Aline Foundation

Hey there,

First, welcome to The Slow Brew!  My corner of the internet where I share musings, insights, and my journey of living a deliberate AND adventurous life in this new chapter/decade.  More to come on all of this and the why….IN THE MEAN TIME…sharing something close to my heart.  

Post-Health-Ade life, I’ve spent a lot of time, therapy, and any new-age treatment out there to heal and help me realize where my passions lie and where I want to invest time and energy. One of those realizations is supporting women—especially those navigating a new chapter—to help find their purpose and prioritize their wellness.

Coming into 2025, I had planned to launch my non-profit organization, The Aline Foundation, later this year with the vision of honoring the legacy of women like my mom. She was the ultimate ‘doer’ who gave generously and graciously but never had the agency to choose herself.

The initial intent with this foundation was to offer wellness grants to women, like Aline, to help afford the time and space to not just fuel their dreams but give pause to rejuvenate themselves so that they may deliberately and purposefully define their next chapter.

BUT THEN THE WILDFIRES HAPPENED…

January 7th, 2025 lives in infamy for Southern California.

I’m at home in Pasadena and putting my kids to bed while listening to the sound of wind and watching the windows bend in like a concave lens.

We’d heard about the wildfires in our area on the news, so my husband and I packed a suitcase and a ‘box of important things’.

Just in case, we said. There’s no way we’ll actually need to evacuate, we thought.

But just a few hours later, we’d open the curtains to let the light in, only to see what can only be described as apocalyptic.

We needed to leave.

As the days turned to weeks of being evacuated, I felt my insides consuming me all at once with ALL the emotions for my community.

I’m not one who’s known to sit idle, and I knew that I couldn’t just sit here when there were people around me who were left empty-handed still faced with rebuilding for the long haul. Plus, what happens when this is old news, but there are people who are starting all the way over and their rebuilding will take months, not just a matter of weeks or days?  

As a proud Angeleno, I saw LA come together unlike ever before to help those in need. But with this disaster that has impacted so many I knew I couldn’t just wait six months until I felt ready to launch The Aline Foundation. 

The time to act was now, not later. 

Plus today (February 3rd) is my mom’s actual birthday. What better time than now!?! (by the way, usually my motto in life and how I operate).

Which is why the very first round of grants that we’ll be gifting are intended for female business owners and their families whose lives have been turned upside down by the wildfires. 

My hope through this adopt-a-family model is that these grants create some space and solace for the recipients that allow for a (small) relief from the arduous task of rebuilding.

Launching The Aline Foundation goes way beyond helping families rebuild for me. Over the last year, I’ve been on my own healing journey post-Health-Ade/new chapter. And with my mom’s passing in 2016 whilst running a business, I’m not completely sure I’ve grieved or processed all that grief has in store. I constantly thought:

I wish I had more time with her. What would she think of my life now? Would she be proud? I think so, but not because I sold a company, bought a house, or have the freedom to choose my career path... 

I think she’d be proud of me because I’m proud of myself. 

For the resilience I’ve built, the legacy I’m still creating, the warmth I’m passing down to my kids and through the impact of my work. 

Because that’s what it’s really all about, isn’t it? 

Leaving the world a better place than you found it.

So here is a start to just that! Have questions for me about the Aline Foundation or your grant application? Hit reply to this email and ask me anything. 

With you in this,
Vanessa