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A Bounty of Healthy Foods for Impoverished Single Mother Families

A Bounty of Healthy Foods for Impoverished Single Mother Families EHHF Events

Aug 102013

On August the 8th 2013 a group of single mothers with children gathered at the Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation for yet another Shop EHHF Pantry. This time, each family received as much food as they could carry!

The generous donation of healthy food consisted mostly of frozen foods. Were it not for the refrigerator which was recently donated to Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation by Kimo’s Appliances there would have been no way to preserve and store all the precious foods!

Among the items distributed to financially hurting single mother families were all-natural, high fiber frozen waffles and a whole variety of frozen organic fruit.

A Real Bounty of Healthy Foods!

Many families have gathered, some participants – especially the youngest ones! – were somewhat impatient.

The food has been divided and each family present received several boxes of food, so much in fact that some had to resort to using shopping carts to haul the bounty of healthy foods home!

The staff and volunteers were busy zooming around: helping to divide food among the attendees, helping to load cars and shopping carts.

The mothers were elated; kids, not quite as much. Some were outright bored and becoming cranky. The cure? What else? TOYS!
Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation helped to raise tired children’s spirits by inviting them to choose and take some toys from its charity store.

In the end, EVERYBODY was equally delighted: the struggling single moms, the kids, EHHF’s volunteers and Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s Founder. Last Thursday may not have radically changed lives, but it certainly lightened the burden of numerous disadvantaged single mothers.

Another Day at Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation

Another Day at Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation Single Parent Families Helped

Jul 262013

July 25th was just another day. The staff of EHHF:

delivered a desperately needed mattress to a needy single mother’s family
helped a different (unemployed) single mother look for and apply for a job
provided a single mother (an office clerk) with medical supplies to help her manage carpal syndrome symptoms
clothing, shoes and a cool toy were provided to an 8 year old
business separates were given to a single mother on a job search

EHHF Delivered A Mattress To A Single Mother Of Three

EHHF Helping An Individual Single Parent Family

EHHF Helps A Single Parent With Medical Supplies

EHHF works

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s efforts to raise funds for a Safe Family Haven for Poor Single Parent Families facing homelessness are on-going.

We’re fighting the good fight, one day at a time, with YOUR help EHHF will succeed!

Sherwin Williams’ Commitment To Struggling Single Parents

Sherwin Williams’ Commitment To Struggling Single Parents Uncategorized EHHF's Posts

Jul 172013

At Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation every day is dedicated to helping single mother families in crisis; to finding solutions for individual families; to the endless pursuit of charitable contributions which – as you can easily imagine – is quite discouraging in today’s economic climate. (Case in point, a whole group of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s beneficiaries is desperate for mattresses. We contacted many mattress manufacturers, distributors and stores to no avail…)

Sherwin Williams Paint Stores Group (thanks to the generosity and common sense of one of its store managers, Mr. Yashar Basmenji) has come to the rescue of struggling single mother families with a generous donation of a large amount of paint. The donation brings relief to the EHHF’s members / beneficiaries who are in need of home renovations. The remaining paint – as well as anticipated future donations of paint from Sherwin Williams – will be used for fundraising.

Not every donor realizes that a donation of goods – even if they’re not listed on EHHF’s urgently needed list – can be used for fundraising and – in form of funds – used to purchase urgently needed goods.

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation and quite a few of its members are in a jubilant mood, hoping to eventually turn Sherwin Williams’ donations of paint into at least one desperately needed mattress and – God willing! – baby diapers.

From the bottom of our collective heart: thank you Sherwin Williams Paint Stores Group AND Yashar!

If you’re not a single parent in need and reading this page, please buy your paint at your local Sherwin Williams Paint Store. Sherwin Williams sells superb quality paint, wall coverings and paint supplies. Sherwin Williams is known for the excellent quality of the products it sells; it should be known also for its commitment to the community it serves. Sherwin Williams didn’t say “no” like so many others today do; it defied the trend and extended helping hand to the most vulnerable among us: disadvantaged single mothers and underprivileged children. Kudos to Sherwin Williams and God Bless Yashar!

