Miguel A. Santana, President and CEO of the California Community Foundation, will speak at the gathering, hosted by the Pasadena-based nonprofit Friends In Deed under the theme “Rising Together.”
The foundation’s wildfire recovery fund distributed $30 million in the first month after the Eaton Fire to nonprofits helping survivors in Altadena and across the region, according to the Associated Press.
The breakfast runs from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Convention Center, 300 E. Green St. Doors open at 6:45 a.m. Proceeds benefit Friends In Deed’s homelessness and at-risk services.
Mayor Victor M. Gordo, who will preside, told Pasadena Now that the 2026 theme reflects what the community has been through.
“We chose that theme because it speaks to not just the city of Pasadena as an institution, but the people of Pasadena and really the Altadena community,” Gordo said, “working together to help one another and ensure that we rise together after having experienced so much adversity and difficulty as individuals and as a people.”
For attendees who have never been before, Gordo offered this:
“It’s a great experience because of the tradition, but also a very moving experience when you see people from every walk of life, every denomination, locking arms and committees to build a better place by helping neighbors,” he said. “It’s a combination of tradition, spirituality, and commitment to be part of the community.”
Gordo described the breakfast as a tradition that draws people across denominations and from every walk of life.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to and important to me to continue this great tradition of the mayor’s prayer breakfast because it’s an opportunity for all of us from every walk of life to have a moment or a time of togetherness, joint reflection,” Gordo said. “And together, we commit ourselves towards a better Pasadena and world for all.”
The faith community is still reeling from the impact of the Eaton Fire, which destroyed numerous houses of worship, including Masjid Al-Taqwa, Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and school in Altadena, and Altadena Baptist Church.
In July 2025, six months after the fire, keynote speaker Santana spoke at a gathering of Eaton Fire survivors at the Good Neighbor cafe in Altadena.
“Recovery doesn’t end when the flames are out. And we can’t rebuild Altadena without immigrants, caregivers, and small businesses. It’s about more than houses. It’s about preserving this community’s spirit.”
Friends In Deed, founded in 1894, operates five core programs serving Pasadena’s homeless and at-risk communities: The Women’s Room, the Food Pantry, Bad Weather Shelter, the Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance program, and Street Outreach and Housing, according to the organization’s website. The nonprofit was named 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year by State Senator Anthony Portantino for the 25th Senate District and 2023 Nonprofit of the Year by Representative Judy Chu for the 28th Congressional District.
The breakfast aligns with the National Day of Prayer, observed on the first Thursday of May.
Individual tickets are $55, and a reserved table of 10 is $550. Information and tickets are available at friendsindeedpas.org/mipb.
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