ExtraFood.org

Gilead House & Beso Bistro and Wine Bar

Beso Bistro and Wine Bar, located in the Hamilton Field area of Novato, has been a food donor to ExtraFood for 4 1/2 years. Michele, the owner, has a huge, caring heart. Michele knew from the very beginning that her restaurant would be a perfect fit for our Community Meals program, and she was eager to get involved. Michele knew exactly where she wanted to focus- a nonprofit that serves low income women and children. Gilead House was the perfect fit and the rest is a beautiful story of a long relationship built on and kindness and cooking!.

This year, Michelle was presented with the Small Business of the Year Award from the Novato Chamber of Commerce. Michelle credits ExtraFood for providing her the opportunity to connect with vulnerable people in her local community and help them with what she does best - cooking healthy meals! She has even cooked the residents of Gilead House special dinners for holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and continues to provide meals to the Gilead House moms and their children during these challenging times. (Photo is off her most recent donation)

Beso Bistro’s impact in numbers reveals Michelle’s ongoing dedication and commitment; she has provided almost 2000 meals to date! A big shout out to our very dedicated volunteer, Curt, who has picked up and delivered Michelle’s meals since the beginning of our partnership!

May 14, 2020

Cecilia Place

EAH Housing’s Cecilia Place Apartments is a low-income senior community consisting of 16 studio apartments situated in a quiet neighborhood in Tiburon. Our volunteers love stopping by every other Sunday to bring the seniors beautiful, fresh produce and baked goods from the Agricultural Institute of Marin’s Sunday Farmers Market. The residents also receive a bi-monthly donation from Mill Valley Whole Foods on Miller Ave.

March 12, 2020

The Redwoods

The Redwoods, a Community of Seniors, is a lively, spirited community known for its beautiful 10 acre Mill Valley campus, rich cultural life and exciting programs covering all aspects of physical, social, spiritual, and emotional well being. Their residents range in age from 65 to 105 for an average age 87. There are Independent Living Apartments of which 1/3 are subsidized, Assisted Living Units, a Wellness Center, skilled nursing and rehab, and dining services. Established in 1972 by members of the Community Church of Mill Valley (CCMV), The Redwoods is a freestanding, non-denominational, not-for-profit senior residential community. ExtraFood brings food to their Friday food pantry from Woodlands Mkt and Byte Foods.

February 28, 2020

College of Marin

College can be a stressful time for students but when you add food stress to an already full calendar, life can become overwhelming. Upon a recommendation from one of our volunteers, Don C, we connected with Sadika Hara, the director of College of Marin’s Student Activities and Advocacy. She worked with ExtraFood to set up a food pantry for her food insecure students which launched in Dec 2016. Sadika told us stories of students who were hungry, going without meals and some even living out of their cars. ExtraFood is thankful to Don for connecting us to Sadika and a student population who, at the time, was underserved. They are currently receiving a weekly donation from Whole Foods and Safeway.

February 11, 2020

Sausalito Presbyterian Church

A picturesque and historic church, Sausalito Presbyterian is a progressive congregation which is located on a hill above downtown Sausalito. A group of church volunteers holds a Wednesday coffee hour and lunch service for 25 homeless people, including the anchor-outs (people who live on the water in deteriorating maritime vessels). ExtraFood delivers soup from Le Chalet Basque and baked goods from Safeway for their weekly meal. We are very grateful to Sausalito Presbyterian for serving the vulnerable people in their community.

February 07, 2020

Peoples Inter-cities Fellowship

This Marin City-based church has become one of the largest recipients of ExtraFood’s food donations. Their first donation was in May of 2016 and their food pantry has grown by leaps and bounds ever since. They now have a grocery bag delivery service, which church volunteers bring to homebound seniors, and their bi-weekly food pantry serves people across Marin City, as well as, the “anchor out” community in Sausalito. Leticia, known for her big smile and hugs and the inability to say “no” to any food donations, is always welcoming to our volunteers. She recently welcomed the new donation from Marin Catholic and hopes for many more!

December 06, 2019

Buckalew Programs-Marin Assisted Independent Living (MAIL)

Marin Assisted Independent Living (MAIL): A Buckelew Program

Buckelew Programs’ mission is to promote recovery, resilience and hope by providing behavioral health and support services to people with mental health, addiction and related behavioral health challenges. Buckelew’s MAIL program helps clients with behavioral health challenges live independently in the community, either individually or in collective households.

Last week we delivered a spontaneous catered food donation to a group household in the MAIL program. They were delighted to receive their first donation- a bounty of small spinach and meat pies. A perfect match for their residents who don’t cook much and prefer to just heat up their food!

October 22, 2019

King Street Senior Housing.png

King Street Senior Housing is the newest program operated by Homeward Bound of Marin and is an affordable housing community where 12 seniors who have experienced homelessness can build hope and health. This program was created in partnership with St. Patrick’s Church, which has leased the former convent at 127 King St. in downtown Larkspur to Homeward Bound of Marin for 35 years. The King Street program opened its doors to the first residents just before Christmas and now accommodates 12 seniors aged 62 or older. Tenants have support from Homeward Bound’s program coordinator, Micha Berman, to access help with transportation, health care, job search or other needs. Every week the residents receive burritos from our Community Meals Donor, Mi Pueblo and they recently were sweetened with a weekly donut donation from Donut Alley. You can check out other Community Meals partners here on our website.

October 09, 2019

San Rafael Rotary Manor

A Beacon Communities and American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW) property, and located in a neighborhood not far from downtown 4th Street, San Rafael Rotary Manor’s 99-unit apartment building offers low-cost and safe housing for seniors. In addition to providing seniors with comfortable apartments, San Rafael Rotary Manor provides easy access to community services and a myriad of activities.

Rotary Manor received their first donations from ExtraFood (some of our very best and most reliable donors) in May 2015 and they have been holding on to those precious, regular donations ever since. A new Rotary resident commented recently that she was so impressed by the quality of food we deliver and felt well-nourished. We love to hear that kind of feedback!

September 26, 2019

Fireside Apartments

Eden Housing: Fireside Apartments

An Eden Housing property managed in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin and Marin County Community Mental Health, Fireside has 50 units and a community center for lower income seniors, families, and individuals with special needs. Twenty units provide affordable housing specifically for families and seniors with special needs or who are transitioning from homelessness. Homeward Bound provides ongoing support services for all residents. Every Thursday, Fireside staff person, Lori, is greeted by our volunteer, Lynne’s, generous smile as she comes bearing the gift of beautiful, healthy and colorful produce from the Civic Center Farmers’ Market.

September 11, 2019

Pilgrim Park Apartments

In partnership with The John Stewart Company, Terra Linda’s Pilgrim Park Apartments provides quality affordable housing and a sense of community to its residents and the nearby neighborhood. The community is enhanced through the general design of its living units (61 apartments), its homework club, summer activities, a Head Start program, the John Starkweather Learning Center, and a community center. It’s our pleasure to bring them regular, hearty donations from a number of our generous fresh food donors.

August 28, 2019

Schurig Center

​Schurig provides rehabilitative support services to improved the quality of life for brain injury survivors and their families while raising community awareness about the causes and effects of this disability. Our weekly donations from Whole Foods, Byte foods and MH Bread and Butter support their food program for low-income clients. As of last month, ExtraFood has been supporting this program with healthy food for 2 years!

August 15, 2019

Warner Creek Senior Housing

An Eden Housing residence in Novato with programs created in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin, Warner Creek Senior Housing has 60 1-bedroom units for very low to extremely low-income seniors. Residents living at Warner Creek have access to a supportive resident services program designed to help them to “age in place” and live independently for as long as possible.