EHHF Distributes Organic Fruit To Disadvantaged Single Parent Families

EHHF Distributes Organic Fruit To Disadvantaged Single Parent Families EHHF Events

Jul 152013

The Founder of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation greets arriving families

On Saturday July 13th 2013, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation held an unscheduled food distribution for single parent families.

With the epidemic of obesity raging countrywide, it’s essential that fruit and vegetables are provided in abundance, especially to children. As a non-profit organization EHHF rarely receives donations of fresh produce. (We don’t actively pursue donations of perishable food at this time because we’re still hoping and looking for a donation of a large refrigerator…)

EHHF received a generous donation of frozen, organic fruit quite unexpectedly and rushed to distribute it to the struggling single parents and children we serve. Each family in attendance received a substantial amount (from 10 pounds and up) of delicious frozen, organic pineapple, peach, and more.

EHHF Fruit Distribution To Disadvantaged Single Parent Families

It was an unexpected blessing and a feast. The pictures tell the story, just take a look…

After EHHF Fruit Distribution: the Founder’s work is never done….

If YOU’re wondering how to help Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s members, here’s the answer: anything you can contribute makes a difference!

money or used goods that can be sold to generate funds
mattresses
diapers
food…

the need has no end and neither does this list. Questions? Please e-mail EHHF or call 818-503-7775

Help Single Mothers Los Angeles

Help Single Mothers Los Angeles How YOU Can Help

Jun 232013

Here’s the BIG announcement: yes, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation finally has its own meeting room!!!
After a long time of putting up with inconveniences (Shop EHHF Pantry events in tight quarters and EHHF’s Seminars and Workshops to which participants had to be bused back and forth), we finally have a permanent place to gather! (Right next door to the Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s Donation Center)

The Founder and staff of EHHF are elated by the new development! The space is being renovated as we speak and we hope to have it ready soon.
In the meantime, your help is badly needed. There’s an urgent need for donations of the following items:

a large refrigerator to store fresh food donations
donations of non-perishable foods
office furniture
meeting room furniture, most notably a HUGE table
seating for 20-30 people (long benches would help as well)
items for a children nook
security system
office supplies
folding security gate for a storefront (to keep computer equipment and other life-saving valuables protected)

Whether you’re in N. Hollywood, Studio City, Burbank, Sun Valley or anywhere else in Greater Los Angeles area and have any of the items listed above available for a tax-deductible donation, please help! Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation is fighting the good fight. EHHF is feeding disadvantaged single parent families (many children!!!) and holding workshops to prepare single parents for good jobs and self-sufficiency. The brand new meeting room will help us expand and assist more applicants.

Los Angeles area business and residents, please:

donate refrigerator to store fresh food donations
donate non-perishable foods
donate office furniture
donate a table
donate chairs for 20-30 people
donate children nook
donate security system
donate office supplies
donate folding security gate for a storefront (to keep computer equipment and other life-saving valuables protected)

If you can donate any of the goods listed above: please donate! (Every donation is tax-deductible!) If you prefer to donate money, we’ll get the items needed most quickly! If neither is an option under your conditions but you have stuff you no longer need or use, please donate to our Charity Store. Anything you can contribute to help EHHF make the meeting ready ASAP is priceless to the many members-beneficiaries we serve!

Single mothers are the unsung heroes of our times. They have to work for two, care for two and have an indomitable spirit. They deserve YOUR support!

ATTENTION EHHF MEMBERS: even though our new meeting room isn’t quite ready yet, all EHHF programs continue without interruption.

San Fernando Valley’s single parents in need of assistance can pick up enrollment forms in Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s Thrift Store. Prospective members are welcomed to come back for an initial interview with the completed enrollment application and required documentation to EHHF office on Thursdays between 4 and 6 pm.

