Small Gift, Big Impact: Rebuilding after the fire

When the Eaton fire swept through foothill neighborhoods earlier this year, it left behind not only devastation but also remarkable stories of resilience. One such story is that of 91-year-old Joanna Bailey and her daughter, Sandra, who lost everything in the blaze — including the home Joanna and her late husband had purchased together in 1969.

“We left the house in our pajamas and house slippers,” Sandra recalls. “By the time we got the evacuation alert, the fire was half a mile away. We had no time to think. We just ran.”

In the days that followed, the Baileys leaned on the kindness of friends and strangers. They stayed with a friend for a few nights before moving into an Airbnb that could accommodate Joanna’s mobility needs.

But shelter alone wasn’t enough. Having fled with only the clothes on their backs, Joanna and Sandra needed the simple, everyday items that could bring comfort and dignity back into their lives. That’s when Senior Care Network’s Senior Caring Fund stepped in, providing a gift card that allowed them to select exactly what they needed and wanted — giving them not just material support, but a measure of control, dignity and hope during a difficult time.

Sandra recalls the day they received the gift card through the program. “We had been going to giveaways and received some nice used items, which we were so grateful for,” she explains. “But to get a gift card to buy new things — things my mom wanted — was a different kind of joy.”

Joanna’s face lit up when Sandra handed her the card. “Her face was like a Christmas tree,” Sandra says. “She got to pick out the nightgowns she used to wear before the fire. It helped her feel like herself again.”

With the gift card, Sandra purchased new clothes, shoes, hygiene items and other essentials. These may seem ordinary to many, but for Joanna and Sandra, they were priceless symbols of comfort and choice — small steps toward reclaiming a sense of normalcy after such a devastating loss.

The Baileys are deeply grateful to everyone who made this act of kindness possible. “We just want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” Sandra says. “It’s organizations like Senior Care Network that make the road ahead feel a little easier to navigate — and remind us we’re not alone.”

About Senior Caring Fund

Senior Care Network (SCN) supports the health and well-being of seniors, as well as those with disabilities and their families. SCN links clients to important in-home and community-based services, coordinates needed care, provides education on aging and more. Since 2018, SCN has operated the Senior Caring Fund (SCF) to
help older adults access critical resources, especially during times of crisis. Made possible through the generosity of individual donors, as well as recent contributions from the Pasadena Community Foundation and other funders, SCF provides immediate support to restore dignity, comfort and stability by covering one-time or short-term expenses such as eyeglasses, hearing aids, mobility aids, blood pressure monitors, technology, food and other essentials. This ensures that no senior in our community is left behind. For more information about SCF, please email seniorcaringfund@huntingtonhealth.org.

This article was originally printed in Senior Care Network’s 50+ Newsletter – Winter 2026.