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EHHF Makes Holidays Happier for Single Parent Families in Need

EHHF Makes Holidays Happier for Single Parent Families in Need EHHF Events

Dec 242013

A Holiday celebration has taken place at Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s headquarters on Saturday, December 21st 2013.
There was plenty of food for worried single parents who’re having hard time making ends meet. (They’ll be a lot of nutritious food on their tables over the Holidays!) There were toys for good children of disadvantaged single parents. Needless to mention, the anticipation and mood of Christmas were palpable…
EHHF Xmas For Single Parent Families In Need

EHHF Xmas For Single Parent Families In Need

Most importantly however, EHHF’s Christmas celebration made the struggling single parent families who often feel disenfranchised, included and cared about. And – to quote John Lennon – “so this is Christmas”: caring, sharing and spreading Christmas Spirit.

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation extends warm Christmas and New Year wishes to all its members / beneficiaries!

(EHHF can only hope the community remembers that the needs of impoverished single parents with children don’t end at the Holidays…)

EHHF Appreciates Its Supporters in 2013

EHHF Appreciates Its Supporters in 2013 Uncategorized EHHF's Posts

Dec 092013

As the year comes to an end, we’re reflecting on 2013. We think of the many worried single parents with children helped by Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation: we remember the relief in the parents’ eyes and the smiles of kids – after each received a toy, or shoes – who can’t understand life’s struggles, yet.

We think also of individuals and organizations that had the courage, heart and ability to support EHHF’s mission of meeting essentials needs of struggling single parents with children and of educating the parents to help them develop self-sufficiency skills.

Thanksgiving may be over, but the time for giving thanks isn’t. Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation wishes to express heartfelt thanks to its many generous donors, contributors, volunteers and supporters: EACH of you is extra-ordinary! EACH of you is a hero! EACH of you has made a difference! EACH of you played an important role in relieving human suffering and helping build a better future for underprivileged children and empowering single parents, many of whom were giving up hope. THANK YOU!!!

Our very special thanks go to four MAJOR forces for good:

L.A. Diaper Drive for providing much needed diapers as incentive for attending self-improvement workshops. Wonderful organization, L.A. Diaper Drive is a generous supporter and a great motivator!

Sherwin Williams Paint Store in Glendale for continuing support of EHHF’s fundraising efforts. A great and highly recommended store with a heart of gold focused on the future of America!

Kimo’s Appliances for coming through with a donation of a refrigerator when it was so badly needed!

Last but NOT least, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation thanks SOVA the food bank of Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles. Both SOVA and Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles are organizations that not only tirelessly serve the poor in the community, but generously support other charities in fulfilling their missions. SOVA is our hero and a savior!

SOVA, the food bank of Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles provided EHHF’s members / beneficiaries with desperately needed food when NO food was available from ANY other source (in November and December 2013!) and for this Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation is exceedingly grateful. EHHF was both, humbled and honored by the generosity and solidarity of SOVA.

As we’re nearing New Year, everyone has wishes for the upcoming 2014. To all EHHF’s allies: may the New Year bless you richly for the goodness you’ve had for fellow human beings in need! As for Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation, our dream continues: EHHF wishes for a facility that would provide housing, meals, child care and employment so no struggling single parent with a child would ever be hopeless!

Happy New Year!

EHHF’s 2013 Fundraiser for Poor Single Parents With Children

EHHF’s 2013 Fundraiser for Poor Single Parents With Children EHHF Events

Dec 062013

Yesterday, Thursday, December 5th 2013, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation held its annual Fundraiser for Struggling Single Parent Families.
It may not have been one of the grand and glitzy social events, but it was a GREAT evening! It was warm, festive, genuine and best of all: the company was first class! (The number of RSVPs exceeded the available space so at the last moment the gathering was moved to an alternate location!)
There was plenty of Christmas Spirit, music and snacks but the conversation centered – no, not on the ladies’ outfits but – on the mission and beneficiaries of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation.

EHHF delivers food to a sick and poor single mother of two Just hours before the fundraiser, the staff of EHHF successfully handled an emergency situation. A single mother of two who’s receiving Cal Fresh and Cal Works benefits was left without any means of support for the month of December! (She missed a scheduled appointment with her caseworker not because she’s careless but because she suffers from epilepsy and was hospitalized at the time the appointment was to take place.) The fundraiser not withstanding, EHHF stepped up delivering large amount of non-perishable foods directly to the family’s home. (Next week, the family will receive also warm clothing and bus tokens.) Rest assured, the struggling single mother with her two children won’t be hungry or cold this Holiday Season.

