Post Fire Community Food Relief

Wildfire relief

Other San Gabriel Valley

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

On January 6, 2025, the Eaton Fire burned over 14,000 acres and caused the destruction of 9,418 structures across the San Gabriel Valley. The unincorporated community of Altadena was hardest hit with 45% of the neighborhood destroyed. Like thousands of our neighbors, the Altadena Farmers’ Market’s staff members, volunteers, board members, and customers lost our homes, workplaces, and more.
The Eaton Fire has replaced Hurricane Katrina as the most expensive natural disaster in US History. The extent of the damage is difficult to comprehend even six months later. Our beloved hiking trails, community garden, parks, schools, grocery stores and more… gone. The fire compounded existing issues the community was experiencing with gentrification and lack of affordable housing. It is essential for sustained services like free food distributions and other emergency response programs organized at the local level to continue to support recovery efforts and build trust within the community.

The LA 2050 grant will enable the Altadena Farmes’ Market to continue operating our Free Farmers’ Markets for those directly impacted by the Eaton Fire. We started the Free Farmers Markets in the immediate aftermath of the fire funded by private donations and a partnership with World Central Kitchen.


The Free Farmers’ Markets will take place at New Macedonia Missionary Church, located at 455 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena - our new location where we installed a large storage shed for equipment. At the Free Farmers’ markets, eligible families and individuals can access $40 worth of CA grown produce purchased directly from regional farmers. Participants will register on our digital platform to verify their eligibility (based on living in the 91001, 91107, 91024, 91023 zip codes at the time of the Eaton Fire) and claim their voucher for the week. We will soon start promoting and educating people on how to register, claim their vouchers and redeem them at our distribution location. The voucher system will help eliminate long wait times at distribution events and ensure that only those directly impacted by the fires are served.

The recent fires impacted all of Los Angeles County in one way or another and our community at large is still grieving and left with questions about what rebuilding looks like and means, especially for our most vulnerable neighbors. Market speculation has been a big problem in Altadena, and already~50% of lots sold after the fire have been purchased by developers. There is a collective anxiety that Altadena in particular will look and feel very different in the coming years because of this. The Altadena Farmers Market has been working in the community for over a decade and we are committed to having an ongoing presence throughout the recovery period.
By facilitating recovery thorough our Free Farmers Markets, we are accelerating recovery efforts, facilitating savings on food expenses, keeping our community hopeful and nourished, and financially supporting local farmers affected by the fires.