Parthenia Fire Victims Honored At Labor Day Breakfast

NORTHRIDGE, CA — Families who lost their homes and possessions in the July 4th Parthenia fire that destroyed a Northridge apartment complex reunited with neighbors and community supporters at a Labor Day breakfast hosted by 12^th district Councilmember John Lee at the CD12 Community Service Center.

Families received gift cards, as well as grocery gift bags with food and essentials using funds and supplies donated by the community.

Since July, all the families who lost their homes have secured permanent housing. Thanks to a donation from the Change Reaction nonprofit, refrigerators were purchased for 10 families whose new accommodations did not include one. The Change Reaction also purchased $300 gift cards for the families in July, and has been working with Councilmember Lee’s office to provide the families with help navigating the services available to them.

In July, a clothing and food drive to help the families was held at the Napa Street Elementary School in Northridge that filled up the entire school’s auditorium and spilled over into the Devonshire PALS Center. The community also raised $2,959 through a GoFundMe campaign.

“Community support, be it from relatives, friends, or neighbors, whether known or unknown, is critical to helping families affected by a disaster to recover and rebuild,” said Lee, who has recently partnered with the Granada Hills Rotary Club and the nonprofit About My Father's Business to launch the CD12 Lunches of Love program, which enlists residents to deliver meals and care packages to the district's homeless population. “No one can do it alone.

“These families experienced the unimaginable when they lost their homes and everything they owned in the fire caused by illegal fireworks, and we want them to know we are still here for them.”