On the first Tuesday of every month, something simple, yet meaningful, arrives at The Women’s Room: lunch, prepared and delivered by a group of women who call themselves the Altadena Book Lovers.
They started, as many book clubs do, with a shared love of reading. Back in 2018, they were just a handful of strangers gathering around books and conversation. Over time, those strangers became friends, showing up for discussions and life’s ups and downs.
Their connection to Friends In Deed began a few years later. In December 2021, Jeanette and her dear friend Mary began preparing lunches for women at The Women’s Room. What started as a small effort quickly grew. As the need increased from 25 meals to 50, they reached out to fellow book club members, including Tricia and Anne, to help expand the effort.
What began with two friends soon became a shared commitment.
Then came the Eaton Fire.
Several women lost their homes, their lives upended overnight. Other members found themselves surrounded by burn scars in a neighborhood forever changed. In the face of that loss, something else grew stronger: community. The group leaned on one another, offering support, care, and a steady presence during an uncertain time.
While there was a brief pause in their monthly lunches as they navigated the immediate aftermath, their desire to care for their community persisted.
“Our book group started as a group of strangers who’ve now become friends,” one member shared. “Caring for one another is something we wanted to extend to others, especially in these difficult times.”
For one member in particular, the act of giving carries special meaning. After losing her home in the fire, she experienced firsthand what it feels like to be held up by a community. Now, she’s part of a group doing the same for others.
It’s a quiet kind of generosity. No fanfare. No spotlight. Just a group of friends, showing up month after month with a hot meal and plenty of care to go around.