Warner Creek residents benefit from a robust food pantry comprised of donations from seven of our donors including scrumptious, prepared food from Insalata’s Restaurant and a weekly tiny treat from Teeny Cake! Warner Creek residents are great to work with as they have an active and engaged group of seniors, some of whom are members of our Senior Advisory Council.

July 31, 2019

The Hilarita Apartments

EAH Housing’s Hilarita Apartments in Tiburon provides 102 units of affordable housing for low-income families and the elderly. We are proud to support their residents with weekly fresh produce, dairy products and baked goods donations from our food donors. This month we celebrate 3 years of delivering food to the Hilarita. What an excellent, long-term partnership!

July 17, 2019

Centertown Apartments

Co-developed by Bridge Housing and EAH Housing, Centertown Apartments provides 60 two- and three-bedroom affordable housing units. Located in Central San Rafael, Centertown Apartments is close to public transportation, banks, churches, parks, hospitals, restaurants, the post office, and police and fire departments. Last month, Centertown expressed an interest in growing their food delivery program for late-arriving, working residents who couldn’t access the daytime food pantry. However, Centertown needed a refrigerator to store perishables for several hours. Byte Foods stepped in at the perfect moment, offering one of their attractive display-type refrigerators. The refrigerator was placed in Centertown’s front entryway where residents can now access food late in the day. It was a match made in heaven and we are so grateful to Byte for their continuous generosity!

July 02, 2019

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity

A true “calling of the heart,” Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity was founded to prevent homelessness in young adults by providing a safety net of stable housing, guidance and community connections. Program participants learn to be youth outreach advisors, peer mentors, program advisors, board members and spokespersons of their experience. It’s our great pleasure to support AHO’s young adults with donated treats from Teeny Cake for their monthly meetings.

May 21, 2019

Maria B. Freitas Senior Community

With 62 affordable low-income housing apartments, Mercy Housing’s Maria B. Freitas Senior Community supports their senior residents with the resources they need to be good neighbors and members of a greater community. Resident Services Manager, Alejandra, takes pride in looking out for the needs of the senior residents at Maria B. Freitas and is a delight to work with. We are honored to have been supporting the seniors of Maria B. Freitas with fresh, healthy food from food donors such as Whole Foods in San Rafael and Byte Foods for nearly 3 years.

May 05, 2019

Conservation Corps North Bay

A 37-year-old organization, Conservation Corps North Bay (CCNB) has one simple goal: to engage and empower youth by teaching them to cultivate and preserve the environment. Most of the youth that comprise their corps enter the program without a high school diploma. Some have been incarcerated. Almost all are from extremely low-income households. CCNB provides them with the opportunity to complete high school, access counseling, receive scholarships, work on environmental projects, learn transferable work skills, and take home a paycheck. We’re proud to work with CCNB to support their hard-working youth with energy-providing food necessary to achieve their goals.

March 24, 2019

Next Generation Scholars

Believing that equal access to higher education is the key to making positive change within our community, Next Generation Scholars offers a college preparatory curriculum, psychological services, leadership training, and supportive social services to underserved students. For the past 5 years, ExtraFood has been proudly supporting their dedicated scholars with food donations from generous donors throughout Marin County. It is truly a pleasure to work with Director of Family and Community Engagement, Marcia Mata, and the rest of the Next Generation staff to provide their amazing students with the sustenance they need to reach their education goals.

March 10, 2019

Marin Community Clinics Health Hub

The Marin Community Clinics’ twice-weekly health hubs – 2:30-5:30pm on Wednesdays in San Rafael and 2:30-5:30pm on Thursdays in Novato – provide free and bilingual services, such as farmers market style food distribution, zumba, nutrition education, healthy taste tests, health screenings and information about community organizations. We’re proud to deliver healthy food donations to serve their clients at both locations every week. On Wednesdays, we bring produce, dairy, and baked goods from our friends at Nugget Market in Corte Madera to the San Rafael hub. On Thursdays, we bring tasty baked goods from Flour Craft in San Anselmo and beautiful fresh produce from the AIM Civic Center Farmers Market to the Novato hub. It is both humbling and heartwarming to help the Marin Community Clinics serve some of Marin’s most vulnerable residents.

February 24, 2019

People’s Inter-Cities Fellowship

Located in Marin City, the People’s Inter-Cities Fellowship (PICF) is a non-denominational, interracial, community-based Christian Fellowship. Food program manager Leticia and her delightful helpers always greet our volunteers with big smiles, open hearts, and generous hugs. PICF acts as a hub for ExtraFood in Southern Marin, serving community members a variety of ExtraFood food donations at their weekly food pantry. We are honored to be working with PICF to extend our reach to Marin City residents in need.

February 10, 2019

Centertown Apartments

Co-developed by Bridge Housing and EAH Housing, Centertown Apartments provides 60 two- and three-bedroom affordable housing units. Located in Central San Rafael, Centertown Apartments is close to public transportation, banks, churches, parks, hospitals, restaurants, the post office, and police and fire departments. We love working with Harriet and Joe – our ever enthusiastic and warm-hearted contacts at Centertown – to bring residents weekly food donations from Marin Coffee Roasters, Wise Sons Bagelry, and Whole Foods on Miller in Mill Valley, and twice-monthly donations from the Mill Valley Farmers Market.

January 13, 2019

San Geronimo Community Presbyterian Church

Congratulations to our Recipient of the Week, the San Geronimo Community Presbyterian Church! The church, along with our partners at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, acts as a “hub” for ExtraFood, playing a vital role in helping many individuals and families who struggle with hunger, isolation, and the “food desert” in West Marin. Their team of “Green Apron” volunteers proudly don their green ExtraFood aprons as they pick up and deliver multiple food donations throughout Marin each week. The church has been especially busy this holiday season, staying open to accept food donations every day so that no one has to go hungry over the holidays.

December 30, 2018

Novato Residential Support Services

A Buckelew Programs program, the Novato Residential Support Services (RSS) offers 24-hour care in homelike settings for clients who need longterm support. Buckelew Programs’ mission is to promote recovery, resilience and hope by providing behavioral health and support services that enhance quality of life. We are honored to deliver to the residents of Novato Residential Support Services weekly food donations from the Novato Safeway on Diablo Ave.

December 16, 2018

Marin City Health and Wellness Center

Striving for African American health equity, the Marin City Health & Wellness Center provides comprehensive, wraparound care including medical, dental, behavioral health, recovery, midwifery, chiropractic, and nutrition services. Their Friday food pantry serves the “anchor out” and homeless community in the Marin City/Sausalito area. It is such a pleasure to work with pantry leader, Laurie to coordinate weekly food donation deliveries for them from our friends at Philz Coffee and Marin Coffee Roasters.

December 09, 2018

Center Point Women’s Residential Treatment Center

A division of Center Point, Inc., the Women’s Residential Treatment Center is a specialized residential substance use and mental health treatment program designed specifically for women. Clients receive effective, evidence-based, gender-responsive treatment and skill building services in a safe environment where women are treated with dignity and respect. We are honored to support Center Point’s clients with weekly deliveries of individually packaged healthy salads, wraps, sandwiches, juices and more from Byte Foods.

December 02, 2018

The Phoenix Project of Marin

Congratulations to our Recipient of the Week, The Phoenix Project of Marin! Formed in 2009, The Phoenix Project is a collaborative community program that provides integrated mentoring and training services for at-risk young males and adults through its Community Connections Center in Marin City. The Phoenix Project received an “Innovation Award” in 2011 from the Department of Housing and Development as an innovative program assisting at-risk youth to better integrate into the community. We are delighted to welcome them to ExtraFood and support their program with tasty weekly food donations from Mulberry Street Pizzeria.

