April 09, 2025

As people who lost their homes in Altadena continue to deal with the emotional and financial toll from the fire, the Pasadena Senior Center is uniquely situated and ready to provide an anchor for the community.

The Center is located just 3 ½ miles from the Eaton Fire zone, and my hope is that we can help people navigate the difficult question they are asking themselves after such a loss: “what’s next?”

I’ve attended a few town halls led by staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and found myself so overwhelmed afterwards by the amount of information, that my heart feels for those who survived the fire. The Center staff and volunteers are dedicated to helping fire survivors make the right decisions for themselves, and we are here for the long road of recovery ahead.

Along with the 54 regular Center members and four members of our staff who lost their homes in the fire, we are providing resources to people who used to frequent the now-closed Altadena Senior Center and other fire survivors.

What is most heartwarming to me is watching the Center become a “community hub” of sorts—a place where fire survivors can visit us in person, or attend various seminars on Zoom, where they are able to connect with former neighbors, and recreate, in a way, with that unique community they had. One of our volunteers who lost her home in the fire now lives in Pomona, yet still calls and visits on a regular basis, sometimes running into former neighbors.

After so many fire survivors expressed a desire for ongoing mental health support, we began holding regular seminars, led by social workers and other mental health professionals. One participant told me recently how learning to identify emotions was empowering and provided comfort. The seminar leader pointed out that learning the difference between depression (worrying about the past) and anxiety (worrying about the future) can help people recognize what they have control over: “I can’t fix the past, but I can fix the future,” one person told me. In-house and Zoom counseling sessions are being planned for the future.

Other seminars planned by the Center include one featuring survivors from past fires (ones that took place in Maui, Oregon, Paradise), one led by an insurance expert, another by pro bono attorneys who are able to help review paperwork that may be confusing.

Along with providing emotional and tangible resources to those in need, the Center is also a place of refuge, and joy. Many fire survivors have told us that the gentle reminder to “take a breath” helps them deal with the next decision. One woman told me “I’ve lost so much, but when I come to the Pasadena Senior Center, I can find joy. What I love is still here.” 

To that end, our calendar is full of events that evoke joy: from the recent Alvin Ailey Dance Company performance to various music and art workshops to a simple meet-up with a former neighbor at our Coffee Bar: our door and heart remain open.