Danita has been a star since she could remember–she was taught horseback riding at a very young age, and has been competing ever since. Over the years, Danita found a home at a ranch on top of Fair Oaks in Altadena, where she trained horses and provided lessons. In between, she helped with housekeeping for various Airbnb houses. During competition seasons, she would gather her prized horses, PJ and Athena, into her trailer with living quarters and drive her truck to compete–and win.
Then the wildfires came. “We were luckily able to get all of the animals off the ranch safely. It took a few hours. If I’d tried to go back and get anything else, I would have died.”
Danita went back to the ranch once it was safe, and it was unrecognizable. Her trailer, which she purchased for $17,000 over a decade ago, was gone. “I can’t imagine how much it’ll be to purchase another one, probably double or triple the cost now.”
She found temporary boarding for her horses while she thought about the next steps. Through Foothill Unity Center, she was able to receive a grant that helped with her own housing, and the weekly food distributions has allowed her to focus on regrouping. “The meat that I get here is so good–I use it for tacos, burritos, everything. It’s fresh, healthy, and they also provide dog food, which is what I feed my birds.”
Through another grant, Danita is in the process of getting her truck driving license and currently has her permit. She is hopeful that by the end of the year, she can get her CDL and start working again.
“I would like to thank Foothill Unity for the generous, generous help. My future is looking really good. I really want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. And I really appreciate the good food every week too.”