And this was basically also the main theme of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s 2013 Fundraiser: getting together as a community to make sure that no disadvantaged single parent and her children go without essentials. Among other topics of conversation were EHHF’s plans for 2014 which include tutoring and / or after school program which would ensure scholastic success of impoverished single parents’ children as well as afford the parents more time to earn a living – or learn – so they’ll be able to build secure future for their families.

No, it wasn’t all work and no fun! The Silent Auction provided plenty of excitement with valuable items ranging from Fair Trade Organic Coffee (courtesy of Green Mountain Coffee, better known as Keurig), to amusement park (Knott’s Berry Farm!) and entertainment VIP tickets (thanks of Wheel of Fortune, no less!) and even a certificate for four general admission tickets plus four wristbands to see the 4th of July fireworks show in Studio City from the roof! (The latter, thanks to the generosity of Studio City Chamber of Commerce.)
Dinners for two (thanks to the generosity of The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang’s and Benihana) were up for auction as well.
There were signed celebrity items and signed photos of Vanna White and Pat Sajak!
Sherwin Williams provided high quality paint and yes, the sweet ice cream cake courtesy of Sherman Oaks Galleria’s Ben & Jerry was “fought over”, too!

Even though the raised funds are not sufficient to make all of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s dreams come true, they will make a HUGE difference in lives of about a 1,000 struggling single parent families providing food, clothing, empowerment workshops, ESL classes and other essentials. (Several of the fundraiser’s guests offered to volunteer. Needless to say EHHF can always use hands-on help!)

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s 2013 Fundraiser for Struggling Single Parent Families was an intimate affair and yet, a roaring success and for that EHHF expresses heartfelt thanks to all our esteemed guests and the organizations that have so generously contributed to the Silent Auction.
With support like this, EHHF looks to 2014 with optimism: please continue supporting our efforts! Together (the community, the donors, supporters, volunteers and Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation) we are a power for good; if we continue at the same speed there will be less desperate single parents and less hungry / deprived children in our neighborhood in 2014! The need doesn’t take time off it continues, but for now at least: Happy Holiday Season and Joy to the World!

EHHF Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent Families

Uncategorized EHHF's Posts Comments Off

Nov 272013

Holidays are coming. Preparations for Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s 2013 Fundraiser are in full swing. EHHF’s dedication to the cause of needy single parent families is unaffected by either: the work to relieve human suffering is on-going. Hungry single parent families receive food; kids are provided with warm clothing. No qualified applicant is turned away.

A life of service can be demanding. But seeing a worried mother smile because there’ll be food on the table for her children for a while or watching children smile over new clothing is worth every effort!

EHHF Helps Disadvantaged Single Parent Families

EHHF Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent Families

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Fundraiser for Struggling Single Parent Families

Fundraiser for Struggling Single Parent Families Fundraising

Nov 122013

On Thursday, December 5th 2013, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation will hold its annual Fundraiser for Struggling Single Parent Families.

The focus of many fundraisers is to flatter donors with plush surroundings and a gourmet dinner. The focus of EHHF’s 2013 fundraiser is to raise funds for disadvantaged single parent families and underprivileged children in desperate need. In the context of a genuine human suffering (the looming prospect of homelessness or hunger), plush surroundings and gourmet food seem like an inappropriate indulgence. That’s why it’s been decided that this year’s Fundraiser for Struggling Single Parent Families will take a more modest form.

There will be a pizza party in Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s Headquarters! The event will be small and inexpensive, but its focus will remain where it belongs: on generating funds for the most vulnerable among us.

Of course, there will be fun and a wonderful silent auction as well!
EHHF expresses its appreciation to the companies who generously support our fundraising efforts:

Knott’s Berry Farm
Sherwin Williams
Green Mountain Coffee® (Keurig)
The Cheesecake Factory
P.F. Changs
Ben and Jerry

Many of the situations Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation encounters are dramatic: there’re struggling single mothers whose babies have no diapers; unemployed single mothers who have no way of feeding their children; poor single parents who share one bed with 3 children. There are some cases that are even more heartbreaking. There are single mothers “sentenced” to a life of poverty because their disabled child requires 24/7 care. There are children who’re crime victims; single mothers dealing with a trauma; single parent families facing homelessness…
These are real people, real stories of struggling single parents in a desperate need. Let’s spare one evening this Christmas Season to elevate some of the suffering of disadvantaged single parent families and underprivileged children.

If you are a successful single parent; if you used to be a single parent; if you were raised by a single parent and finally, if you don’t have a personal experience with single parenthood but care enough to support the cause, you’re welcome to participate in Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s 2013 Fundraiser for Struggling Single Parent Families.

A poor, single Mother and Her Special Baby Boy are at the heart of Christmas, what better way to honor the Season than by raising funds for other poor single mothers and their innocent children?…

Come one and all: everyone is welcome! If you purchase admission here you’ll be automatically added to the guest list. If you prefer to pay at the door, RSVP please: space is limited.

Location: Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s Headquarters
Address: 12128 Vanowen Street; N. Hollywood, CA 91605.
Date: Thursday, December 5th 2013
Time: 7 pm
Admission: $50.00 per person
To RSVP by phone call: (818) 503-7775

Can’t come? Can you contribute an item to EHHF’s Silent Auction? Please contact us: the more money we raise, the more struggling single parent families will be helped! Prefer to donate money? Please do!

All donations are tax-deductible.

EHHF’s Fundraiser for Struggling Single Parent Families is booked above and beyond capacity! (We can’t accept any more RSVPs, sorry!) Thank you for all your RSVPs and generous support:

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation; its Board members and staff

CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU TONIGHT!

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Supports Single Parent Families In Need

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Supports Single Parent Families In Need Fundraising

Oct 192013

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation is delighted to welcome P.F. Chang’s, the newest contributor to our annual fundraiser and silent auction.

EHHF's Beneficiary The funds generated during EHHF’s fundraiser will be used to expand our existing programs and assist the neediest of our beneficiaries: struggling single mothers who are sole providers and in some instances (advanced pregnancy, several small children to care for, or a disabled child that requires full time care) are unable to work.

Numerous preeminent organizations have already lent their support, among them Knott’s Berry Farm, Sherwin Williams (our on-going contributor and supporter!) and The Cheesecake Factory. Many others are about to make a commitment to the cause of disadvantaged single parent families.

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s staff enjoys an occasional meal at P.F. Chang’s which may be why welcoming P.F. Chang’s aboard gives us a special pleasure.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is well known and well liked for its ambience and delicious cuisine. P.F. Chang’s innovative, creative and fragrant dishes satisfy every taste with fewer calories than their American counterparts. Savory desserts flatter the palate. There is a selection of frozen dishes for two that take up to 13 minutes to prepare at home. There is a special party menu that will keep your party’s guests spellbound. None of it may be new to you, but not everybody knows the popular restaurant is exceptionally inclusive: it features vegetarian dishes and a gluten-free menu! There is no telling how many social dilemmas could be solved at P.F. Chang’s! (There’s also a separate children menu, of course!)
Hard to believe, but it gets even better: P.F. Chang’s Website features pages and pages of nutritional information for the health and weight-conscious guests! There’s also a suggestion for guests to advise the server of their allergies / food sensitivities prior to placing an order! If you ask me, it doesn’t get better than this: lovely surroundings, caring staff and enjoyable meal that’s actually good for you, even if you’re on a special diet!

If you enjoy eating well and healthy, visit:

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro (at Sherman Oaks Galleria!)
15301 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 784-1694
Website: http://www.PFChangs.com

Burbank’s Olive Garden Co-Sponsors EHHF’s Open Pantry

Burbank’s Olive Garden Co-Sponsors EHHF’s Open Pantry EHHF Events

Oct 082013

Saturday, October 5th 2013 was a very special day for hundreds struggling single parent families. While the unemployed and underemployed single mothers came to Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation to stock up their own pantries and extend their grocery budgets, the children dived right into Olive Garden’s steamy pasta with marinara sauce. The SIXTY savory breadsticks were gone in no time!

Once the mothers collected groceries to go, families sat down together to eat. True, few children were excited by the salads, but the single mothers whose lives are fraught with hardship had a nice restaurant-quality meal and a welcome moment of joy watching their little rascals devour the breadsticks and eating (playing!) with pasta. The food was great and a good time was had by all!

Special thanks to Burbank’s Olive Garden and its manager, Mr. Jay Olmos: food is sustenance, but good food brings comfort. The meals you so generously donated to impoverished single parents and children brought comfort to those who need it most.
It’s great to know that the restaurant we all like, cares about all members of our community.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
1741 N. Victory Pl.
Burbank, CA 91504
Website: www.OliveGarden.com

EHHF Prepares For Its 2013 Fundraiser

EHHF Prepares For Its 2013 Fundraiser Fundraising

Oct 062013

EHHF works every day to meet emergency needs of poor single parent families; to secure enough food for them and to organize weekly self-sufficiency workshops.
We have many accomplishments and are gaining more and more powerful allies. No matter how hard we work however, achieving certain goals requires… plain, old cash.

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation is currently preparing for its annual fundraiser and is calling on all those who support the cause of disadvantaged single parent families to pitch in. (Just imagine, if everyone of the millions of people who profess their support expressed it by donating ONE, single dollar each: how many lives could be saved, changed, helped back on track!!!)

There are too many single parent families at risk. Some of the single parents can’t find work; some are about to become homelessness; some are seriously ill. Some of the children we serve are victims of crime; others are dealing with autism; most, share the burdens of their parents’ worries. Money has the power to change their lives!

EHHF’s preparations for our annual fundraiser are on their way. To keep you updated on their progress, we’ll be posting our thanks to the organizations and individuals who are supporting our fundraiser on EHHF’s blog.

This week, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation expresses its very special thanks for contributing to our 2013 fundraiser to: Knott’s Berry Farm and The Cheesecake Factory in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Parallel to the fundraiser’s preparations, EHHF plans its Christmas party for the unemployed and underemployed single parents and their children. This year, courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood, the single parents who made the most progress while attending EHHF’s self-sufficiency workshops will be recognized with Universal Studios Hollywood passes! Just like self-sufficiency pays, so does hard work in the classroom! Two of the best students will get the passes, it’s our hope that all others will be inspired to fight for their self-sufficiency a little bit harder… Kudos to Universal Studios Hollywood for providing such a generous incentive to EHHF’s self-sufficiency workshops’ students!

Each of the organizations that has donated to either Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s fundraiser or Christmas party is a landmark in Southern California and each contributes to the wellness of our community. Please check their Websites and plan to visit them soon: after all, we express our values in the way we chose to spend our money. Spend yours with companies that are helping disadvantaged single parents and underprivileged children!

Knott’s Berry Farm is a 160-acre theme park with attractions for every member of your family, including the youngest one. (Since 1983, Knott’s Berry Farm features Camp Snoopy, complete with the Peanuts characters.)
The attractions include: Fast Lane, Calico Railroad, Roller Coasters, Thrill Rides, Family Rides, Children’s Rides, Camp Snoopy, Water Rides as well as Live Entertainment, California MarketPlace for fun shopping, Dining and – of course! – SEASONAL ATTRACTIONS.
Knott’s Berry Farm
8039 Beach Boulevard.
Buena Park, CA USA 90620
Website: https://www.knotts.com/

Universal Studios Hollywood guarantees a full day of action-packed entertainment all in one place! Thrilling theme park rides and shows, a real working movie studio, and Los Angeles’ best shops, restaurants and cinemas all in one place at Universal studios Hollywood CityWalk. Universal Studios Hollywood is a unique experience that’s fun for the whole family.
Universal Studios Hollywood
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
Website: http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/

The Cheesecake Factory offers rich and varied menu, including calorie-conscious, traditional, eclectic, mini as well as lavish list of desserts and beverages. All these – of course! – in addition to the more than 30 legendary cheesecakes that made The Cheesecake Factory famous.
The Cheesecake Factory
15301 Ventura Blvd, P-1
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Website: http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/

EHHF and California Outreach Organization Feed Hungry Single Parent Families

EHHF and California Outreach Organization Feed Hungry Single Parent Families EHHF Events

Sep 302013

EHHF In Partnership With California Outreach Helps Disadvanatged Single Parent Families

In the last week of September 2013, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation entered into a partnership with California Outreach Organization, one of SoCal leading food banks!

California Outreach Organization's Food Delivery To EHHF

California Outreach Organization’s Massive Food Delivery To EHHF

EHHF In Partnership With California Outreach Helps Disadvanatged Single Parent Families

EHHF, its board of directors and staff were overjoyed by the first generous delivery from California Outreach Organization. The amount of bread alone was impressive! There was also an abundance of other food items and snacks….

Children Benefit From California Outreach Organization’s Support

Since the day of the welcome delivery coincided with Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s individual beneficiaries’ case management appointments, all struggling single parents and underprivileged children that came to work on their individual cases left with bags full of groceries.

California Outreach Organization was founded by Mr. Harald Niehenke to “Fight to eliminate hunger in Orange County and Greater Los Angeles. Provide basic food and proper nutrition to low income families with children and to senior citizens. No child should go hungry – even for a single day – on our watch in our community.”

To quote from California Outreach Organization’s Website:
“We solicit and coordinate donations and purchased food in our warehouse in Paramount, which is conveniently located between Los Angeles and Orange County and close to major freeways. The sorted food is delivered daily to hungry citizens by our volunteers who are using their own vehicles. Food insecure families are often not mobile and able to pick up food from our warehouse.”

There is more, California Outreach Organization holds weekly food distribution
in Paramount every Monday
and
in Anaheim every Saturday

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation and the community of unemployed and underemployed single parents and their children we serve are elated about the new influx of food! Our heartfelt thanks go to California Outreach Organization and its Founder, Mr. Harald Niehenke: EHHF is all fired up by the prospect of helping even more disadvantaged single parent families!

Members of EHHF’s Board of Directors Are All Smiles About Working With California Outreach

The economy didn’t recover, yet. The rich continue getting richer while the poor are going hungry. Knowing that there are individuals and organizations that care about the most vulnerable in our community (including struggling single mothers and innocent children) is HOPE!

California Outreach Organization
15929 Garfield Avenue
Paramount, CA 90723
Website: http://www.CaliforniaOutreach.org

EHHF’s First Food Distribution As A Partner Of World Harvest Food Bank

EHHF’s First Food Distribution As A Partner Of World Harvest Food Bank EHHF Events

Sep 152013

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation is helping unemployed and underemployed single parent families with its monthly food distribution for quite a while now. The first food distribution that followed EHHF’s partnering with World Harvest Food Bank was undeniably different!
On September 12th 2013 there was PLENTY of food. Everybody received more food than usual. Struggling single parents who needed a little more than others, got more. September’s food distribution was BETTER!

September 2013: Single parent families waiting for EHHF’s Open Pantry food distribution

EHHF’ Well-Stocked Pantry: full up to the ceiling!

September 2013 EHHF Pantry Food Distribution for Disadvantaged Single Mothers: the wait made ONE beneficiary cry….

True, there were two instances of participants bursting into tears. (One during the food distribution and one, after.)

But there was also a lot of productive one-on-one case working done. (New members looking for help finding a job, information about GED help, and free legal help were provided with solutions.)

EHHF provides individual solutions for each struggling single mother family

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s members were chatting; sharing helpful resources and yes, quite a few laughs. The children were loud and energetic and, no matter how hard their life gets, our single mothers – beneficiaries couldn’t hide their motherly pride. (Many were overjoyed by the anticipated availability of baby diapers. Thanks to L.A. Diaper Drive, baby and toddler diapers will be available as an incentive to EHHF members for attending Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s self-sufficiency workshops, starting in October 2013.)

EHHF Distributes Food To Struggling Single Parents

Once the actual Shop EHHF Pantry food distribution’s begun, our beneficiaries were blown away: there was plenty of breakfast foods, pasta, soups, chips, beverages, you name it! Some had trouble carrying all the goods out!

EHHF Distributes Food To Struggling Single Parents

EHHF’s staff worked cheerfully and diligently. Even Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s CEO and Founder pitched in with a smile.

EHHF’s CEO and Staff Work To Help Single Parents In Need

EHHF’s Founder and Her Son During EHHF’S September 2013 Food Distribution

In a room filled with struggling single parents (some unemployed, some single caregivers to autistic children) the relief of having even a temporary relief from the immediate worry that there’s nothing left to feed the children was palpable.

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s partnership with World Harvest Food Bank in L.A. commenced only one week ago. The partnership is already making a HUGE difference!

(Incidentally, the second participant of September 2013 EHHF’s Food Distribution for Struggling Single Parents who cried was the brave, young man who lifted hundreds of pounds of food during the distribution. His back was killing him but his heart continued smiling through the pain… After all, due in part to his hard work many poor single moms and their kids will have food on their tables for quite a while!)

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Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation extends warm Christmas and New Year wishes to all its members / beneficiaries!

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