Welcome to The Foothill Catalog Journal!
It has been just about two weeks since this initiative launched - it has already been quite the journey, and this is just the beginning! These newsletters will be in journal format, so you can stay updated on what the team at The Foothill Catalog Foundation (TFCF) is up to, and the progress that is being made on our mission. You'll also be able to read all of our future journal entries on our website.
Since launching...
We have received so many messages from architects, designers, builders, and members of the community who are eager to help contribute their skills to the rebuild effort. We have received messages from residents who have lost their homes in the fire, to let us know that our mission gives them hope. It has truly been inspiring to see the strength and resilience of our community, and the TFCF team remains committed to doing everything we can to make this vision into a reality.
Over the past two weeks, our primary action item has been outreach and meetings to #1, spread the word about this idea, and #2, begin to collect the expertise and knowledge that will be needed to produce the Catalog as we envision it. We have had amazing meetings and feedback from community members, along with design professionals, organizations like the LA Conservancy, the LA County Planning Department, and those directly involved in the recovery efforts of the 2023 Lahaina Wildfire on Maui. These conversations and the lessons learned continue to inform the development of the Catalog's framework.
Moving forward...
We will continue outreach at a high level, and engage our design community as soon as possible. If you are an architect or designer and have reached out to us, we will be in touch soon to discuss how you or your firm can get involved in a more direct way.
We hope to have concept imagery of potential catalog homes to share soon.
We would also like to put out a call to our community members in Altadena - we truly believe that this community is something special, and we want to share more about its identity and character, and why it should be protected. If you are interested in sharing your story - from your experience living in this neighborhood, to your family's history in this area, to what you hope to see in the rebuild process, and anything in between, please reach out to us at info@foothillcatalog.org.
As for how everyone can help - continuing to spread the word, and donating if you are able - supports this organization tremendously. Your donation supports our mission by helping us cover operational costs of the Foundation, along with the research for development of the framework and eventual production of the Catalog. A portion of your donation also contributes to the establishment of a grant that will benefit affected homeowners directly. Donate here. For those who have contributed, and continue to share and engaged with our message, thank you! We truly appreciate your support.
As always - reach out anytime if you have any questions would like to know more, or want to get involved with TFCF. This is a collective movement to rebuild our community, and we would love to have you on our team.
Until Next Time,
The Foothill Catalog
Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@thefoothillcatalog), Facebook (The Foothill Catalog Foundation), and/or Linkedin for more real time updates.