Lila Jacobson, a 16-year-old from the Glendale neighborhood of Adams Hill, recently built on the success of a project she started three years ago by making, donating and delivering 45 dream pillows to her favorite local charity, Ascencia.
Jacobson presented the pillows, which were distributed to people experiencing homelessness, to Ascencia Volunteer Coordinator Karina Moreno on Jan. 4.
Councilwoman Paula Devine, who has been tracking Jacobson’s project since it first came to light, was excited to hear about the pillows benefiting Ascencia and showed up during the hand-over. “Lila is an inspiration,” Devine said.
Ascencia’s goal of “lifting people out of homelessness” has been a driving inspiration for the project, Jacobson said. The initial spark came from the 16-year-old noticing the growing number of people living on the streets in and around Glendale. She also heard stories of how the COVID-19 pandemic was impacting people across the country, as well as locally. With homelessness still persisting today, Jacobson decided to use her knowledge and experience of sewing to help them.
Jacobson set up shop in her home’s laundry room, just as she had the first time around. Balancing pillow making with schoolwork and playing soccer for her school’s JV team, she made the dream pillows in bright, fun colors for Ascencia residents to lay their heads on.
Jacobson said what she loves most about the project she created is “knowing people in need will get something special just for them.”
Next, the teen said she looks forward to “bringing a group of kids my age together to do something to help the local community.”
First published in the January 20 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