November 04, 2018

New Beginnings Center

An 80-bed shelter for single homeless adults – the largest in the county – Homeward Bound’s New Beginnings Center provides, basic health care, around-the-clock counseling, an on-site 12-step program, relapse prevention workshops, a dining room that serves three meals a day and other services as necessary to help residents move into and maintain long-term housing. Homeward Bound of Marin is a zero tolerance agency. New Beginnings Center provides five on-site vocational training programs: Fresh Starts culinary academy; janitorial and building maintenance; landscaping and garden maintenance; public works, and computer skills classes. We’re honored to support their clients with fresh, healthy food donations throughout the week.

October 28, 2018

Homestead Terrace

Marin Housing Authority’s Homestead Terrace provides 28 studio units to very low income, independent seniors and disabled people in beautiful Mill Valley. We deliver healthy food to them several times a week from our friends at Whole Foods, Mill Valley, AIM Farmers Markets, Wise Sons Bagelry, and Woodlands Markets in Tiburon and Kentfield. It’s always a pleasure to work with Gerrie at Homestead Terrace, who takes such care in receiving and sorting the donations for residents to easily grab whenever they need a quick snack or meal.

October 21, 2018

Marin Services for Men

Located in San Rafael, Marin Services for Men is a community-based, group-oriented, residential setting supporting clean-and-sober living guided by the 12-Step Model. They provide a clean, safe, and nurturing environment combined with the delivery of practical skills and coping strategies for clients to develop and maintain a healthy sense of self. They seek to empower men to take responsibility for their recovery, attain self-reliance, and be of service to others. We’re proud to support their clients with multiple weekly fresh food donations from food donors across Marin.

October 07, 2018

Marin Family Action

Congratulations to our Recipient of the Week, Marin Family Action! MFA’s mission is to empower low-income families and individuals to actively participate in improving their social and economic quality of life. We deliver a wonderful donation from Nugget Markets’ Novato store to MFA, which is very appreciative of the fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and bakery goods they receive. We’re proud to partner with MFA to serve some of Novato’s most vulnerable residents.

September 30, 2018

Covia

Formerly known as Episcopal Senior Communities, Covia promotes positive aging by cultivating healthy and engaged communities with a continuum of innovative services that actively support intellectual, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being. Seniors are a top priority for ExtraFood. It warms our hearts to support the seniors in their program with weekly food deliveries from Panera Bread in San Rafael.

September 23, 2018

Jewish Family and Children’s Services

JFCS strengthens communities in San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, and Sonoma Counties with comprehensive social services for people of all ages, beliefs, and backgrounds. Their high-quality, research-based social services are designed to strengthen individuals, families, and the community. As the problem-solving center for their community, they are a lifeline for children, families, and older adults facing life transitions and personal crises and challenges. We’re proud to support their programs and the people they serve with weekly food donations from San Anselmo Safeway.

September 16, 2018

Whistlestop

Since 1954 Whistlestop has promoted the well-bring and quality of life for older adults and people with disabilities in Marin. Their Active Aging Center provides delicious meals, classes, social programs, transportation, referral services, and more. ExtraFood supports Whistlestop’s work to get healthy, affordable home-delivered and onsite meals to those in need. Of the 49,000 people in Marin who worry about where their next meal will come from, over 12,000 are seniors and among ExtraFood’s highest priorities. We’re proud to partner with Whistlestop to serve some of our county’s most vulnerable residents.

September 09, 2018

Pilgrim Park Apartments

In partnership with The John Stewart Company, Terra Linda’s Pilgrim Park Apartments provides quality affordable housing and a sense of community to its residents and the nearby neighborhood. The community is enhanced through the general design of its living units (61 apartments), its homework club, summer activities, a Head Start program, the John Starkweather Learning Center, and a community center. It’s our pleasure to bring them regular, hearty donations from Andy’s Market, Marinwood Market, Byte Foods, Novato Safeway on Nave, and Nugget Markets in Corte Madera.

September 03, 2018

Ponderosa Estates

A Marin City Limited Equity Housing Cooperative, Ponderosa consists of 56 residential units for low income individuals and families. Residents have access to amenities such as on-site parking, a community room, and a children’s playground. We’re honored to support their residents with weekly donations of fresh, healthy food from food donors across Marin. And the staff is wonderful to work with - always friendly and eager to help our volunteers unload heavy donations.

August 26, 2018

EAH Housing’s Mackey Terrace

Surrounded by open space with beautiful views of Marin County’s rolling hills, Mackey Terrace provides affordable housing to seniors and persons with physical disabilities in Novato. Residential community building programs include adult classes and programs, access to a community kitchen and lounge area, and an on-site food distribution program. Seniors are a top priority for ExtraFood and we are honored to support the residents of EAH Mackey Terrace with weekly prepared food donation deliveries from the Novato Community Hospital.

August 19, 2018

Lifehouse

Since 1954, Lifehouse has opened the doors of opportunity and independence to individuals with developmental disabilities through life-skills training, community integration, advocacy, referrals and community information. With the help of their staff, donors, volunteers and local community, they strive to improve the quality of life for the people they serve and their families. Since we began working with Lifehouse, they’ve made sure over 10,000 lbs pounds of rescued food has made its way into the homes of some of Marin’s most vulnerable people

August 12, 2018

Sausalito Presbyterian Church

Led by Pastor Paul Mowry, the Sausalito Presbyterian Church is a progressive and open congregation that embraces the motto “deeds matter more than creeds.” We are honored to support their wonderful Wednesday community lunch program (and their hard-working, dedicated volunteers) with generous donations from Safeway San Anselmo.

August 05, 2018

Downtown Streets Team

Downtown Streets Team seeks to end the cycle of homelessness through the dignity of work. Team members begin rebuilding their lives through working on beautification projects. You can often see them at work in their brightly colored team t-shirts in downtown San Rafael. We’re proud to support this wonderful program with deliveries of healthy, fresh food.

July 29, 2018

Bennett House

Bennett House, in sunny Fairfax, is part of the Mercy Housing Group, a nationwide organization that creates stable, vibrant and healthy communities by providing affordable, service-enriched housing for families, seniors, and people with special needs. The senior residents’ enthusiasm and warmth makes Bennett House a favorite stop for our volunteer food runners. Residents at Bennett House look forward to the delicious food donations that arrive from Comforts, Taste Kitchen & Table, the Fairfax Farmers’ Market and College of Marin. Because more than 16,000 seniors in our county can’t make ends meet, seniors are among ExtraFood’s top priorities. We’re delighted to partner with Bennett House to support elders in our community.

July 23, 2018

St. Stephens Episcopal Church

As part of their community outreach program, St. Stephens participates in the REST program (Rotating Emergency Shelter Team), providing monthly dinners for the hungry from November to April. They also prepare weekly hot lunches for the homeless year-round and run a week-long summer day camp, during which kids from diverse backgrounds and cultures from Marin City and the Canal are taught by professional art educators from local public and private schools. We are honored to help the church in their mission by delivering prepared food donations from The Cheesecake Factory and baked goods and pizzas from Arizmendi Bakery several times a month, as well as additional food donations to support the kids participating in their summer day camp.

July 15, 2018

San Rafael Rotary Manor

A Beacon Communities and American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW) property, and located in a neighborhood not far from downtown 4th Street, San Rafael Rotary Manor’s 99-unit apartment building offers low-cost and safe housing for seniors. In addition to providing seniors with comfortable apartments, San Rafael Rotary Manor provides easy access to community services and a myriad of activities. The facility was originally a project of Rotary Club of San Rafael and is a testament to the wonderful service of Rotarians throughout our county. We are proud to bring the residents delicious weekly donations from Lotus Cuisine, Byte Foods, Marinwood Market, Nugget Market in Corte Madera, My Thai, and Woodlands Market in Kentfield.

July 08, 2018

YWCA San Francisco & Marin

Dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all, the YWCA offers multiple programs to support women of all ages. Their FiftyPlus job program provides free employment training and job placement service for mature women ready to get back into the workforce. We are proud to support their program with special treats from Safeway San Anslemo for their monthly graduation ceremonies.

