Low-income, elderly homeowners affected by Eaton Fire aided by $50,000 One Body & One Spirit Appeal grant

The San Gabriel Valley Community Land Trust’s work to protect the property of low-income and elderly homeowners affected by the Eaton Fire has been aided by a $50,000 One Body & One Spirit Appeal grant awarded Oct. 21 by the Corporation of the Diocese.

The grant enables the Trust to hire a real estate/asset manager to assist area residents whose Altadena and Pasadena area homes were destroyed in January’s catastrophic blaze.

Grace Dyrness (pictured above, at far right, with Trust leaders), a member of the Trust’s board of directors and a parishioner at All Saints Church in Pasadena, conveys deepest appreciation to the Corporation of the Diocese and Appeal donors for this generous grant: “We are so grateful for this strategic support.”

“Many low-income and elderly homeowners found themselves uninsured, or underinsured, and absolutely overwhelmed” by the fire, the Trust board members stated in their grant application. “Without intervention, their burned lots are at risk of being sold to corporate real estate developers and private investment trusts. We are already seeing a rapid gobbling up of homes, which will not only displace families but also erode the cultural fabric of Altadena.”

Following a model used in the Lahaina recovery process after the 2023 Hawaii wildfires, the Trust is working to “acquire fire-impacted lots from willing sellers, steward them in trust, and coordinate our partnerships across the San Gabriel Valley to rebuild permanently affordable homes for Altadena residents.”

Fire relief grants funded by the diocesan One Body & One Spirit Appeal are made alongside grants for ministry projects and programs in congregations, institutions, and organizations within the diocese.

Launched as an emergency fund during COVID, the Appeal isn’t just for crisis response. It’s for anything a church or institution needs that isn’t covered by the budget. Every dollar donated goes back out the door in a grant.

Since 2022, the Appeal has raised $388,662 for ministry grants through 561 gifts by 293 donors; an additional $175,000 was raised for COVID-related grants in 2020-2022. Donations for ministry project grants may be made here.

The Corporation will award a new round of grants in December, and May 1 is the filing deadline for the next ministry grants, to be awarded in June. An application packet may be downloaded here. Grants may be requested up to a maximum amount of $10,000 each by congregations, institutions, and programs in the diocese.

Gifts received after January 7 were reserved for fire relief until April 1 when ministry grants resumed and a dual track of awards began. To date, a total of 1,235 donors have raised $779,526 in 1,251 gifts for fire relief through the One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal.

Fire-relief grants are made by the Corporation of the Diocese to individuals and institutions based on applications reviewed regularly by a panel representing diocesan fiduciary bodies. Apply for a fire relief grant here and donate to the fire relief fund here. Gifts to the Appeal also may be mailed to the diocesan Finance Office at St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Thank you for your support of the One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal.