Programs
EHP programs are a lifeline for disadvantaged families.
Food Programs
EHP is now offering food distribution Monday through Thursday. We have also expanded the hours of operation. Clients can pick up food boxes from 9 am - 12 pm and from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm.
EHP IS CLOSED FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY.
The Hot Lunch Program is back! Hot lunches provided by Loaves and Fishes are available Monday through Thursdays after 11:00 (pending delivery by Loaves and Fishes).
**During November and December, EHP switches to our Holiday Schedule.
Emergency Food Assistance
EHP provides boxes of food to meet basic nutritional needs of families, as well as to individuals experiencing temporary emergency needs or special circumstances, such as long-term illness. The food boxes are nutritionally balanced, containing protein, vegetables, grains, cereals, and canned goods. They are prepared with an understanding of the cultural and ethnic preferences of each family.
Individual Food Bags
EHP provides supplemental bags of food to homeless individuals or individuals/families in transitional housing. These individuals/families have no means of cooking or refrigerating their food and depend on supplemental meal bags for sustenance. These individuals/families would go hungry without this critical resource.
Fresh Produce
Second Harvest Silicon Valley is now delivering fresh produce to EHP every Tuesday. You can find staples such as onions, potatoes and carrots every week along with seasonal fruits and vegetables such as berries, melons, and zucchini, depending on the time of year. EHP also provides produce from our very own organic garden. Available fruits include apples, plums, pears, persimmons and tomatoes when in season and vegetables such as green beans, peppers, summer squash and a variety of leafy greens.
Hot Lunch Program
EHP is now offering hot lunch every service day. These meals are prepared and delivered every day by Loaves and Fishes and kept fresh and hot in our thermostatically controlled heated holding cabinet. These meals are individually wrapped and sealed and can be eaten in our patio area or taken home to be enjoyed later.
Pack the Bag Program
A growing problem in our local community – children and students go home from school, hungry from their busy day. But there's nothing to eat readily available to them. Now, during a tough economy, many students have been identified as suffering from this problem.
EHP’s Pack the Bag program enables children to receive nutritional easy-to-prepare and/or ready-to-eat light meals, snacks and beverage, every service day.. By purchasing food in bulk, we are able to serve more children effectively.
What we need:
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Boxed Milk
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String Cheese
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Baby Carrots
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Almonds/Other Nuts
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Fruit cups
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Vacuum Tuna/Tuna Salad Kits
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Individual ready meals in a cup
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Easy Mac
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Other non-perishable items
How you Can Help – Sponsor a Hungry Child Now!
Your monthly sponsorship of $10, or $120 a year, will help provide an identified, undernourished student with food. Your donation will alleviate symptoms of chronic hunger. 100% of your sponsorship will go toward the purchase of food for hungry children and your donation is tax deductible.
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Make checks payable to the EHP
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Make credit/debit card payments
Wishlist
Please help by donating the following items (single serving size preferred) or donate complete meal bags (each bag should be packed with a variety of items to cover one day's worth of food - 3 meals):
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Ready made meals (Hormel, Dinty Moore, etc.)
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Pop-top cans (soups, chili, etc.)
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Oatmeal packets
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Desserts
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Crackers & cookies
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Fruit cups
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Juice & bottled water
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Plastic-ware & napkins
Non-Food Items Needed:
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Disposable razors
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Toothpaste & toothbrushes, mouthwash & floss
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Bar soap
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Shampoo & conditioner
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Deodorant
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Personal wipes/hand sanitizer
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Lotion
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Hair brushes & combs
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Reusable beverage container
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Feminine products
Holiday Giving &
Children's Resources
Holiday Giving
Every holiday season, EHP provides low-income families in East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, Menlo Park and surrounding communities with food and gifts. Many years ago, EHP started a special program for families with special needs and/or experiencing extreme hardship, the EHP Family Sharing Program (formerly Adopt-a-Family). These families are matched with individuals or groups wanting to experience a more personal and direct donating experience.
Family Sharing donors are provided with a wish list of specific food and new gifts items submitted by the families registered for the Family Sharing Program. Donors receive basic information about the family, including names and ages of the children and special needs or requests that the family might have. Out of respect for the privacy of our families and to allow them to maintain their dignity, some personal information may be withheld.
Family sizes are categorized below:
Small (1-2 members)
Medium (3-4 members)
Large (5-7 members)
X-Large (8 or more members)
After choosing the size of the family that you wish to sponsor, please contact LaKesha for complete details at 650.323.7781 ext. 1200
or email her at Lakesha@ehpcares.org. You will be provided with the name of the family, their wish list and the opportunity to make this a brighter holiday for a family in need through your generosity.
Children's Resources
Back to School – we help our clients’ children get ready to start the school year in a positive way by providing fully stocked new backpacks, shopping trips for school clothes and uniforms, and a new school shoes program.
Holiday Happiness – we help brighten holidays for our clients’ children with various events throughout the year including an Easter basket program, Halloween trunk or treat event, and a toy & teen gift giving program.
Cake4Kids – Every child deserves a cake to celebrate his/her birthday. EHP, in collaboration with Cake4Kids, provides a custom cake/cupcakes made to order for the birthday child.
Celebrating Success – our staff often learns of an important celebration for a child – graduation, appearance in a school play, etc. - that no adult is able to attend. Our staff attends the function to cheer the child on, sometimes providing a small check to mark a milestone in the child’s life. This is a program we seek to expand, serving more children and publicizing their accomplishments. Sadly, we often provide similar support for children attending funerals.
Snack Bag Program provides children with a nutritional easy-to-prepare and/or ready-to-eat meal and snacks to enjoy throughout the week. A growing problem in our local community – children and students do not always receive adequate nutrition aside from what is provided at their schools.
Other Programs
Case Management
Many clients come to EHP with multiple needs that require personal, ongoing support as they wrestle with the crises that have led to their poverty and hunger. As these needs have become more complex, EHP has implemented a case management program, which allows EHP’s staff to assist clients in addressing and prioritizing these problems in-depth, providing both the immediate and the long-term assistance essential for a family’s success. This is a crucial element in the transition of client families from dependence on assistance to self-reliance.
Client Advocacy
Information and referral assistance are provided to clients seeking housing, financial assistance for basic needs (e.g., PG&E), health care, child-care, employment, language skills, and other social services. EHP works with other agencies in the community to facilitate access to critical resources.
Senior Support Group
EHP’s Senior Support Group promotes understanding, empowerment, compassion, and hope to seniors facing today's challenges. Many seniors experience financial instability, isolation, health concerns and/or ageism. EHP offers information, services and referrals to help our seniors navigate our rapidly changing neighborhood and economic climate.
Organic Garden
EHP is very fortunate to have a one-acre site, where we have a small but bountiful year-round garden. It provides delicious organic fresh vegetables to our clients such as green beans, tomatoes, peppers, succulent fruits such as apples, pears, persimmons, plums and apricots, and beautiful flowers. Items are picked at their freshest to provide additional nutrition to our clients.
EHP’s volunteers work in the garden, weeding, pruning, planting and harvesting. They also work with children teaching them the basics of gardening.