THE GIFT OF
G I V I NG How can we give back to the community, especially during the holidays?
P
ackages of toys, food, books and clothes pile up as volunteers pack up gift boxes for families during the holiday season. The air buzzes with conversation between families and volunteers who have known each other for years and return each December to receive resources and connect with their second family. Each year, the Ecumenical Hunger Program (EHP) in East Palo Alto hosts food and toy distributions during the holiday season to provide families in the community with necessary resources. For LaKesha Roberts, Associate Director of EHP, it is an incredibly rewarding experience to see the beaming smiles of people receiving a traditional Christmas meal and gifts. “Volunteering during the holidays, especially at an organization like EHP, is like volunteering at the North Pole,” Roberts
said. “It can get busy, maybe even a little overwhelming at times, but the reward is so great.” The Ecumenical Hunger Program is an organization based in East Palo Alto that works to aid people in the community—offering support services, providing material resources like food, clothing and gifts and advocating for local issues in the community. But beyond providing resources, EHP is also a place for people to connect with others in the community, especially because many have been attending the events for many years. “To some, this is a second family,” Roberts said. “...We [EHP] have had families here where we’ve watched their kids grow up, even did what we could to send them off to college. We are more than just an or-
ganization.” Participating in volunteer work allows for deeper connections to be made within the community while enacting change. There are many service opportunities in the Bay Area at various organizations like the Ecumenical Hunger Program. Organizations like EHP provide material resources di
Text and design by BROOKE THRELKELD and EMMA TURNBULL • Art by BLAIR MIGDAL Photos by EMMA TURNBULL
CULTURE • 21
