Rebuilding Through Play: Community Healing and Access in Post Fire Pasadena

Green space, park access, and trees

San Gabriel Valley

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

LA County faces a longstanding play equity gap, even in communities like Pasadena; specifically within Pasadena Unified School District, as a disproportionate number of students attend private schools, leaving primarily lower-income families enrolled in public schools. These families often struggle to access safe, local, and affordable green space. Barriers like high fees, long commutes, and limited culturally responsive programming leave many kids without consistent opportunities to play or connect. The need has only intensified since the January Altadena wildfires, which displaced entire neighborhoods and disrupted daily life for hundreds of families. SSUSA – LA aims to address this by launching free programs at a new community park in Pasadena—funded for installation by Uniqlo. This grant would activate the site with local coaches, youth practices, outreach, and tutoring opportunities—ensuring the space becomes not just a park, but a healing and trusted community anchor.

This grant will support the launch of free, community-based programming at a new park on a Pasadena Unified School District Site. The site, operated and used by the district during school hours, and by SSUSA after school and weekends, will include 2 mini soccer pitches and a shipping container converted into a digital media learning center, with installation funded by a commitment from Uniqlo.
This grant would activate the space with high-quality, no-cost programming led by trained coaches from the community. This includes weekly youth development sessions, open play, seasonal tournaments, and digital workshops. All programming will integrate mentorship, social-emotional learning, and trauma-informed practice—anchored in consistent relationships with trusted local adults.
This initiative goes beyond sport—it’s about creating a safe, stable, and welcoming space for young people to belong and grow. In the wake of the January wildfires that displaced families in nearby Altadena, this Pasadena site will serve as a vital hub for healing, connection, and opportunity.
SSUSA - LA is uniquely positioned to lead this work. Our programs already serve 2,000+ youth across five school districts, and our 4, free-to-play Clubs in Watts have operated for seven years without interruption. We expect to directly serve 250 youth and family members through weekly programming and events, while reaching an additional 1,500 community members through outreach, tournaments, and ongoing partnerships.

If our work is successful, LA County will be a place where more young people—regardless of zip code—have access to safe, consistent, and free spaces to play, learn, and connect. Families who’ve long been shut out of organized sports due to cost, distance, or lack of infrastructure will have something lasting in their own neighborhoods.
We’ll see stronger community ties as trusted local coaches lead programs that reflect the culture, needs, and aspirations of the neighborhoods they serve. Youth will build not only physical skills, but also confidence, creativity, and a sense of belonging.
In places like Pasadena, where safe play space has been lost since the fires, these parks will serve as visible markers of what’s possible when community-driven design and long-term programming come together. Ideally, they’ll be proof points that help shift how we invest in public space across the county—from short-term fixes to long-term commitments rooted in equity and access.