July 01, 2018

San Francisco Theological Seminary

A Presbyterian Church seminary, SFTS is a founding member of the Graduate Theological Union. Their theology degrees combine classroom learning with immersion in practical ministry, preparing students to bridge theological, cultural, and political divides. We are honored to support their students and their families with donations of healthy, fresh food from produce and shelf-stable foods to prepared grab-and-go meals and snack items.

June 24, 2018

Family Center

Homeward Bound’s Family Center emergency shelter provides shelter for 9 families at a shared home for up to 6 months. Their services include counseling, support for job and housing search, food assistance, tutoring and help with credit repair or other financial goals. We are honored to support the Family Center with several weekly donations of prepared food, produce, dairy, and baked goods.

June 17, 2018

Martinelli House

One of 128 Mercy Housing facilities in California, Martinelli House offers affordable housing for people aged 62 and older. Thousands of Marin seniors are faced with the heart-wrenching decision of using their limited incomes to buy either food or medication. We are proud to help ease that burden and support Martinelli and their senior residents with weekly food donations from M.H. Bread and Butter, Johnny Doughnuts, and Marinwood Market.

June 10, 2018

The Spahr Center

Formerly known as the Marin AIDS Project, The Spahr Center offers mental health services, a food pantry, housing assistance, advocacy, prevention information and much more to thousands of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS throughout Marin County. They also offer these services to the LGBTQ community. We are honored to support their important work by contributing to their food pantry with fresh and nutritious donations each week from the San Rafael Whole Foods, Marinwood Market, MH Bread and Butter, Johnny Doughnuts, and Mi Pueblo.

June 03, 2018

Sunny Hills Service’s Marin Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Program

Sunny Hills’ TAY is a community-based mental health and substance abuse program whose services include intensive case management, education, employment and medication support for youth ages 16-25. There is also a drop-in center to help with social and independent living skills. We’re delighted to be supporting their young program participants with deliveries of healthy fresh food!

May 27, 2018

Canal Welcome Center Presente

The Canal Welcome Center serves San Rafael Canal Community residents, immigrants and low-income families of Marin County in advancing their social, cultural, and economic well being and participating fully in the broader civic life of U.S. society. Presente is a year-round fellowship program that prepares young adults for civic action, community organizing, entrepreneurship, and workplace success. It provides transformational learning that challenges them to be socially responsible, politically aware, and actively engage in issues of the larger community. We are honored to support Presente program participants with twice-weekly donations fromByte Foods.

May 20, 2018

Performing Stars of Marin

Guiding youth to reach for the stars for nearly 20 years, Performing Stars provides access to professional training in dance, music, social skills and various enrichment opportunities to children who are underserved due to economic, cultural or social barriers. They have helped hundreds of children develop self-esteem and self-reliance and expand their reach for education and social integration by encouraging them to be participants on the inside looking out instead of mere spectators on the outside looking in. We are truly honored to support their program with yummy snacks donated by our friends at Philz Coffee and Peet’s Coffee in Greenbrae.

May 13, 2018

Marguerita C. Johnson (Marin City) Senior Center

The Marin City Senior Center provides a broad range of individual activities, group activities, and services to enhance and improve the lives of Southern Marin’s elderly population. Programs include senior lunches, transportation services, a computer lab, a grandparents group, a support group for the vision impaired, and other social activities. We are proud to support their Wednesday hot luncheon program with delicious donations from Perry’s in Larkspur, Creekside Pizza & Taproom, and Lotus Cuisine of India.

May 06, 2018

Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery

Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery provides rehabilitative and support services to improve the quality of life for brain injury survivors and their families while raising community awareness about the causes and effects of this disability. Our weekly donations from Whole Foods in San Rafael, and other spontaneous food donations we deliver support their food program for low-income clients.

April 29, 2018

Huckleberry Youth Programs

For over 50 years, Huckleberry Youth Programs has educated, inspired, and supported under-served youth to develop healthy life choices, to maximize their potential, and to realize their dreams. Huckleberry strengthens families and empowers young people with services that promote safety in times of crisis, physical and emotional health and well-being, social justice in communities facing inequality, and educational success. ExtraFood is proud to partner with Huckleberry to provide healthy food to serve their clients in need.

April 22, 2018

The Hilarita Apartments

Located in Tiburon, EAH Housing’s Hilarita Apartments provides affordable housing for low-income families and the elderly in one- to four- bedroom apartments. We are proud to support their residents with weekly produce, dairy and bakery donations from our friends at Woodlands Market in Tiburon and Nugget Markets in Corte Madera.

April 15, 2018

Shelter Hill

An EAH Housing family housing community in Mill Valley, Shelter Hill provides family housing and community services – such as after school tutoring – for low-income residents. We‘re honored to support their residents with weekly deliveries of produce, baked goods, and shelf-stable food.

April 08, 2018

Kruger Pines

A Marin Housing Authority complex, Kruger Pines offers housing in 56 units for low-income seniors and disabled residents. We’re honored to be bringing their residents special treats from our friends at SusieCakes three times a month.

April 01, 2018

Catholic Charities Canal Family Support

Located at Pickleweed Park & Albert J. Boro Community Center in the Canal district of San Rafael, CCCFS provides educational assistance and enrichment activities that support the cultural, physical, social and cognitive development of youth in the Canal area. The majority of children served come from families who are struggling with poverty and limited English. We’re proud to provide them with bi-weekly deliveries of baked goods to support the children and families they serve.

March 25, 2018

SparkPoint Marin

A United Way Bay Area project, SparkPoint Marin provides do-it-yourself financial services to low- to middle- income residents who are struggling to make ends meet. They are committed to helping people “move from poverty to prosperity” by providing debt-reduction coaching, budget-management coaching, job training, and support for finding housing. They have an informal food pantry open to clients four days a week stocked with donated food delivered by ExtraFood volunteers. We are proud to partner with SparkPoint to positively impact our community. Read more about our impact here: http://ow.ly/keG030cEPaS

March 18, 2018

Maria B. Freitas Senior Community

Located in Terra Linda, Maria B. Freitas offers 61 affordable low-income housing apartments and a variety of resident services. Mercy Housing, one of the nation’s largest non-profit affordable housing organizations serving low-income families, seniors, individuals and people with special needs, manages the community. We’re delighted to be partnering with Mercy Housing and Maria B. Freitas to help alleviate senior hunger, one of ExtraFood’s top priorities.

March 11, 2018

Center Point

Changing lives, connecting community: Center Point provides comprehensive social, educational, vocational, medical, psychological, housing, and rehabilitation services to combat social problems such as substance abuse, poverty, unemployment and homelessness. Since they started partnering with ExtraFood in January 2015, Center Point has provided more than 23,000 pounds of donated food to their clients. We are pleased to be able to provide nutritious ingredients, meals, and snacks to support the wonderful work their chef Greg and the rest of the Center Point staff does for our community.

March 04, 2018

North Marin Community Services

Celebrating 45 years of service, North Marin Community Services serves over 4,800 youth, adults and families across 3 program areas, including the recently merged Novato Youth Center and Novato Human Needs. Their programs empower members of our diverse community to achieve well-being, growth and success. We’ve been supporting their programs with food donations since 2016 and look forward to continuing our partnership to serve our community members in need.

February 25, 2018

San Geronimo Presbyterian Church

The San Geronimo Presbyterian Church, along with our partners at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, acts as a “hub” for ExtraFood, playing a vital role in helping many individuals and families who struggle with hunger, isolation, and the “food desert” in West Marin. Their team of “Green Apron” volunteers proudly don their green ExtraFood aprons as they pick up multiple food donations throughout Marin each week and deliver them to the church for their food pantries and other community service-oriented events. We have been proudly supporting the church and the community they serve since 2014.

