After the Eaton Fires, PUSD received a massive wave of donations from people all around the world. From new books to fresh bags of produce, we as a community are grateful for all the support our community has received. As the year draws to a close, here is a look back at some of the donation events held this year.
PEF Partners with Instacart To Support PUSD Schools’ Fire Recovery
Pasadena Educational Foundation and Pasadena Unified School District partnered with Instacart to support schools affected by the Eaton Fire through the “Classroom Carts” initiative, where anyone across the United States could donate directly to classrooms. Additionally, the Instacart Board of Directors also contributed $1 million to support this effort, benefiting the Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation, the Pasadena Educational Foundation, and the LAUSD Foundation.
Giftogram and PEF Partner to Support PUSD Families After the Eaton Fire
PEF and Giftogram worked together to provide emergency financial assistance to more than 1,500 households within the PUSD community affected by the Eaton Fire in Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre. Giftogram’s seamless platform enabled our affected families to quickly receive digital gift cards that were redeemable at hundreds of stores.
CFPF and Partners Support Restoration of Eliot Arts Magnet
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation, CFP Bowl games, and School Specialty have joined together to pledge a total of $1.5 million towards the restoration of Eliot Arts Magnet School which was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. It was a massive, multi-contributor effort to help begin the recovery efforts for Eliot.
LeVar Burton’s Gift: Supporting Literacy and Resilience in PUSD Schools
Actor LeVar Burton made a generous donation to our PUSD second graders by gifting them with copies of his book The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm. The Talent Agency WME also donated additional funds towards student social and emotional needs along with LeVar Burton’s gift.
A Quick Morning, A Lasting Impact
From the perspective of PEF’s Chris Perez, this food distribution event provided PUSD families with food donated by King’s Hawaiian Bread. A small, but powerful moment of community between PUSD and its families.
Over 500 PUSD Students and Families Receive Clothing Through UNIQLO Partnership
In an event held across three PUSD sites, more than 500 PUSD students, family members, and staff were able to “shop” for some free clothes. Through a wonderful partnership between Uniqlo and PEF, these PUSD community members that were impacted by the Eaton Fire got some stylish new clothes for the summer.
Manwani Family Scholarship Bowling Extravaganza
As long-time members of the Pasadena community, the Manwani family celebrated their annual scholarship winners with a night of bowling and good food.
Eaton Fire Response Spotlight: Ahmanson Foundation Grant Delivers Clean Air at Home for Madison Families
Thanks to a generous $25,000 grant from The Ahmanson Foundation, Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) provided easy-to-use, high-quality Healthway air purifiers and replacement filters for Madison Elementary School families. Many Madison families experienced compromised home air quality in the wake of the Eaton Fire, making this support especially critical for their health and comfort.
ToR and CFPF Recognize Eliot Arts Magnet teacher Richard Moya
The Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation celebrated the Big Day for Teachers by recognizing Eliot teacher Richard Moya for his accomplishments. In a ceremony with both students and fellow staff members, Moya was applauded for his years of dedication to Eliot Arts Magnet.
Kicking Off Winter with Warmth: Warner Bros. Discovery and Operation Warm Bring New Clothes to Madison Students
Through the Pasadena Educational Foundation’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, Madison students were gifted brand-new jackets and shoes through Operation Warm. The Madison auditorium was turned into a “store” where students had the opportunity to pick out their own jackets and shoes.
