Blog archive
April 2025
Status - April 28, 2025
04/28/2025
Art From the Ashes
04/24/2025
Informal Discussion on Current Events
04/23/2025
Gratitude for the Village: Supporting Me Through the Fire
04/14/2025
The Log in Our Eyes
04/13/2025
Evacuation and Soot
04/07/2025
March 2025
About Senior Solutions
03/28/2025
Building a Bridge With Journey House, A Home Base for Former Foster Youth
03/28/2025
Come for the Knitting, Stay for the Conversation... and the Cookies
03/28/2025
Creating Safe and Smart Spaces with Home Technology
03/28/2025
Finding Joy in My Role on The Pasadena Village Board
03/28/2025
I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!
03/28/2025
Managing Anxiety
03/28/2025
Message from Our President: Keeping Pasadena Village Strong Together
03/28/2025
My Favorite Easter Gift
03/28/2025
The Hidden History of Black Women in WWII
03/28/2025
Urinary Tract Infection – Watch Out!
03/28/2025
Volunteer Coordinator and Blade-Runner
03/28/2025
Continuing Commitment to Combating Racism
03/26/2025
Goodbye and Keep Cold by Robert Frost
03/13/2025
What The Living Do by Marie Howe
03/13/2025
Racism is Not Genetic
03/11/2025
Bill Gould, The First
03/07/2025
THIS IS A CHAPTER, NOT MY WHOLE STORY
03/07/2025
Dramatic Flair: Villagers Share their Digital Art
03/03/2025
Empowering Senior LGBTQ+ Caregivers
03/03/2025
A Life Never Anticipated
03/02/2025
Eaton Fire Changes Life
03/02/2025
February 2025
Commemorating Black History Month 2025
02/28/2025
Transportation at the Pasadena Village
02/28/2025
A Look at Proposition 19
02/27/2025
Behind the Scenes: Understanding the Pasadena Village Board and Its Role
02/27/2025
Beyond and Within the Village: The Power of One
02/27/2025
Celebrating Black Voices
02/27/2025
Creatively Supporting Our Village Community
02/27/2025
Decluttering: More Than The Name Implies
02/27/2025
Hidden Gems of Forest Lawn Museum
02/27/2025
LA River Walk
02/27/2025
Message from the President
02/27/2025
Phoenix Rising
02/27/2025
1619 Conversations with West African Art
02/25/2025
The Party Line
02/24/2025
Bluebird by Charles Bukowski
02/17/2025
Dreams by Langston Hughes
02/17/2025
Haiku - Four by Fritzie
02/17/2025
Haikus - Nine by Virginia
02/17/2025
Wind and Fire
02/17/2025
Partnerships Amplify Relief Efforts
02/07/2025
Another Community Giving Back
02/05/2025
Diary of Disaster Response
02/05/2025
Eaton Fire: A Community United in Loss and Recovery
02/05/2025
Healing Powers of Creative Energy
02/05/2025
Living the Mission
02/05/2025
Message from the President: Honoring Black History Month
02/05/2025
Surviving and Thriving: Elder Health Considerations After the Fires
02/05/2025
Treasure Hunting in The Ashes
02/05/2025
Villager's Stories
02/05/2025
A Beginning of Healing
02/03/2025
Hectic Evacuation From Eaton Canyon Fire
02/02/2025
Hurricanes and Fires are Different Monsters
02/02/2025
January 2025
At Dawn by Ed Mervine
01/31/2025
Thank you for Relief Efforts
01/31/2025
Needs as of January 25, 2025
01/24/2025
Eaton Fire Information
01/23/2025
Escape to San Diego
01/19/2025
Finding Courage Amid Tragedy
01/19/2025
Responses of Pasadena Village February 22, 2025
01/18/2025
A Tale of Three Fires
01/14/2025
THE BRIDGE BEGINS AT JOURNEY HOUSE
By Karen BagnardPosted: 12/19/2024
Village members and friends stepped up to provide a bountiful dinner for the young people and their families at Journey House. Approximately 75 dinners were enjoyed on Wednesday, November 27, at two seatings.
While no one lives at Journey House anymore, it still feels like a family home for young people who have aged out of foster care and are working their way through college or trade schools. Journey House provides them with counseling, mentoring, financial help and many other forms of support. With no families to support them, these young people rely on the staff and volunteers at Journey House.
Villager Debbie Baird commented, “Journey House has such a wonderful homey atmosphere. The children have their own room upstairs stocked with toys to enjoy. And, if a child wants to keep a toy they can take it home with them. It was a joyful experience to be a part of this Journey House Thanksgiving celebration.”
Those of us who cooked and attended this lovely Thanksgiving gathering felt the love and the warmth that exists in this lovely historic home in Pasadena. We saw young people who found their way, many without transportation of their own, to be with the ones who love and support them. Some came with partners and/or children. It was beautiful to be a part of this. As Bridget Brewster shared, “I went expecting to simply be of help, I didn't imagine the gratitude, not just for the food, but actually being present with the Journeyers. I walked away on cloud nine!”
Fortunately, the weather was beautiful, allowing the children to play in the garden and run around on the big lawn in front. It was your typical family Thanksgiving dinner gathering.
This was the inaugural event in developing inter-generational programming for both Pasadena Village and Journey House. Executive Directors Jesse Aguiar and Katie Brandon, are working jointly to create more opportunities in the new year that will enrich and benefit both organizations.
Quite a few of the Village members have been involved with Journey House for many years, Toni Cavanagh, Wayne April, Jeff Gutstadt, Bridget Brewster, Tom and Liz Polenzani and me. We have participated and supported this organization in many ways. We can all attest to the dedication and success of their mission to help former foster youth continue their education.
One of the greatest aspects of Journey House is that no one ever “ages out.” They are truly like a family. They have been in existence for over 41 years doing this great work. Some of the original young men who benefited from the vision of the founder, Father Tim Mayworm, still come back “home” to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner and the annual Christmas party.
Katy Townsend said, “My daughter passed away a few months prior to this Thanksgiving Dinner and I felt good being around a lot of positive and wonderful people.” This statement underscores how much we have to give to each other.