February 18, 2018

Fireside Apartments

An Eden Housing property managed in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin and Marin County Community Mental Health, Fireside has 50 units and a community center for lower income seniors, families, and individuals with special needs. Twenty units provide affordable housing specifically for families and seniors with special needs or who are transitioning from homelessness. Homeward Bound provides ongoing support services for all residents. We are thrilled to bring Fireside’s residents delicious donations every week from our friends at Arizmendi Bakery, MH Bread and Butter, and the Thursday AIM Farmers Market.

February 11, 2018

Mill Street Center

A Homeward Bound of Marin facility, the Mill Street Center has been working with us since our very first week of operation—providing a critically important service to homeless men and women as the only night-to-night emergency shelter in Marin county. This program has helped so many individuals in our county find a safe, warm, and dry place to spend the night. We’re delighted to support them with regular food donations from the Mill Valley Farmers Market, Los Moles, Kaiser Permanente, Nugget Market in Corte Madera, and Johnny Doughnuts, as well as additional occasional donations to meet their food needs. We’re honored to work with the Mill Street Center!

February 04, 2018

Walnut Place

Located in Point Reyes Station, EAH Housing’s Walnut Place provides housing for low-income and disabled seniors in 25 residential units. Residents are offered an array of community-building opportunities including access to a community garden, large community room, and library, as well as a weekly community lunch and exercise class. We are proud to support their residents with fresh, healthy food donations from our generous Marin-based food donors.

January 31, 2018

San Geronimo Valley Community Center

SGVCC promotes health and wellness to West Marin’s San Geronimo and Nicasio Valley communities by providing valuable resources that support residents in need. This includes a weekly emergency food pantry, health days, educational programs, and a variety of services for seniors. Our volunteers so enjoy making the beautiful drive out to San Geronimo to support their programs and to help our neighbors in need. SGVCC is a treasured resource for the West Marin community!

January 21, 2018

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church

A Marin City-based multicultural congregation, St. Andrew models unity in diversity. They serve their diverse community in many ways, including a weekly food pantry for those in need. We’re delighted to support St. Andrew’s food pantry with donations of fresh food from our friends at Marinwood Market, AIM Farmers Markets, Whole Foods Market in Mill Valley, and Costco

January 14, 2018

Warner Creek Senior Housing

An Eden Housing residence in Novato with programs created in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin, Warner Creek Senior Housing has 60 1-bedroom units for very low to extremely low-income seniors. Residents living at Warner Creek have access to a supportive resident services program designed to help them to “age in place” and live independently for as long as possible. Warner Creek also includes 22 units targeted to seniors with long-term chronic health conditions or other physical disabilities. We love working with Services & Activities Coordinator, Monina, and her team of volunteer residents!

January 07, 2018

Novato Youth Center

The Novato Youth Center inspires and prepares local youth to succeed by supporting their development in academics and learning; health and well being; personal enrichment through arts and athletics; and social interaction and community engagement. They serve 3,000 youth and their families each year. One-third of their staff is bilingual, so they can serve a culturally and socio-economically diverse mix of families. We’re delighted to be supporting them with weekly food donations from Nugget Markets in Novato and Costco.

December 31, 2017

People’s Inter-Cities Fellowship (PCIF)

Located in Marin City, PCIF is a non-denominational, interracial, community-based Christian Fellowship. Food program managers Leticia and Bridget always greet our volunteers with big smiles and open hearts. Says Leticia, “Kids come when their parents aren’t home and they don’t have food in the house. People with babies who live on food stamps come for milk. Seniors who need food at the end of the month when their government benefit checks run out, come for a bag of groceries.” We are honored to be working with PICF to serve our community members in need.

December 24, 2017

College of Marin

Recognizing that people can’t learn if they’re hungry, the College of Marin (COM) set up a “pop-up food pantry” for food-insecure students on their Kentfield campus in partnership with ExtraFood. This program is one of 15 new food programs that ExtraFood has set up with our partners across Marin. We deliver fresh produce and bakery goods to COM every week and we’re delighted to be supporting their incredible work and hard-working students!

December 17, 2017

Community Action Marin Child Development Program

An important partner for ExtraFood, CAM reaches thousands of people throughout Marin with their programs and services, including serving meals to over 1500 children per day. Their Old Gallinas Children’s Center supports children from low-income working families – ages 11 months to 11 years old – providing academic, arts, and physical education activities. They also provide breakfast, snacks, and lunch to the children, as well as food to support their families. We are proud to bring them delicious baked goods from M.H. Bread and Butter every week.

December 10, 2017

Downtown Streets Team

Last year’s winner of the Heart of Marin Award for Excellence in Innovation, Downtown Streets Team seeks to end the cycle of homelessness through the dignity of work. Transitioning team members into employment restores hope and opens the door to other opportunities. Team members begin rebuilding their lives through working on beautification projects. You can often see them at work in their brightly colored team t-shirts in downtown San Rafael. We’re proud to support this wonderful program with deliveries of healthy, fresh food.

December 08, 2017

New Beginnings Center

An 80-bed shelter for single homeless adults – the largest in the county – New Beginnings combines shelter, job training, and work experience opportunities. Their Fresh Starts Culinary Academy welcomes residents and students from the community into a job-training program in their state-of-the-art kitchen. Students intern at the Jackson Cafe in downtown San Rafael, a partnership with Whistlestop, as well as at FSCA’s chef events and in other venues. We have been working with New Beginnings since our very first week of operation and we’re proud to support their work to help people lift themselves out of homelessness.

November 26, 2017

Cecilia Place Apartments

EAH Housing’s Cecilia Place Apartments is a senior community comprised of 16 studio apartments situated in a quiet neighborhood on the scenic Tiburon Peninsula. Our volunteers love stopping by these charming residences every other Sunday to bring the seniors beautiful, fresh produce and baked goods from the Agricultural Institute of Marin’s Sunday Farmers Market.

November 19, 2017

West Marin Community Services

Located in Point Reyes, West Marin Community Services supports programs and services that ensure the well-being of individuals and families in West Marin. Their food pantry serves 70 families in the West Marin “food desert” where residents lack sufficient access to healthy, fresh, affordable food. We are delighted to support their pantry with weekly donations from our generous friends at Safeway in San Anselmo.

November 12, 2017

Gilead House

Gilead House provides transitional housing in Novato for homeless families for up to 12 months. In addition, they provide job skills training, financial management education, parenting coaching, and mentoring for their residents, with the goal of facilitating a successful transition to a stable life and permanent housing. We’re proud to support Gilead’s programming and residents with bi-weekly donations of delicious prepared food from our friends at Beso Bistro.

November 05, 2017

YMCA at Hamilton

Fulfilling the YMCA’s mission to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities, the YMCA at Hamilton School provides comprehensive afterschool programs to enrich the lives of local children. We are proud to supplement the Y’s child-focused programming with weekly donations of snacks and meals for the children in their care.

October 29, 2017

Sausalito Presbyterian Church

We’re delighted to recognize the Sausalito Presbyterian Church as our Food Recipient of the Week! Led by Pastor Paul Mowry, the Sausalito Presbyterian Church is a progressive and open congregation that embraces the motto “deeds matter more than creeds.” We are honored to support their wonderful Wednesday community lunch program (and their hard-working, dedicated volunteers) with generous donations from Safeway San Anselmo.

October 22, 2017

Homestead Terrace

A Marin Housing Authority property, Homestead Terrace provides 28 studio units to very low income, independent seniors and disabled people. The smiles on the residents’ faces upon receiving their first food donations from Arizmendi Bakery and All Seasons Catering brought such joy to us all.