Another Single Mother’s Family Helped by EHHF

Another Single Mother’s Family Helped by EHHF Single Parent Families Helped

May 192013

May the 18th, Saturday afternoon, the weather is beautiful. Most people are enjoying a relaxing weekend. Most, but not all.

The Founder and staff of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation have chosen to spend their Saturday afternoon delivering furniture, a TV set, clothing, toys and good news to a struggling single mother and her three children. (The mother is separated, alone with three young children, unemployed and starting over with nearly nothing.)

EHHF Delivers Furniture To The Disadavantaged Single Mother's Family

EHHF Delivers Furniture To The Disadvantaged Single Mother’s Family on a Saturday afternoon

EHHF Delivers Furniture To A Disadvantaged Single Mother’s Family

The photographer arrived late so you can’t see the struggle with the sofa set and the rug being unloaded from the truck and carried upstairs through the narrow passage way. The photos show the staff of EHHF already exhausted after contending with the sofa set and rug and lugging upstairs the last of the heavy items: the TV and its stand. (The stand was too heavy but provides much needed storage for toys and children’s clothing.)

EHHF Delivers Clothing To The Disadavantaged Single Mother's Family

EHHF Delivers Clothing To The Disadvantaged Single Mother’s Family on a Saturday Afternoon

The pictures, tell the story: one disadvantaged single mom’s family celebrated a little Christmas in May.

EHHF’s Founder (seated on the right) With the Single Mother’s Family whose needs were met thanks to the assistance of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation.

The furniture made the family’s apartment a home. The TV – not connected properly yet at the time the pictures were taken – will help keep the children entertained. Groceries have surely relieved some of the mother’s stress.
Children‘s clothing and toys were of course a different story altogether. The mother’s face lit up when she’s seen them. The little girl wondered how she’ll look in a new dress… The youngest of the three children was interested in toys only…

EHHF Delivers Clothing To The Disadvantaged Single Mother’s Family on a Saturday

EHHF Helped This Single Mother Find Employment And Chldcare

The much less photogenic highpoint of the afternoon must have been the moment when the Founder of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation told the mother that she’s been hired and her children will be well taken care of while she works…

If helping one single mother get back to self-sufficiency involves furniture – and other goods’ – delivery on a Saturday afternoon that’s a small price to pay for a brighter, safer future of FOUR!

Single parenthood is often a Catch 22 situation. As a sole provider, the single parent absolutely has to work; a single parent of small children can’t leave them unattended while she (or he) earns a living. As much as earning a living is a must; forcing a single parent to endanger his or her children is simply unconscionable. Empowering single parents of young children has to consist of both: employment and child care. It takes sensitivity, compassion, material and moral support – a Saturday afternoon and sometimes, a lingering backache – to create actual solutions, one individual case at a time.

Help is needed badly.

If you can help, a donation of goods will be appreciated.

The TV Set And A TV Stand Provided By EHHF (in addition to the sofa set, rug, clothing, toys, groceries and more)

The greatest need right now: cash donations for rent payments (EHHF receives requests for help paying single parent families’ rent all the time!) and jobs. (If you are hiring in San Fernando Valley or Los Angeles area, please contact us. We have many job requests from allover the country but not enough of them to organize a nationwide referral system just yet. Locally, in Los Angeles County, EHHF has a list of single mothers ready to start working immediately.)

Help Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation distribute the help where is needed most and then you too will experience the satisfaction of knowing that you ensured a family’s future, and sometimes even saved lives…. (Depression, desperation and in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts are not uncommon among disadvantaged single parents.)

