EHHF Makes Holidays Happier for Single Parent Families in Need

 EHHF Makes Holidays Happier for Single Parent Families in Need  EHHF Events
Dec 242013
 
EHHF Xmas For Single Parent Families In Need

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

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 Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent Families

 Uncategorized EHHF's Posts  Comments Off
Nov 272013
 
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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 Helps Disadvantaged Single Parent Families

 

 

 

EHHF Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent FamiliesEHHF Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent FamiliesEHHF Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent FamiliesEHHF Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent FamiliesEHHF Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent FamiliesEHHF Brings Relief to Needy Single Parent Families
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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 BeneficiaryThe 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

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

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!

EHHF September 2013 Open Pantry

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

Well-Stocked EHHF Pantry

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

September 2013 EHHF Pantry Food Distribution for Disadvantaged Single Mothers

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 Case Working

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 CEO and Staff Work To Help Single Parents In Need

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

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!)

World Harvest Food Bank The New Ally of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation

 World Harvest Food Bank The New Ally of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation  Uncategorized EHHF's Posts
Sep 092013
 

World Harvest Food Bank

 

On 09/06/2013 representatives of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation met with the Founder, President and CEO of World Harvest Food Bank in Los Angeles, Mr. Glen Curado. This was EHHF’s first visit and quite frankly, we were overwhelmed: the large facility and warehouse of World Harvest Food Bank is located in one of the poorer neighborhoods in L.A., exactly where the need for food is the greatest.

World Harvest Food Bank food selection

 

The colorful storefront invites passersby; there’s an abundant stock of non-perishable and fresh foods; staffers and volunteers lovingly take care of the place and inventory. The working principle of the food bank is both generous and fair: pay $30.00 for up to 200 pounds(!) of food OR if you can’t afford to pay, you have the option of contributing four hours of volunteer work for the same benefits!

For the EHHF’s delegation, the visit to World Harvest Food Bank has been eye-opening: a great learning experience as well as an inspiration. WHFB is older than Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation and its successful development gave us further motivation to persist in our own efforts.

EHHF's And World Harvest Food Bank's First Meeting

 

Mr. Glen Curado – the Founder, President and CEO of World Harvest Food Bank – is a dynamic presence, a generous mentor and an altogether, first class act. He was full of ideas and helpful suggestions most of which we’ll definitely use in our own work. His passion for the cause of helping the poor is nothing short of contagious!

The first meeting led to the creation of an alliance and EHHF partnering with World Harvest Food Bank. Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation received a large amount of food and beverages that we cannot wait to distribute to the single mother families who count on us to supplement their grocery budgets every month.

Two EHHF's Trucks Full of Food

 

What a momentous event in the history of our organization!
Better yet, it wasn’t a one time event. As a partner of WHFB, EHHF will be receiving food from World Harvest Food Bank monthly which will enable us to help even more single parent families in San Fernando Valley than we’re helping already. What a welcome development!

Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation is honored to be the newest partner of World Harvest Food Bank and looks forward to building a powerful alliance with WHFB.

World Harvest Food Bank
1014 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone: 213-746-2227
Website: http://WorldHarvestFoodBank.org/

More Food For Poor Single Mother Families Thanks To Kimo’s Appliances

 More Food For Poor Single Mother Families Thanks To Kimo’s Appliances  Uncategorized EHHF's Posts
Jul 292013
 

As those of you who follow Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s blog surely know, EHHF – and its members / beneficiaries! – have been desperate for a refrigerator for quite a while now.
Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation has approached many major companies and retailers with requests for a donation of a refrigerator within the last 4 months. Our requests have been ignored by many.

Meanwhile, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation’s Shop EHHF Pantry program, which helps stretch struggling single parents’ grocery budgets, is expanding and attracts more and more recipients each month. EHHF is very thankful for the support of donors who contribute food to our pantry. However a large portion of the food donations we’re receiving consists of fresh, perishable foods. It is great because they’re healthy for young families and growing children. Unfortunately, in California, without the ability to refrigerate food, a lot of well-meaning fresh food donations were going to waste; that’s why obtaining a refrigerator donation was of utmost importance to us.

Kimo's Appliances

Kimo’s Appliances donated desperately needed refrigerator to help EHHF feed poor single mother families in San Fernando Valley, CA

Today, I’m delighted to announce that thanks to the generosity and compassion of Kimo’s Appliances, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation has a refrigerator, at last!!!
There won’t be any more wasted food! There’ll be MORE nutritious food available to disadvantaged single parent families and children!

Thanks to the support of Kimo’s Appliances, EHHF will be able to reach more single mother families in need and help put more food on more tables!
It’s a rerigerator, but it’s also a milestone in our growth: Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation extends its sincere thanks to Kimo’s Appliances. You didn’t help some faceless organization but poor single mothers and hungry children to fill their need for nutritious food.

If you – the reader – are not in need but a visitor / prospective donor reading this page, please lend your patronage to Kimo’s Appliances. Kimo’s offers a wide variety of new and used appliances for every budget. Their prices are very competitive and their services include delivery and installation. (They’ll even haul away your old appliances!) Kimo’s Appliances is a solid, local company known for its integrity. With that said, Kimo’s is not only a profit-generating enterprise but an investor into the future of our community.

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

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…

EHHF Fruit Distribution To Disadvantaged Single Parent Families

  EHHF Distributes Organic Fruit To Single Parent Families

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

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

EHHF Helps Unemployed Single Parents Make Ends Meet

 EHHF Helps Unemployed Single Parents Make Ends Meet  EHHF Events
Apr 162013
 
Build A Bear

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.

EHHF's Sponsors

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

EHHF Continues Growing in 2013

 EHHF Continues Growing in 2013  EHHF Events
Jan 202013
 
EHHF's Pre-Event Preparations

The Founders of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation preparing warm welcome for a new group of disadvantaged, single parent families

Unemployed and under-employed single parents gathered outside

Unemployed and under-employed single parents gathered outside in anticipation of the event

On January 19th 2013 Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation welcomed new struggling single parent families. It was a warm meet and greet during which the eligibility and needs of each single parent family were evaluated.

EHHF cares about children

Children were eating while their struggling single parents were qualified for EHHF’s assistance

There were snacks to keep children occupied while the adults sorted out paperwork and sipped on coffee.

Disadvantaged single parents had to meet EHHF's eligibility requirements

Disadvantaged single parents had to meet EHHF’s eligibility requirements

The Founders, activists and volunteers of Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation worked tirelessly to ensure that no single parent family in need is deprived of assistance.

Once the eligible families were qualified a warm lunch was provided. Unemployed – and under-employed – single parents breathed a sigh of relief knowing that they’ll receive much needed assistance in the form of food, clothing and household essentials.

Nobody left hungry or empty-handed...

Nobody left hungry or empty-handed…

In February 2013 (next month) EHHF will be unveiling its new programs and the qualified attendees of this event will also be invited to participate in seminars and lectures that will empower them on their way to gainful employment and financial self-sufficiency.

Delicious food and drinks

EHHF’s first event of 2013 was a resounding success! Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation thanks McDonald’s, Noah’s Bagels and Starbucks for their generous sponsorship and great contributions: it wouldn’t be the same without you!

EHHF Christmas 2012 Gift Giveaway

 EHHF Christmas 2012 Gift Giveaway  EHHF Events
Jan 032013
 

EHHF Christmas 2012 Gift Giveaway took place on December 23rd 2012 in the back of our donation center at Vanowen Street in North Hollywood.

All guests were warmly greeted and no one walked away empty-handed. Struggling single parents were given warm blankets, sweaters, kitchen and hygiene products while children received – what else? – toys. Good time was had by all!

Christmas 2012
Christmas Gifts Giveaway

Christmas 2012

Christmas 2012

Christmas Gifts Giveaway

In addition, Enlightened Helping Hand Foundation had reports about several single parent families dealing with financial hardship in Van Nuys area. We’ve made sure that EHHF representatives delivered Christmas gifts to them as well.

Times are tough for many. Those who work the hardest – single parents! – but are currently unemployed desperately need help. EHHF knows that we didn’t solve their problems, but we know for a fact that many single parent families and their children are having (or if you’ll read it after Holidays – have had) a little break from the stress of their financial worries and a little warmer Christmas complete with gifts….

Our Christmas 2012 Gift Giveaway is over, requests for help however continue pouring in. Disadvantaged single parents are requesting money to pay rent and food for their kids’ next meal. Christmas is warm and fuzzy and EHHF shared the Spirit of Christmas, but the plight of disadvantaged single parent families continues….