October 15, 2017

Jewish Family and Children’s Services

Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) is a problem solving center and lifeline for children, families, and older adults facing personal crises or challenges. They offer over 40 programs, including home care for seniors, therapy for children, youth volunteer programs, and services for people with disabilities. JFCS serves people of all faiths, backgrounds and income levels. We are delighted to support their programs with weekly baked goods donations from Safeway San Anselmo and vegetarian meals from Byte Foods.

October 08, 2017

Parnow Friendship House

Managed by EAH Housing, Parnow Friendship House is a 72-unit non-profit apartment community in San Rafael. It provides housing for low income seniors 62+, or those under 62 who qualify for the need of an adapted apartment designed for mobility impairments. Resources include classes, shopping trips, computers, and exercise classes. About 2/3 of the residents take advantage of ExtraFood deliveries from Whole Foods San Rafael.

October 01, 2017

San Geronimo Valley Community Center

SGVCC promotes health and wellness to the San Geronimo and Nicasio Valley communities by providing valuable resources that support residents in need. This includes a weekly, emergency food pantry, health days, educational programs and a variety of services for seniors. The center is grateful for the deliveries of fresh produce, bakery items and prepared food that ExtraFood’s volunteers bring several times each week. SGVCC is a treasured resource for the West Marin community!

September 24, 2017

Rotary Valley Senior Village

A BRIDGE Housing property created in partnership with Rotary Club of Terra Linda and the Marin County Redevelopment Agency, this 80-unit low-income housing project in Lucas Valley has been in operation since 1997. Every Sunday, the residents gather together and create a mini food pantry to distribute the produce that we bring them from the Civic Center farmers market. And they are always excited to receive their delicious weekly donation from Bon Appetit Management Company on Thursdays!

September 17, 2017

Episcopal Senior Communities’ Novato Independent Elders Program

Episcopal Senior Communities’ Novato Independent Elders Program at the Margaret Todd Senior Center holds workshops, health fairs, multicultural services, and a variety of wellness programs and outreach services, including a food pantry that ExtraFood is delighted to help support. Seniors are top priority for ExtraFood and we’re grateful for NIEP’s partnership as we work together to help seniors age in place with dignity.

September 10, 2017

Enriching Lives Through Music

ELM inspires more than 120 kids from the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael to thrive emotionally, socially and academically through music education, performance, and engagement in a vibrant center of musical excellence. Family participation and community partnerships are key to accomplishing their mission. Last week, some of the ELM students gave a very special performance at the Rafael Theater. We are delighted to support ELM with food for their students! http://www.elmprogram.org

September 04, 2017

Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery

The Schurig Center offers rehabilitative and support services to help survivors and their families rebuild their lives after a brain injury. Their aim is to improve the quality of life for brain injury survivors and raise community awareness about the causes and effects of this disability. Like a number of our recipient partners, Schurig has created a new food program for their low-income clients with the food from our donations.

August 27, 2017

The Hilarita Ecumenical Association

The Hilarita provides affordable housing for low-income families and the elderly in Tiburon. We are proud to support their residents with weekly produce, dairy and bakery donations from our friends at Nugget Markets in Corte Madera.

August 20, 2017

Helen Vine Recovery Center

A Buckelew Program, Helen Vine Recovery Center is a licensed 26-bed co-ed residential detoxification program that provides welcoming, recovery-oriented services to individuals with alcohol and drug addiction issues, as well as co-occurring psychiatric problems. It’s our great pleasure to support this wonderful program with weekly food donations from Byte Foods, Marinwood Market, Starbucks in downtown San Rafael, Terra Linda Safeway, and Arizmendi Bakery.

August 13, 2017

Martinelli House

One of 128 Mercy Housing facilities in California, Martinelli House offers affordable housing for persons aged 62 and older. Thousands of Marin seniors are faced with the heart-wrenching decision of using their limited incomes to buy either food or medication. We are proud to help ease that burden and support Martinelli and seniors in our community with weekly food donations from M.H. Bread and Butter, Marinwood Market, and Ponsford’s Place Bakery.

August 06, 2017

North Bay Children’s Center

The North Bay Children’s Center provides children, including our community’s most vulnerable, with high-quality early learning experiences that build the foundation for healthy productive lives. We are so proud to support NBCC and the children and families they serve with weekly donations of fresh food from our friends at Andy’s Local Market.

July 30, 2017

Marin Family Action

Located in Novato, Marin Family Action helps low-income community members improve their social and economic quality of life through their Neighborhood Safety Programs. So far, we have delivered to them delicious baked goods from MH Bread and Butter and fresh produce from Whole Foods in San Rafael. We look forward to supporting their empowering programs with more food donations in the future.

July 23, 2017

Boys & Girls Clubs of Marin and Petaluma at Davidson Middle School

The Davidson “Clubhouse” serves students from Davidson during the school year and is open to all San Rafael youth ages 6-18 during the summer. Each day they offer a healthy snack and time and space for Club Members to complete their homework during “Power Hour.” They also have a Games Room, Art Room, Lounge, Media Room, and a sports and fitness program. We are delighted to support Boys & Girls Clubs with fresh donations from Nugget Market in Novato and Noah’s Bagels in Greenbrae!

July 16, 2017

The Spahr Center

Formerly known as the Marin AIDS Project, The Spahr Center offers mental health services, a food pantry, housing assistance, advocacy, prevention information and much more to thousands of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS throughout Marin County. We are honored to support their important work by contributing to their food pantry with fresh and nutritious donations each week from the San Rafael Whole Foods, Marinwood Market, and MH Bread and Butter.

July 09, 2017

Family Center

A Homeward Bound of Marin facility, the Family Center emergency shelter provides shelter for 9 families at a shared home for up to 6 months. Family Center services include counseling, support for job and housing search, food assistance, tutoring and help with credit repair or other financial goals. We are honored to support the Family Center with several weekly donations of prepared food, produce, dairy, and baked goods.

July 02, 2017

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

As part of their community outreach program, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church participates in the REST program (Rotating Emergency Shelter Team), providing monthly dinners for the hungry from November to April. They also prepare weekly hot lunches for the homeless year-round. We are honored to help the church in their mission by delivering prepared food donations from The Cheesecake Factory and baked goods and pizzas from Arizmendi Bakery several times a month.

June 27, 2017

SparkPoint Marin

SparkPoint Marin, A United Way Bay Area project, is a financial education center that helps individuals and families “move from poverty to prosperity” by providing debt-reduction coaching, budget-management coaching, job training, and support for finding housing. They have an informal food pantry open to clients four days a week stocked with donated food delivered by ExtraFood volunteers. We are proud to partner with SparkPoint to positively impact our community. Read more about our impact here: http://ow.ly/keG030cEPaS

June 18, 2017

Marin Services for Men

By providing services and housing in a clean, safe, and supportive environment, Marin Services for Men seeks to improve the quality of the lives of adult men and their families who are adversely affected by dependence on alcohol and/or drugs. A surrogate family structure, guided by the 12-Step Model, helps to empower men to take charge of their recovery, becoming independent, productive members of their families and their community. We are so pleased to work with such an important community organization.

June 11, 2017

Oma Village

Oma Village is a Homeward Bound residential community of modern, green affordable housing in Novato. Oma Village’s services primarily focus on children, with room for tutoring, homework club, and family activities. ExtraFood is proud to support Oma Village in their goal of assisting families to build careers and eventually move into home ownership.

June 04, 2017

Shelter Hill

One of our newest recipients, Shelter Hill is an EAH Housing family housing community. We recently welcomed them to the ExtraFood family with a generous inaugural donation of delicious baked goods from our friends at Arizmendi Bakery. We are looking forward to providing this wonderful community with additional donations throughout the year.

