Standing Together: Supporting Families and Children After the LA Eaton Fire
When disaster strikes, it takes a community to bring hope and healing. The Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, devastated hundreds of families. In San Rafael Elementary School alone, 70 children were left without homes. Local businesses and caring individuals rallied together to provide relief—but the need is still great.
At the center of this vital relief effort is Loretta Bradshaw, founder of the Bee Kind Initiative, a grassroots community movement to foster kindness and empathy among those affected by the disaster. From her deep roots in multi-generational California family bee farm Loretta knows firsthand the power of community working together. Between 30 years of networking in the toy industry and partnering with the local PTA Loretta’s tireless work ensured that affected families received vital support.
To distribute donation packages, she organized a Donation Event on February 20th 2025 at the San Rafael Public Library inviting myFirst and others to participate, providing not only lifestyle essentials but also hope and a sense of normalcy. Through small community donations via her GoFundMe page you can also join us to help these kids & families continue their road to recovery.
“It is amazing how the impact of kindness can help brighten one's day and bring hope despite the challenges many families are facing." – Kristin Chew Reutimann, Parent Volunteer and the San Rafael Elementary School Annual Fund Chair
San Rafael Elementary: A Cornerstone of the Community
Located in Pasadena, California, San Rafael Elementary is more than just a school—it’s the heart of a diverse and tight-knit community. As the only public school in West Pasadena, it has long served local families, offering a Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program that fosters bilingual education and cultural appreciation. With just around 400 students each year, the children’s community builds lifelong friendships and a deep connection to their neighborhood.
On February 20th, affected families were invited to San Rafael public library to collect as many items as they needed to support and maintain their kids learning and development. Hundreds of items were distributed thanks to local volunteers.
United by Single Mission – Relief for Staff, Parents, & Kids
Led by Loretta’s Bee Kind initiative, school staff, and community members, the relief event brought together local businesses and parents to distribute essential supplies.
The goal was simple: to bring comfort and stability to children facing unimaginable loss. Thanks to corporate partners and generous individuals, families received everything from clothing and food to school materials, art supplies, books, and toys.
Kids received wonderful new contributions:
✅ myFirst: Donated over 70 photo kits with myFirst Camera Insta 2 and extra photo and decal rolls. This helps kids a way to mindfully journal their daily changes, making tangible prints and stickers.
✅ OOLY: Provided a truckload of art and craft supplies to bring joy and inspiration.
✅ Wild Republic: Donated nature-inspired plush toys to offer children comfort during this difficult time.
✅ My Audio Pets: Supplied BEARitone speakers to spread music and happiness.
✅ Cottage Door Press: Donated bilingual books to encourage literacy and learning Spanish.
✅ Steve & Loretta Bradshaw brought a sweet sense of comfort by donating 50 jars of local honey.
“Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul, healthy for the body,” said Loretta, underscoring the warmth and care behind every contribution.
Essentials To Rebuild And Grow
Beyond gifts of toys and books, businesses stepped up in remarkable ways, ensuring that families had the critical supplies needed for immediate recovery.
- Yoshino Technology provided a portable solar power station to help a family get reliable charge for essential electronics.
· Mobile Edge: Provided 100 bags, helping collect donations in beautiful and secure containers.
- Pasadena U-Haul, Extra Space Storage, and Rocket Shell Storage offered moving trucks and storage solutions to facilitate donation collection and distribution, ensuring that families had access to essential supplies.
- Clad Home carefully curated hundreds of clothing items for infants, children, and adults.
“We wanted to do more than just donate—we wanted to make sure every family found something that made them feel cared for,” said Eve Beltran from Clad Home
Donate Today: Want to Help Bee Kind’s Ongoing Mission?
Even with all this generosity, the need is far from over. There is still no clear path to housing security, and long delays are ahead before people can move back to their neighborhood due to smoke damage and debris. Many families are still struggling to rebuild their lives, and children are in urgent need of essentials—clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, and comforting items like toys and books.
To continue this vital relief work, Loretta Bradshaw has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to provide direct aid to these families. Your support can help ensure that these children have the resources they need to move forward.
Join the movement of kindness:
➡️ Click to support 70 children affected by the fire
For more information about Bee Kind Initiative contact Loretta Bradshaw loretta@authorizedretail.org