EHHF didn’t start its activities with a photographer at hand and cared more about providing relief than creating photographic records of its charitable deeds. We’re catching up. There’ll be more recipient stories and pictures on our Website, soon…

EHHF Provides Food And Joy To Underprivileged Single Parent Families

EHHF Provides Food And Joy To Underprivileged Single Parent Families EHHF Events

May 052013

Anticipation before Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event

On the afternoon of May 4th (Saturday) 2013 as neighboring stores begun to close, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s Thrift Store and Donation Center on Vanowen Street in N. Hollywood filled up with single mothers, a few single fathers and a whole bunch of kids. The single parents – either unemployed or under-employed – came to receive food. The children – like ALL children regardless of circumstances – came hungry for gifts and treats…

Single Mothers Lined Up For EHHF’s Help And RECEIVED IT

NOBODY walked away disappointed even though this Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event wasn’t exactly as planned. Instead of the imperishable food items, participants received Food 4 Less gift cards with which they’ll be able to buy the exact food items they need. (The Whole Foods gift card we received will be used to purchase fresh foods for June’s Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event.) In addition, each single parent family present (pre-qualified Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s members / recipients) received delicious low-calorie drinks made especially for children (thanks to Trader Joe’s) and sweet treats from Porto’s Bakery and Café.

EHHF’s beneficiaries enjoyed the event

Everybody was delighted also by Build A Bear’s generosity! The unexpected gift of beautiful and fuzzy teddy bears made children laugh and caused many an adult wipe off a tear… The bears – as well as Build A Bear’s gift cards – were a hit with all: the young and the grown up!

EHHF’s Free Furniture Drawing

Just as Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event was winding down, there was one more very welcome surprise. A drawing for free (donated to Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation by various private donors) furniture! Since many of the single parent families – due to such circumstances as a divorce, for instance – are starting over with nothing – or next to nothing – and don’t have such basic items as a dining table, chairs, a dresser or a sofa, a gift of free furniture restores a sense of normalcy in their daily lives. All participants were excited by the prospect of winning. The youngest of the attendees drew the names of the lucky recipients. The delivery schedule is being worked out as we speak and yes, EHHF will deliver the furniture directly to the recipients!

Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event Comes To A Close

Needless to say, this non-typical Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event was a relief and joy to Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s members / recipients and brought them one step closer to recovery…

Struggling Single Mother’s Family Helped By EHHF

EHHF Provided Food And Joy To Underprivileged Single Parent Families in May 2013, again. As with all charitable events, plenty of work and considerable good will of the business community went into the preparation of the monthly Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event. Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation thanks the donors whose commitment to the welfare of single parent families (and underprivileged children!) made this event possible. EHHF thanks: Trader Joe’s, Costco, Food 4 Less, Whole Foods Market and Build A Bear for their big-hearted support! Not to be amiss, thank you to all private persons who donated – and donate! – goods to Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s Donation Center. Your gifts make tangible difference in daily lives of the many single parent families EHHF serves.

EHHF Helps Unemployed Single Parents Make Ends Meet

EHHF Helps Unemployed Single Parents Make Ends Meet EHHF Events

Apr 162013

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation is preparing for May 4th (Saturday) Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event. The program is designed to help stretch local, struggling, single parent families’ grocery budgets. (The unemployment rate is still high, unemployed – and underemployed – single parent families have even harder time making ends meet than two-parent families. Many are short on food.)

Each attending single parent will receive up to 10 free, imperishable food items. There will be something to warm the attending single mothers’ hearts as well: Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation will be raffling off Build a Bear’s donations (12 bears) and 10 Gift Cards! There will also be… a furniture give away! (EHHF will match impoverished single parents’ requests for furniture with received furniture donations to improve our beneficiaries’ and their children’s living conditions.)

May’s Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event is made possible thanks to the generous donations of EHHF’s Sponsors. On behalf of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation and the many unemployed – and underemployed – single parent families it helps, thank you Trader Joe’s, Costco, Food 4 Less, Whole Foods Market and Make A Bear! Each of these respectable companies expressed its care for disadvantaged single parent families by donating to May’s Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry event.

Shop EHHF’s Food Pantry is open to EHHF’s registered members-recipients.

Resume Writing Workshop for Disadvantaged Single Parents

Resume Writing Workshop for Disadvantaged Single Parents EHHF Events

Feb 192013

On February 16th Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation launched its Seminars and Workshops program designed to empower disadvantaged single parents.

