patio. For Jackson, woodworking is more than a hobby — it is a source of purpose and a way to rebuild what insurance cannot replace, from shelving and drawers to furniture, according to the press release.

Juanita, an 84-year-old Altadena resident identified only by her first name in the press release, lost her family’s home of 52 years along with all of its contents and two cars in the fire. The funding she received will help cover rebuilding costs, furnishings and basic needs as she and her family work toward returning home, according to the press release.

“We just need help to sustain ourselves financially until we can get back home,” she said.

“Pasadena Village is deeply grateful to the California Community Foundation for standing with our community in this moment of need,” said Katie Brandon, executive director of Pasadena Village. “Many older adults affected by the wildfires lost not only their homes, but their stability. This funding is helping older survivors move forward and know that they are supported, and not forgotten, as they rebuild their lives.”

Pasadena Village is a nonprofit for adults 55 and older that uses a peer-to-peer support model to help members age in place. The organization has more than 200 members in the greater Pasadena area.

The California Community Foundation, founded in 1915, manages $2.3 billion in assets and oversees 1,900 charitable foundations, funds and legacies across Los Angeles County, according to the organization.

Beyond the cash grants, Pasadena Village continues to connect older adults with one another and with resources as they navigate recovery, according to the press release. For more information, visit PasadenaVillage.org or call 626-765-6037.

Jackson plans to replace his table saw, router and planer and rebuild the home and workshop he lost after 50 years.