Dear Friends and local community,

Many of you know me as Zen, Russ and I are heartbroken and overwhelmed after an accidental fire tore through a building we loved deeply — a place full of history, tucked behind Pomona Village Kitchen. We are so thankful to our local fire crew that responded in record time and did such an amazing job of stopping the fire before it could spread further.

This building has lived many lives. It was rebuilt in earlier 90's as a drapery, later becoming a charming antique shop. When we opened Pomona Village Kitchen, we transformed it into a joyful kids’ space. Our little girl spent soo many hours in there.

In 2021, my dear friend India founded Sanctum Movement in that space, creating a haven for local women — a place of creativity, escape, empowerment, and community.

When we bought the building, we poured our hearts and energy into every detail. Now, nothing remains but perhaps the brass door knob and spare key. It’s devastating to see it gone.

We’re feeling lost and unsure about what comes next. It could be a while before we know what kind of help our insurance can provide.

In the meantime, we face many out of pocket expenses to get things looking clean and beautiful again.

If you’re in a position to help us while we get back on our feet we would deeply appreciate it.

With love,

Zen & Russ