The wildfire that swept through Altadena destroyed or damaged over 9,400 structures, including 4,356 single-family homes, 77 multi-family buildings, and 123 commercial buildings. Among those affected were sisters Veronica and Danielle Valdez, Danielle’s two children, and their 75-year-old mother, Patsy Brown.
Their multi-family home was completely destroyed along with a unit on the property where the two sisters operated an event decorating and planning business. The family had called the house their home for over 25 years.
Thanks to Community Build, Inc.’s corporate partners and its connections with the Snoop Youth Football and Cheerleading League, the family received the keys to a new multi-family home in Arlington Heights.
“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, Inc. 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 to support wildfire survivors, Sausedo sought to use the remaining funds to directly assist families who had lost everything to secure housing by covering the security deposit and first month’s rent.
Sausedo reached out to several nonprofits working with displaced families, including the Snoop Youth Football and Cheerleading League (SYFL) founded by entertainment icon Snoop Dogg in 2005. The SYFL provides inner-city children with opportunities to participate in youth football and cheerleading, emphasizing teamwork, sportsmanship, discipline, self-respect, and academic success. Many SYFL families lost their homes in the Altadena Fire. Scholastic Director DeeDee Hayes connected Sausedo with Veronica and Danielle Valdez.
The Valdez family’s new home is a 2,152-square-foot California Craftsman 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. Maven Properties representative Zenna Limm said she was thrilled to know the house would be occupied by a family displaced by the Altadena wildfire.
Both units will have new furnishings courtesy of Inglewood-based furniture manufacturer Lily Jack. The company donated over 250 pieces of furniture to Community Build—including bed frames, sofa beds, tables, nightstands, chairs, and bar stools—valued at over $200,000. As more families are housed, Community Build will distribute additional furnishings to 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.” Lily Jack spokesperson and Senior Director of Business Development Cassandra Sampson said.
Teamsters Joint Council 42 donated their time, labor, and vehicles to transport the donated furnishings to Community Build’s warehouse.
“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. “We especially want to thank City National Bank, Target, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco for making this possible. Community Build is committed for the long haul in the effort to assist survivors of the wildfires, and with partners like these, we can continue making a difference.”
Veronica expressed her deep gratitude for the support they’ve received and said it has strengthened her faith in God.
“From the start, even when the fire happened, we were always taken care of. I knew we were going to be okay,” Veronica said. “This is just proof of it—just another confidence builder for us to know that God made this happen.”
