Lilly Trejo has spent the last week watching the destruction wrought by the multiple fires raging throughout Los Angeles County – and knew they had to help.
That’s why Trejo was among more than 100 others who showed up at the corner of Lake Avenue and Villa Street, in Pasadena, on Sunday morning, Jan. 12, masks covering their faces and shovels and rakes in hand. The gaggle of good-doers were there for a volunteer cleanup organized by the Pasadena Job Center.
“I think it’s the same reason that a lot of people are here, to come through and help others out,” Trejo, 32, said as volunteers took a break around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. “You feel that calling to do something and see what you could do, so that’s why I came today to see how I could help.”
Workers at the Pasadena Jobs Center have been leading the effort to not only clean up areas devastated by the Eaton fire, which had burned 14,117 acres as of midday Sunday, but also take in and distribute donations of water, food, medical supplies and clothing at the Baja Cali restaurant.
Organizers were at the scene at 7 a.m. Sunday to start the two operations, said Jose Madera, director of the Pasadena Job Center.
“With the winds, it toppled a lot of trees and a lot of trash,” Madera, 36, said, “so what the workers have done, is organize groups of volunteers and different community organizations that are going all over Pasadena and some parts of Altadena to help with the clean up efforts.”
Madera, though, also noted that cleanup efforts won’t be finished in a day or two – far from it.
“There are many people that have been affected,” Madera said. “This is going to take not just one week or two weeks or a month. It’s going to take a long time to support all the families that have been affected, and the community in general.”
It is heartening, however, to see the support so far, Madera said.
“It’s a beautiful thing to see a lot of people from many different areas come to help,” he said, “people from West Covina, from Anaheim, and many community organizations to help with the cleanup efforts and donations.”
“It’s going to take a village to support the whole community,” Madera added. “These are acts of love because we all need the healing.”
Los Angeles County can often seem like myriad disparate communities, with different identities, but in the wake of these wildfires, those communities have come together – thanks to volunteers like Trejo.
Trejo arrived in Pasadena around 10 a.m. for the cleanup event, which stretched from North Pasadena, at the border of Altadena, and spread out around the Pasadena area, including Singer Park.
“We were picking up mostly branches and trash that was brought by the heavy winds,” Trejo said.
Trejo said it took about an hour to sign up and figure out where to go, since there were so many people in line wanting to volunteer. By 12:30 p.m., there were still people lining up to check in to help volunteer.
Seeing so many people volunteer gave them hope, Trejo said.
“Everyone is just so willing to do what they can,” said Trejo, who uses they/them/their pronouns. “Even getting to the clean up locations, people are offering others rides. It’s that altruism on full display and people willing to do everything they can.
“The response is so huge,” they added, “and hopefully we see that continue as the fires get put out and the aftermath and the work that needs to be done once they’re all put out.”
If people were not able to volunteer this weekend in the Pasadena area, there will be many more opportunities, Trejo said.
“I saw someone say that this is definitely a marathon not a sprint,” they said, “so (don’t) be hard on yourself if you were not able to make it or if you went somewhere and they had to turn you away because there were too many people. Just keep an eye out for different places that are doing distributions or asking for volunteers.”
Liz Kim, from Silverlake, also went to Pasadena to volunteer on Sunday – wanting to rid herself of feelings of helplessness.
“It’s amazing to see so many people come and help,” Kim said. “I just love this city so much, it makes me want to cry. I’m overwhelmed with how amazing everyone is and wanting to help. Even people who have lost everything are showing up to help others. It’s amazing.”
Kim has been checking mutual aid lists online to see where places need certain donations or volunteers.
“Don’t be discouraged, do what you can,” Kim said. “Even if you just help one person, it’s doing a lot.”