In 1937, Don’s parents’ Arnold and Ellen Fedde started Fedde Furniture on the same block that it stands today. It has been family owned and operated for more than three generations. Don took over as president in 1963. Now, two of their four children, Mark Fedde and Melinda Fedde Kenney, continue the family tradition. (Mark, Julie, and Don Fedde are pictured above.)
When Julie and Don’s son Mark had a disabled child, they stepped up to help a small local nonprofit, Move A Child Higher (MACH 1), where their grandson, Taylor, participated in the therapeutic horseback riding program. In 2016, as part of PCF’s Be 1 in 100 Endowment Builder campaign, they set up an endowment to support PCF grants that go to non-profits serving disabled youth. The Fedde Endowment for Disabled Youth became endowment number 99 at PCF!
Don & Julie Fedde both grew up locally. Julie attended La Canada schools and then John Muir High School and Pasadena City College. Don graduated from rival high school PHS, also attended PCC and then USC. They are both very active in the San Marino and Pasadena communities.
We believe strong communities thrive when philanthropy tackles real needs. To create lasting impact in Greater Pasadena, we focus on six key areas that that drive opportunity, build resilience, and improve well-being.
To help address California’s housing affordability crisis, Pasadena Community Foundation continues to prioritize the creation of housing for individuals and families. PCF’s Affordable Housing Initiative was launched in 2019 with a goal to fund projects that add much-needed shelter and beds, permanent supportive housing, and affordable housing options for renters and those able to pursue […]
John Matthiessen enjoyed a long career as a salesman and then as the owner/operator of PlayWell, a local company that crafted high-quality play equipment for children. After he sold the company in the early 2000s, a friend invited him to visit the Boys & Girls Club Pasadena (BGCP), and John was hooked. “With my company, […]
Throughout the last year, Pasadena Community Foundation has met the COVID-19 crisis with far-reaching assistance for local organizations and the dizzying emergence of community needs. This response falls on a continuum of PCF’s long, sustainable support for “current needs unmet and future needs unforeseen” – all made possible by PCF’s powerful endowment funds. Endowments serve […]
To help address California’s housing affordability crisis, Pasadena Community Foundation continues to prioritize the creation of housing for individuals and families. PCF’s Affordable Housing Initiative was launched in 2019 with a goal to fund projects that add much-needed shelter and beds, permanent supportive housing, and affordable housing options for renters and those able to pursue […]
John Matthiessen enjoyed a long career as a salesman and then as the owner/operator of PlayWell, a local company that crafted high-quality play equipment for children. After he sold the company in the early 2000s, a friend invited him to visit the Boys & Girls Club Pasadena (BGCP), and John was hooked. “With my company, […]
Throughout the last year, Pasadena Community Foundation has met the COVID-19 crisis with far-reaching assistance for local organizations and the dizzying emergence of community needs. This response falls on a continuum of PCF’s long, sustainable support for “current needs unmet and future needs unforeseen” – all made possible by PCF’s powerful endowment funds. Endowments serve […]
