We are deeply committed to helping fellow students replace essential school supplies lost in the Eaton fires of Altadena and Pasadena (Los Angeles). Here’s how your contributions will make an immediate and lasting impact:
Who we are:
We are Sequoyah High School students and members of TOADS. Our mission is to make the world better and we want to support our fellow students through this catastrophe. As we watched houses and schools burn to the ground we realized students and teachers would need to replace their school and classroom supplies. We quickly started a backpack drive to supply students with essential supplies to help them reenter school and continue to be successful students. Currently we are supporting displaced educators in replacing their classroom supplies and libraries.
What we have done:
In three short weeks with help from generous donors like you, we have stuffed over 280 backpacks with essential school supplies. Our first 60 packs went to children at day camps for displaced PUSD students, and 50 backpacks went to Blair High School to outfit students returning to campus last week whose homes had burned down or are deemed inhabitable. Additional schools we supported include Altadena Arts with 110 packs, Elliot with 50, Sierra Madre MS with 20 packs and Sierra Madre Elementary with 10.
Over 30 backpacks were given to families who heard about our drive and asked for direct support. They came directly to us with kids from 6 to 16. These children could find a pack close to the one they lost, outfit it with supplies they knew they needed, and leave feeling a little more whole. Not gonna lie — there have been some hugs and tears amongst the volunteers at these moments.
The need continually evolves and we adapt our distribution plan to ensure donations reach those in greatest need.
Current Focus:
Altadena Arts Magnet has relocated to Allendale School. The building has been closed for years and it shows. Even though Altadena Arts didn’t burn down they can’t bring any items from the old school to their new home. We have brought a couple of truck loads and multiple SUV loads of supplies to the school along with 110 backpacks. Many staff members and students have been impacted by the fire and they need all the support we can give them to create a warm stable environment for learning!
How You Can Help Us:
- Make a tax deductible donation directly to the school. Carolina, Altadena school’s annual fund director, through Pasadena Education Foundation (PEF) has agreed to assist the Toads efforts to raise funds for these classrooms. If a donation is tagged in the memo with “TOADS Fire relief classroom fund” the money will go directly to the school for classroom funding! And PEF is a 501c3 any donations will be tax deductible. http://weblink.donorperfect.com/AltadenaAnnualFund
- Check out the teacher wish lists below and purchase items that will go directly to educators who need these items desperately.
https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/23MKEVXBLCLUS
Contact us
Follow us on Instagram or send us a email!
For inquiries or coordination, contact us at:
📧 pasadenatoads@gmail.com
📱 Instagram:
Thank You!
Thank you to all of those willing to donate both supplies and time to support the Pasadena/Altadena Community! Though we’d like to thank some specific people:
Garry Marshall Theatre in Burbank! Thank you so much to Joe Bwarie for coordinating and rallying, and to the three wonderful drivers who delivered the items!
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Chino Hills for donating both items and an incredible volunteer team!
Granada Hill preparatory school for coordinating a school drive and to parent Carissa and her two kids Samantha and Jacob for coordination and volunteering!
Student Volunteers, for multiple hours of hard work:
Griffin M., Pluto G., Gracie U., Asher S., Emmet T., Bruno G., Violet R. Diego S.
Thanks to Supporters through Our Amazon Wishlist:
Jen Duplass
Dana Smith
Amanda
James Nikolai
Shannon Musser
Greg Orshansky