May 30, 2017

Bennett House

Our Recipient of the Week, Bennett House in sunny Fairfax, is part of the Mercy Housing Group, a nationwide organization that creates stable, vibrant and healthy communities by providing affordable, service-enriched housing for families, seniors, and people with special needs. The senior residents’ enthusiasm and warmth makes Bennett House a favorite stop for our volunteer food runners delivering weekly donations from Comforts and the College of Marin.

May 21, 2017

Ponderosa Estates

We are thrilled to welcome Ponderosa Estates to the ExtraFood family as a new food recipient partner and our Recipient of the Week. A Marin City Limited Equity Housing Cooperative, Ponderosa consists of 56 residential units. Our first food delivery was a big one, consisting of baked goods, prepared foods and 100 lbs of meat. Fortunately, the excited residents were ready to accept this generous donation in the newly redecorated room they prepared especially for this addition to their services. Welcome, Ponderosa!

May 14, 2017

Bay Area Community Resources

Bay Area Community Resources (BACR) provides nurturing and enjoyable afterschool environments for students to improve their academic skills and explore and develop other skills, interests, self-expression, and personal growth using best practices in youth development. They offer structured academic support and enrichment activities for over 150 days during the school year. We are proud to honor this amazing program for its hard work and dedication to the future community builders in its care.

May 08, 2017

Ritter Center

Ritter Center‘s mission is to help prevent homelessness and improve the health and well-being of vulnerable members of our county. That is no small task! Providing medical and social services to homeless and low-income individuals and families is a much-needed addition to the lives of those they serve. ExtraFood is honored to assist Ritter Center’s vision of providing exceptional services to the underserved.

May 01, 2017

Voyager Carmel Center

A Homeward Bound of Marin program since 1987, Voyager Carmel provides short-term (1-4 months) and long-term housing for adults with mental illness. The center includes a 24-hour staff, and a program that focuses on crisis prevention, support to enhance individual strengths, and basic living skills. We’re delighted to be able to assist Voyager Carmel Center with their critically important mission.

April 23, 2017

10,000 Degrees

Located in San Rafael, 10,000 Degrees is devoted to assisting high school and college students from low-income families in their journey to obtain a college degree. One of the many reasons this is critically important: helping one member of a family earn a college degree can break the cycle of poverty. With an 86% college completion rate, 10,000 Degrees is making a big difference in our county and we’re proud to team with them to provide healthy food to their amazing students.

April 16, 2017

Lifehouse

Since 1954, Lifehouse has opened the doors of opportunity and independence to individuals with developmental disabilities through life-skills training, community integration, advocacy, referrals and community information. With the help of their staff, donors, volunteers and local community, they strive to improve the quality of life for the people they serve and their families. Since we began working with Lifehouse, they’ve made sure nearly 9000 pounds of rescued food has made its way into the homes of some of Marin’s most vulnerable people.

April 09, 2017

Huckleberry Youth Programs

Huckleberry has had a mission of inspiring, educating and supporting youth through the (sometimes difficult!) adolescent years since 1967. That’s 50 years of assisting young people in promoting their ideas, leadership and talents. Huckleberry has programs such as health care and education, crisis shelter, counseling support, and career training. Some of Huckleberry’s clients come from backgrounds with mental health problems, violence, physical and sexual abuse, and pregnancy. These clients are given assistance in navigating the social and justice systems. ExtraFood is proud to partner with Huckleberry to provide healthy food to clients in need.

April 02, 2017

Mill Street Center

A Homeward Bound of Marin facility, the Mill Street Center has been working with us since our very first week of operation—providing a critically important service to homeless men and women as the only night-to-night emergency shelter in the county. Besides delivering occasional spontaneous donations that match Mill Street’s needs, ExtraFood delivers regular donations of fresh farmers’ market produce and individual prepackaged meals to the great people at Mill Street. This program has helped so many individuals in our county find a safe, warm, and dry place to spend the night. We’re honored to work with the Mill Street Center!

March 26, 2017

Center Point

Center Point’s mission is to provide comprehensive social, educational, vocational, medical, psychological, housing, and rehabilitation services to combat social problems such as substance abuse, poverty, unemployment and homelessness. Working with ExtraFood, Center Point has already provided more than 2,000 pounds of donated food to their clients this year. We are pleased to be able to provide nutritious ingredients, meals, and snacks to support the wonderful work Center Point does in our community.

March 19, 2017

College of Marin

COM is a community college with two campuses, one in Kentfield and one in in Novato. COM serves many low-income students, and, recognizing that people can’t learn if they’re hungry, worked with ExtraFood to set up a new “pop-up food pantry” on the Kentfield campus, one of 15 new food programs that ExtraFood has set up with our partners across Marin. We deliver fresh produce and bakery goods to COM every week and we’re delighted to be supporting COM’s fabulous work!

March 12, 2017

Catholic Charities Canal Family Support

Located at Pickleweed Park & Albert J. Boro Community Center in the Canal district of San Rafael, CCCFS provides educational assistance and enrichment activities that support the cultural, physical, social and cognitive development of youth in the Canal area. The majority of children served come from families who are struggling with poverty, limited English, and marginalized legal status. We’re delighted to be delivering great donations of fresh produce and baked goods to CCCFS.

March 05, 2017

Sunny Hills Service’s Marin Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Program

Sunny Hills’ TAY program is a community-based mental health and substance abuse program whose services include intensive case management, education, employment and medication support for youth ages 16-25. There is also a drop-in center to help with social and independent living skills. We’re delighted to be supporting their program with deliveries of healthy fresh food!

February 26, 2017

Boys and Girls Club of Marin City

Boys & Girls Clubs of Marin and Petaluma serves over 5,300 youth, many of whom are underserved and at-risk. Their mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. They have multiple afterschool programs including one at the Bayside/Marin Luther King Jr. Academy in Marin City. The Club provides professional staff and volunteers to mentor youth with a formal guidance system, instilling in all of their members a sense of belonging, usefulness, influence and competence.

February 19, 2017

Downtown Streets Team

This ambitious project, which won the Heart Of Marin Award this year for Excellence in Innovation, seeks to end the cycle of homelessness through the dignity of work. Team members begin by rebuilding their lives through working on beautification projects. The ultimate goal is to transition these team members into employment because having a job restores hope and opens the door to other opportunities. A key part of their model is educating people and dispelling stereotypes about homelessness. You can often catch a glimpse of team members on the streets in downtown San Rafael, at work in their brightly colored team t-shirts. We’re proud to support them with deliveries of healthy, fresh food!

February 12, 2017

People’s Inter-Cities Fellowship

Located in Marin City, this community-based church is a non-denominational, interracial, Bible-Centered Christian Fellowship. Food program managers Leticia and Bridget always greet our volunteers with big smiles and open hearts. Says Leticia, “Kids come when their parents aren’t home and they don’t have food in the house. People with babies who live on food stamps come for milk. Seniors who need food at the end of the month when their government benefit checks run out come for a bag of groceries.” We are honored to be working with PICF to serve those in need.

February 05, 2017

Community Action Marin - Child Development Program

CAM is an important partner for ExtraFood, reaching thousands of people throughout Marin with their services and serving meals to over 1500 children per day. Their Old Gallinas Children’s Center supports 300 low-income families and more than 600 children from 3 months to 13 years old, providing academic, arts, and physical education activities. And they provide breakfast, snacks, and lunch to the kids and support their families with food as well.

January 30, 2017

Bay Area Community Resources at San Pedro School

BACR’s mission is to promote the healthy development of individuals and families, encourage service and volunteerism, and help build community. From time to time we receive a call from Rosa who organizes BACR’s parent education evenings at San Pedro School. Good food is a lure for the parents so Rosa likes to have some available to attract more participants! Our volunteer, Ellie A., was able to bring some extra food from from her Byte Foods pickup on Thursday and it was just the right food for Rosa’s class!

