Gratitude & Growth

When the winds of disaster swept through our beloved Altadena and Pasadena neighborhoods during the Eaton Canyon Fire, many single mothers and daughters found themselves standing on unsteady ground, homes destroyed, SNAP benefits suspended, futures suddenly uncertain. At A Sisterhood for Fatherless Daughters, we witnessed these realities firsthand and felt a calling to step in with relief, compassion, and sisterhood.

Our Relief & Impact Snapshot

• We responded by launching emergency gift-card distributions and grocery relief to dozens of single-mother households in the fire’s path.

• We launched out "Fill The Gap"campaign and are currently in the process of raising funds for our campaign to support 145 families whose access to SNAP benefits was interrupted.

• Through our monthly gatherings and wellness-based relief events, we’ve built community, fostered connection, and offered healing spaces in the wake of shared trauma.

Still, in the midst of uncertainty, we are choosing gratitude, not to dismiss the pain, but to energize the resilience emerging among these women and girls. Research tells us that gratitude practices can reduce stress, enhance wellbeing, and even support post-traumatic growth.

Why Gratitude Matters—Especially During Hard Times

When you carry burdens like fatherlessness, displacement, or benefit loss, gratitude isn’t about ignoring the struggle. Rather, it becomes a gentle anchor in the midst of turmoil, reminding you of what remains even when so much has been lost: the breath in your lungs, the bond between mother and daughter, the unlikely strength rising from ashes. For the women and girls we serve & those rebuilding after the Eaton Canyon Fire, navigating fatherless households, or rising above food insecurity, gratitude isn’t a cloak that conceals pain; it’s a compass that directs you toward meaning, connection, and resilience.

Research shows that practicing gratitude can boost well-being, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and deepen personal relationships. For someone who has known absence, loss, and uncertainty, pausing to notice and give thanks for what persists transforms survival into a quiet declaration: “I am here. I matter. I am ready to build.” In acknowledging both the challenge and the gift, you step into your own power and in doing so, pave a path for your children to walk alongside you.

Tools for Practice: Gratitude in Action

Here are ways you can embed gratitude into your daily rhythm:

• Morning two-minute list: Before getting out of bed, quietly name three things you are thankful for, no matter how small.

• Family prompt: At dinner this week, invite your children or mother to name a moment of the day when they felt supported, seen, or hopeful.

• Healing journal: Keep a small notebook and write one sentence each evening about something that went well or someone who treated you kindly.

• Who-you-are note: Write a quick note to yourself or to your child: “I am strong because…” Then pass it to them, keeping one for yourself.These simple practices help quiet the nervous system and shift the lens from surviving to thriving.

Holding Growth in View

Growth often comes quietly. In our work, we see it when a mother shares her story, or another woman volunteers to help make gift-cards happen. Each act becomes a brick in the foundation of healing, not just for today but for generations ahead.

When we are grateful, we also notice our growth:

• A woman who once thought, “This is all I can do,” now says, “This is just the beginning.”

• A daughter who felt invisible now says, “I have a voice and I will use it.”

• A community once shaken by fire now stands ready to rebuild—with care, connection and intention.

Keep Family Close, Keep Hope Alive

In the silent spaces between crisis and calm, we remember that family however defined, is more than blood. It is the women who stand beside you, the daughters who laugh at your jokes, the friends who bring you tea on a rough day. So lean into those relationships. Share your fatigue. Ask for support. Give it. Because growth lives in community.

As we end this year intentionally, our relief work continues, and our campaign to raise $50,000 by December 31 to feed 145 families is a testament to what happens when we choose gratitude and action. Thank you for being part of this journey.

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