Inglewood Organizations Lead Efforts to House Altadena Wildfire Victims
Inglewood-based organizations are playing a crucial role in housing and supporting families displaced by the devastating Altadena wildfire, which destroyed over 9,400 structures including more than 4,300 single-family homes across greater Los Angeles.
Community Build, Inc., working with Inglewood furniture manufacturer Lily Jack and other partners, recently helped the Valdez family—sisters Veronica and Danielle, Danielle’s two children, and their 75-year-old mother Patsy Brown—secure a new home after their multi-family residence of 25 years was completely destroyed in the fire.
“I’ve seen and heard from so many families that are homeless because of the wildfires,” said Community Build President Dr. Robert Sausedo. “I vowed to use every dollar we received for wildfire assistance as a force multiplier for good, helping as many families as possible.”
In February, Community Build secured $125,000 in wildfire recovery assistance from City National Bank, Target, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. After awarding grants to 25 nonprofits across greater Los Angeles, the organization used remaining funds to directly assist families by covering security deposits and first month’s rent for new housing.
Inglewood-based furniture manufacturer Lily Jack has been a key partner in the effort, donating over 250 pieces of furniture valued at more than $200,000 to help furnish homes for displaced families.
“Lily Jack President Lisa Villarreal felt compelled to do something because you cannot live a full life and recover without having something to sit on, something to lie on. And not just anything. We wanted to give the best of the best as they continue to recover,” said Lily Jack spokesperson and Senior Director of Business Development Cassandra Sampson.
The Valdez family’s new home is a 2,152-square-foot California Craftsman in Arlington Heights that was recently renovated in 2022 by Maven Properties. Originally a single-family home built in 1907, it was converted into a duplex, each unit featuring two bedrooms and multiple bathrooms.
Teamsters Joint Council 42 contributed to the effort by donating their time, labor, and vehicles to transport the donated furnishings to Community Build’s warehouse, demonstrating the power of collaborative community support.
The initiative also involved the Snoop Youth Football and Cheerleading League (SYFL), founded by Snoop Dogg in 2005, which connected Community Build with the Valdez family through Scholastic Director DeeDee Hayes.
“We are incredibly grateful to have generous partners like Lily Jack, Teamsters Council 42, the Snoop Youth Football and Cheerleading League, Bridge Street, 88th Street Temple COGIC, Los Angeles Community Church and many other organizations that are collaborating with us to support families in need,” Sausedo said.
As Community Build continues its long-term commitment to wildfire recovery, Inglewood businesses and organizations remain at the forefront of these humanitarian efforts, demonstrating the community’s capacity to support those in need throughout the greater Los Angeles region.
Veronica Valdez expressed her deep gratitude for the support they’ve received. “From the start, even when the fire happened, we were always taken care of. I knew we were going to be okay,” she said. “This is just proof of it—just another confidence builder for us to know that God made this happen.”
