Community Turns out for 23rd Annual Local Heroes Celebration

Deborah Williams and Pamela Weatherspoon representing grantee organization Huntington Health.

On Thursday, November 10, Pasadena Community Foundation’s annual Local Heroes Breakfast brought together more than 200 guests at the University Club in celebration of the Foundation’s 2022 grant recipients and the leadership of Pasadena-area nonprofit organizations. The event showcased PCF’s $1.6 million in grant and scholarship awards to 60 local nonprofit organizations and 75 individual scholars this year.

Guests filled the tables at the University Club to enjoy breakfast and the presentation.

Guest presenters highlighted PCF 2022 grant awards in nine “impact” categories, while three grantee organizations were chosen to share more about their work in the community: Executive Director Charles Loveman with Heritage Housing Partners, Board Chair Andy Eaton with Coffee with a Cause, and Stephen McCurry, the Executive Director of Pasadena Conservatory of Music, which received PCF’s Capital Campaign Grant of $50,000.

View the printed event program

Charles Loveman, Executive Director of Heritage Housing Partners, shares information about a recent affordable housing project funded in part by PCF.

Former Mayor and PCF Board Member Bill Bogaard memorialized his friend and former city colleague John J. Kennedy. Kennedy left PCF a bequest of $500,000 to be added to the endowed Kennedy Scholarship Fund established in 2014 by Kennedy and his siblings. Scholarships will assist African American youth in pursuing higher education.

Pat Amsbry, Mayor Victor Gordo, and city councilmembers Andy Wilson and Felicia Williams.

Elected and civic leaders were well represented in the audience, including U.S. Congresswomen Judy Chu, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, Pasadena City Manager Miguel Márquez, PUSD Superintendent Brian McDonald, PCC President Erika Endrijonas, and City Councilmembers Andy Wilson, Felicia Williams, and councilmember-elect Jason Lyons.

PCF President & CEO Jennifer DeVoll closed the program by sharing her notes and observations from the year and sharing PCF’s short video “Here for Good.” We invite you to watch the video on YouTube.

LOCAL HEROES GUESTSClick on thumbnails to enlarge photos.