Aid "O Happy Days Vegan Cafe" Recovery: Cafe and Home Lost

I love John. I knew that from the moment, many years ago, when I walked into his natural foods store, O Happy Days Vegan Cafe. When I was in the area, I would always stop in and order from John's extremely nutritious, super cheap (to this day), homemade vegan menu. He always served me himself, even up until my last visit there two weeks ago. Walking through his shop and seeing reflected in it his beautiful, humble vision of what life could be like in Los Angeles always gave me hope for humanity. Observing him, his gentle respect and love for all who entered his store, and his dedication to serving nutritious food to all who wanted it at very affordable prices, had an extraordinary effect on me personally regarding what kind of person I wanted to be as a young "grown up": how I wanted to treat other people; how I wanted to be treated by others; how to just BE within my ideals; all while living in this vast, potentially quite dehumanizing CRAZY MORASS of a city. I would leave his shop with an ecstatic feeling that I could, well, be like him.

O Happy Days burned down this past week, and so did John's house, and his two cars. Magically, he is alive! and ended up at the Pasadena Convention Center with other evacuees. I tracked him down through the magic of serendipidy, texts, friends, and relatives of friends (thank you Caroline for your initial text, and Philip, Caroline's brother, who knows John personally!). He is safe and now has a secure place to stay.

I know there are many fundraisers happening right now. The devastation to Altadena, and to so many other parts of Southern CA is beyond beyond, and has caused me many tears. But I would ask you to please donate whatever you have left in your ability to this particular fundraiser, in the name of the spirit of Altadena, small towns within giant towns, small independently-owned shops, and the idea that we can continue to make the world WHAT WE WANT IT TO BE: an inclusive place, where people respect others even if they are very different than we are; a safe and peaceful place; a truly free place.

Thank you and I wish everyone safety.

A little info about me and this fundraiser: My name is Heather Lockie. I live in Los Angeles. I am a customer of O Happy Days Vegan Cafe. I know John Hopkins from going into his store for many years. All funds will go to John Hopkins.

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Mon. Jan 13 - Below are some wonderful comments people wrote in to me on my FB page that I thought I would share with you all:

John and the community space he created in Altadena has been a haven of love, peace, justice, and humanity for decades. There is no way to describe what this cozy vegan café and health food store has meant to generations of locals and people throughout the Greater LA area. He has supported so many people, in so many ways, that it would take a book to explain (and it is with sincere hope that many people document it as best they can in the near future). Everything he has done in his life has taught us all how to love, strengthen, heal, and stand with each other.

And now we need to demonstrate what he’s taught us and love, strengthen, heal, and stand with him. The store and his home have burned, but his legacy will live on. ALL FUNDS RAISED WILL GO DIRECTLY TO JOHN, hoping that it will provide some stability. Do what you can, spread the word, and stay tuned for ongoing news of events, projects, and updates in the rebuilding of the Altadena community. Please feel free to share memories of John and Oh Happy Days in the comments. ¡Abrazos Family! Solidarity Por Vida!

-Tanya Selig

I met John when I was 15 years old and had just started organizing with my mom in Food Not Bombs. To this day, John has never stopped being the backbone of multiple chapters of FNB throughout the 31 years I’ve known him. His WEEKLY contribution of the staples of our meals (rice, beans, and onions) has fed HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people over the decades. And that’s a fraction of his contributions to people and Mother Earth. For over 30 years now he has been a mentor to me, modeling the ways I want to live in the world and stand with the global community. I am deeply grateful for the love he has given me and I hope to live up to his example.

Tanya, Guerrilla FNB

I first met John about 20 years ago because he (and his customers via the tip jar he put out) generously donated the rice, beans, and onions that Los Angeles Food Not Bombs cook and serve every week, and we're not the only group he regularly donated to. I don't live near Oh Happy Days but I'd stop by for a plate every opportunity I could, hoping there was also a day-old to-go from the fridge for later. The eating area felt like a family dinner table and you could say hi to anyone who sat down. In an increasingly corporatized and depersonalized world, we need more places like Oh Happy Days where the business owner is also a quiet philanthropist, and also the guy who took your order and made your food from behind the counter. Thanks John!

-Josh, LAFNB

I have known John for about 30 years. No other place had such healthy, wholesome, home-cooked organic vegan food. His meals were so affordable and filling and delicious! He always knew my “usual”… the biggest yam of the bunch, salad with his house mustard dressing, steamed greens, and whatever the soup of the day was. You really couldn’t call it soup. It was always so dense your spoon would stand up in it, which is why he really never needed a bowl, he would just add it to your plate! And the carob nut squares, perfect healthy dessert. The produce in the cooler was always so beautiful because he was very picky in what he would order from his suppliers. It was a funky, hippie dippy little café that was a landmark in the community. And as far as I’m concerned, the best food in town and the only food I wanted to go out to eat. John is such a gentle soul and I always looked forward to giving him a hug. In 2004 and 2008 when I was volunteering for vegan Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s presidential campaign, John generously donated many many meals to Dennis when he was in town campaigning. His adorable old yellow pick up truck that proudly had vegan café written on each side of it, was the mascot of the rear parking lot! He sold vegetable seeds and canned goods and packaged goods and assorted holistic potions by the ounce. Oh Happy Days was one of a kind and I can’t believe it was swept away in a heartbeat. Our community will forever be grateful to John for all his daily backbreaking work keeping his little market and cafe going. The main ingredients of course, were love and commitment to healthy people, a healthy planet and compassion for animals. I am so proud to call John Hopkins my friend.

-Marr Nealon, 40 year vegan