ALTADENA RISES: Community Gathers to Heal, Remember, and Rebuild TogetherFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Yolanda C.S. Williams, KinFolks Helping Hands (626) 394-7012 | changematters99@gmail.com Veronica Fields, Connect 2 Rise Inc (626) 561-0622 | info@connect2rise.org ALTADENA RISES: Community Gathers to Heal, Remember, and Rebuild Together Candlelight Vigil Date Change to January 11, 2026, Brings 1,000+ Neighbors Together in Show of Unbreakable Unity and Strength ALTADENA, CA – January 5, 2026 – Important Update: Due to uncertain weather conditions, the vigil date and location have been adjusted to ensure a successful and dry event for all attendees. When tragedy strikes a community, it reveals what truly matters. It shows the bonds between neighbors, the strength of shared spirit, and the determination to rise again together. On Sunday, January 11, 2026, more than 1,000 Altadena residents will gather for a Candlelight Vigil. This event honors both profound loss and enduring hope and resilience. The devastating loss of over 10,000 homes and businesses has shaken Altadena to its core. Yet in the wake of this catastrophe, something remarkable is happening. A community is choosing resilience over despair, unity over division, and collective healing over isolation. The Power of Coming Together Organized by KinFolks Helping Hands and Connect 2 Rise Inc, the vigil represents more than a moment of remembrance. It is a testament to what happens when neighbors refuse to let tragedy define them. "This is a moment for our collective communities to come together—to heal together, to reflect together, and to rise together," said Veronica Fields, Executive Director of Connect 2 Rise Inc. "Every candle lit represents not just a memory, but a promise. A promise that Altadena's character, beauty, and peace will return." We will be gathering at Altadena Town & Country Club located at 2290 Country Club Dr, Altadena, CA 91001. As residents walk together, they will carry not just candles. They will carry the collective determination to rebuild what was lost in Altadena. "Altadena might be burned down, but we are still on the rise," said Yolanda C.S. Williams, Executive Director of KinFolks Helping Hands. "This vigil is not just about remembering what we lost. It's about declaring who we are and who we will continue to be a community defined by resilience, unity, and hope." An Evening of Shared Healing The vigil will create space for neighbors to support one another through: Musical Performance by The Benn Family (America's Got Talent) honoring those who have suffered loss and celebrating the strength of survivors, with children's choir. Spiritual Encouragement from four ALTA/PASA pastors offering words of healing, comfort, and prayer. Candlelight Procession with over 1,000 battery-operated tea lights illuminating the sky over Altadena, transforming darkness into a river of light. Community Anthem "Ode to Altadena" by Kenneth L. Strauther Free Transportation via buses ensuring all community members can participate. A Community That Cares for Its Own The response from across Los Angeles County demonstrates that Altadena does not stand alone. Community leaders, businesses, faith organizations, and neighbors from surrounding areas have rallied to support this gathering. Current Event Partners: More than 40 community partners including Change Reaction, Chick-fil-A Pasadena, World Central Kitchen, PCL Construction, Clergy Community Coalition, Revolution Rx Compounding Pharmacy, El Patron Restaurant, Jan Perry (Former LA City Councilwoman), Eaton Fire Legal Team, YWCA-SGV, Tournament of Roses, NWPC - Greater Pasadena Area, Pasadena Village, UNA-USA Pasadena Chapter, Pasadena Church, Lift International, The Sentinel Newspaper, My Tribe Rise, Chocolate Secrets, A Taste of Culture, Justice For 626, Columbia Bank, LA Fire Justice, Water Wheel Records, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, Media Technologies MarketPlace, LaMancha Events, Black Business Association LA, Joey Galloway Altadena, Pastor BJ King, Angel City Lumber, Glam It Up Events, Pasadena NAACP, Altadena NAACP, Community Women Vital Voices, SoCal Women's Health Conference, Black Clergy of Pasadena / Altadena and faith-based organizations across Los Angeles County. Join the Movement "We invite anyone who wants to be part of something meaningful to join us," Williams and Fields said. "Your support will help turn this vision into reality. It will show Altadena that it is not alone in this journey of rebuilding." The world has moved on. These survivors have not. We are launching a recommitment campaign to raise needed funds to aid the logistics of the Candlelight Vigil as well as ongoing support for Eaton Fire survivors. Several community members remain underserved and in need of assistance. Donation Link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/altadenaeaton-fire-candlelight-support-fund Defining Ourselves by How We Rise The Altadena Candlelight Vigil represents a pivotal moment in the community's story. It is the moment when residents collectively decide that their future will not be written by catastrophe, but by compassion. Not by what was taken, but by what endures. "We will not be defined by what happened to us," Fields emphasized. "We will be defined by how we respond, how we support each other, and how we rebuild—together." As night falls on January 11, 2026, and candles illuminate in Altadena, they will shine as symbols of something more powerful than any fire. They represent the unbreakable spirit of a community that refuses to be extinguished. Event Details What: Altadena Candlelight Vigil When: Sunday, January 11, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM 6:30 PM - Early Entry, Food & Hot Beverage Station, and Resource Tables 7:00 PM - Program Start Time Where: Altadena Town & Country Club 2290 Country Club Dr, Altadena, CA 91001 Expected Attendance: 1,000+ Altadena residents and community supporters. Admission: Free and open to all community members and all Southern California Event MC: 94.7 The Wave Morning Host Greg Mack Transportation Options Park & Walk: Ample Street parking near vigil location; parking lot will be closed for event. Free Shuttle Buses to Vigil: Buses can be boarded at Lake Ave & Mendicino St. Loading Times: 6:15 PM - 6:55 PM Park anywhere near: 2270 Lake Ave, Altadena, CA 91001 Free Transportation To & From Vigil: Contact Pasadena Village for more information Telephone: 626-765-6037 Service Area: LA & Orange County For sponsorship opportunities, partnership inquiries, media credentials, and interviews, contact: Yolanda C.S. Williams: 626-394-7012 | changematters99@gmail.com Veronica Fields: 626-561-0622 | info@connect2rise.org About the Organizers KinFolks Helping Hands is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to community empowerment, crisis response, and fostering unity through intentional dialogue and direct action. Connect 2 Rise Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization committed to bridging gaps for underserved communities, elevating voices that have been marginalized, and creating transformative pathways for collective healing and progress as we rebuild the social fabric that binds communities together. Submitted: 01/06/26 Article By: not specified |