(The seminars and workshops will cover a spectrum of topics that teach computer literacy, resume writing, money management, and more. In other words, skills that enable unemployed and under-employed single parents improve their chances of getting well-paying jobs as well as increasing their earning power, and managing single parent family’s money successfully.)

The first of the workshops Resume Writing Workshop for Disadvantaged Single Parents was dedicated to resume writing, an important skill that can make a huge difference in landing a job.

Staff of EHHF Conducting Resume Writing Workshop

Staff of EHHF During Resume Writing Workshop

Several types of resumes (Combination Resume, Chronological Resume and Functional Resume) were discussed. The elements of a successful resume were explored:

The importance of valid contact information

The right way to present career objectives

Employment history

Education information

Using active verbs to illustrate applicant’s skills

Additional information that contributes to the applicant’s value as a prospective employee

How to write a résumé’s summary

Tips for résumé’s writing

Resume writing mistakes to avoid

Then, resume templates were introduced. Resume writing exercises were given. Each participant wrote her own test-resume. There was a Q & A session as well. In the end, the principles of successful resume writing were reviewed and each attendee had the opportunity to read her resume aloud. The best resumes were discussed and yes, applauded.

The first of EHHF’s workshops took place in a temporary location while the permanent place for upcoming seminars is being readied. Still, it was a successful event that provided much needed knowledge to struggling single parents and further affirmed the commitment of EHHF’s staff to the organization’s cause. The much needed computer equipment was state-of-the-art (courtesy of Best Buy).

To further inspire attendees, the President of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation prepared and presented surprise gifts to the children present as well as to all participants (each “graduate” of the resume writing workshop received 5 new t-shirts!).

The Founder of EHHF Bearing Gifts

All participating single parents left feeling energized, more confident of their job hunting – and landing – skills. Suffice to say, each mom left with a smile on her face.

Disadvantaged Single Parents Leave EHHF’s Resume Writing Workshop With a New Self-Confidence (and gifts)

And that’s the ultimate goal of EHHF, to give single parents in need not only an immediate assistance in a crisis but the skills required in today’s competitive marketplace. Everyone, but a single parent even more so, needs a good job, the pride that comes from being self-sufficient and successful. After all, there’s nothing that can ensure the bright future of single parent’s children better than the success of the parent!

Best Buy Donates Computers To Help Single Parents In Need Improve Their Job Skills

Best Buy Donates Computers To Help Single Parents In Need Improve Their Job Skills Uncategorized EHHF's Posts

Feb 032013

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation is grateful for – and moved by – the generosity of Best Buy.

Best Buy, the store well-known for selling top of the line electronics, is in touch with the reality of today’s economy. Best Buy has just donated computer equipment to EHHF which will be used to help unemployed and under-employed single parents improve their job skills!

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation assists disadvantaged, single parent families with their essential needs for food and goods. We believe however that (in the words of C.S. Lewis) “The proper aim of giving is to put the recipients in a state where they no longer need our gifts.” That’s why we’re launching EHHF’s Seminars and Workshops to improve our aid recipients’ job skills by teaching Computer Literacy, Money Management and Resume Writing, and more.
Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation will continue providing immediate “survival assistance” but our ultimate goal is to enable disadvantaged single parents to achieve self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency makes individuals proud, parents competent and children thrive!

That’s why Best Buy’s generous donation of two (all-in-one) computers, a router and even anti-virus software is so important us. It is a step toward a permanent solution: it will allow EHHF empower struggling single parents with skills that will help them get good jobs.
Best Buy’s generosity especially in today’s economic climate – when for many poverty seems to be a life’s sentence – is priceless to the disadvantaged single parents Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation serves! Thank you Best Buy for caring about our community!

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From the bottom of our collective heart: thank you Sherwin Williams Paint Stores Group AND Yashar!

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