January 22, 2017

San Geronimo Valley Community Center

SGVCC provides a dynamic center for human services, arts & culture, education, health & wellness and community building, including a variety of food programs. West Marin is a “food desert”— its residents lack sufficient access to fresh, healthy, affordable food — and so is a priority for ExtraFood’s work. We’re delighted to support SGVCC’s food pantry and senior meal program serving those in need in West Marin.

January 15, 2017

Novato Youth Center

NYC’s mission: to inspire and prepare local youth to succeed. They accomplish this by supporting their development in academics and learning; health and well being; personal enrichment through arts and athletics; and social interaction and community engagement. Annually they serve 2,800 youth and their families. One-third of their staff is bilingual, so they can serve a culturally and socio-economically diverse mix of families. We’re delighted to be supporting them with food donations for those in need.

January 08, 2017

New Beginnings Center

Our Recipient of the Week is the New Beginnings Center in Novato. Part of the Homeward Bound of Marin​ family, NBC is an 80-bed shelter for single homeless adults—the largest homeless shelter in the county. It includes the Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, which welcomes residents and low-income students from the community into a job-training program in their state-of-the-art kitchen. Students intern at the Jackson Cafe in downtown San Rafael, a partnership with Whistlestop, as well as at FSCA’s chef events and in other venues. ExtraFood.org has been working with NBC since our very first week of operation 3 years ago, and we’re proud to support their work to help people lift themselves out of homelessness.

January 01, 2017

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County

We’ve been partnering with St Vincent’s, located in downtown San Rafael, since our earliest days. Their Free Dining Room, which was created in 1981 as a free kitchen to serve Marin County’s hungry citizens, has been open every day since then, and has served more than two million meals to date. We deliver a variety of donations to St. Vincent’s, including fresh produce from the Sunday Civic Center Farmers’ Market. We’re proud to support St. Vincent’s important work serving the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.

December 25, 2016

Helen Vine Recovery Center

Helen Vine Recovery Center, part of Buckelew Programs, is a licensed 26-bed co-ed residential detoxification program located in San Rafael that provides welcoming, recovery-oriented services to individuals with alcohol and drug addiction issues, as well as co-occurring psychiatric problems. This great program provides a vital “safety net” in our community for individuals with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

December 18, 2016

St. Stephen’s Church, Belvedere

St Stephen’s participates in the REST program (Rotating Emergency Shelter Team) which is now in its eighth year and operates from Nov. 15 to April 15. They also prepare hot lunches once weekly for the homeless. Says Pam Martori, food coordinator at St. Stephen’s, “Not only has the food created a spirit of community among the REST participants, it has joined the church hosts together in more of a partnership. I wish I could describe this adequately so you could feel how truly you have made a difference.”

December 11, 2016

SparkPoint Marin

SparkPoint Marin, a United Way Bay Area project located in downtown San Rafael, is a financial education center that helps individuals and families “move from poverty to prosperity.” They do this by providing services such as debt-reduction coaching, budget-management coaching, job training, and support for finding housing. Each week they have an informal food pantry so that when their clients stop in for financial services they can leave with some extra groceries for the week. Many of the clients whom they serve live in the Canal area of San Rafael and this extra food helps with their weekly budgets. SparkPoint is an important community partner for ExtraFood as we work to support all aspects of of the solution to hunger in Marin. Check out their Impact Story too!

December 04, 2016

San Geronimo Community Presbyterian Church

SGCPC started its thriving food program upon learning they could receive donations from ExtraFood. They serve vulnerable families in the San Geronimo Valley and relay food out to the coast. As a “food desert”—where residents lack sufficient access to healthy, fresh, affordable food—West Marin is one of ExtraFood’s key focus areas and SGCPC is a longtime, terrific partner for us there.

November 27, 2016

Marin AIDS Project

Located in central San Rafael, MAP’s mission is to provide the people of Marin County the best quality HIV/AIDS services, information, education and support possible. Every Thursday we bring generous donations from Marinwood Market and Whole Foods Market - San Rafael to their office on Irwin Street. HIV and AIDS continue to be significant issues in our community and ExtraFood.org is delighted to be supporting MAP’s important work.

November 20, 2016

Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery

The Schurig Center offers rehabilitative and support services to help survivors and their families rebuild their lives after a brain injury. Their aim is to improve the quality of life for brain injury survivors and raise community awareness about the causes and effects of this disability. Like a number of our recipient partners, Schurig has created a new food program for their low-income clients with the food from our donations.

November 13, 2016

Warner Creek Senior Housing

Warner Creek is a property owned and managed by Eden Housing with programs created in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin. Located in Novato, Warner Creek has 60 1-bedroom units for very low to extremely low-income seniors. Residents living at Warner Creek have access to a supportive resident services program designed to help them “age in place” and live independently for as long as possible. Warner Creek also includes twenty-two units targeted to seniors with long-term chronic health conditions or other physical disabilities. We love working with Monina and her team!

November 06, 2016

10,000 Degrees

10,000 Degrees aims to achieve educational equity by supporting low-income students to reach their highest potential through achieving a college education. They help these students, through financial aid and individualized counseling, to often become the first in their families to graduate from college. To date, they have helped 18,700 students achieve a college degree! We are delighted to supply food for student meetings at their offices.

October 31, 2016

Marin Services for Men

Marin Services for Men seeks to improve the quality of the lives of adult men and their families who are adversely affected by dependence on alcohol and/or drugs, by providing services and housing in a clean, safe, and supportive environment. Guided by the 12-Step Model, they empower men to take charge of their recovery, becoming independent, productive members of their families and their community.

October 23, 2016

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity

AHO serves Marin’s homeless young adults ages 18-25 and engages youth who have been previously homeless as youth outreach advisors, peer mentors, program advisors, board members and spokespersons of their experience. They help young people connect to AHO’s 25 Alliance for Youth community partners who provide essential services including all aspects of job support, housing, scholarships for education, financial literacy, health care, legal aid, wardrobe and counseling. This week we will be redirecting lots of great food to them for their annual event.

October 16, 2016

Rotary Valley Senior Village

A BRIDGE Housing property created in partnership with Rotary Club of Terra Linda and located in rural Lucas Valley, this 80-unit low-income housing project has been in operation since 1997. Every Wednesday the residents look forward to the prepared food from Bon Appétit Management Company. In addition, on Sundays, the seniors are the recipients of fabulous produce from the Sunday Civic Center Farmers’ Market.

October 09, 2016

Boys & Girls Clubs of Marin and Petaluma at Davidson Middle School

The Davidson “Clubhouse” serves students from Davidson during the school year and is open to all San Rafael youth ages 6-18 during the summer. Each day they offer a healthy snack and time and space for Club Members to complete their homework during “Power Hour.” They also have a Games Room, Music Lab, Art Room, and a sports and fitness program. We are proud to support Boys & Girls Clubs!

October 02, 2016

Center for Domestic Peace

Since 1977, CDP had led a comprehensive community effort to end the number one violent crime in Marin County…domestic violence. They provide transformational services and programs that protect and enhance victim safety. They train and coordinate professionals from multiple systems including legal, law, criminal justice, physical and mental heath and education services, ultimately engaging our community in permanent change. We’re proud to support their organization and their clients!

September 25, 2016

Project Avary

This amazing program offers long-term support, resources, guidance and training for children with incarcerated parents. Based on 16 years of direct experience, their year-round program is designed to meet the unique emotional needs of children of prisoners. They intervene early in the lives of children at the ages of 8 to 11, and make a long-term 10-year commitment to each child and family. We are delighted and honored to support their important work. www.projectavary.org

September 18, 2016

Downtown Streets Team

This ambitious project seeks to end the cycle of homelessness through the dignity of work. Team members begin by rebuilding their lives through working on beautification projects. The ultimate goal is to transition these team members into employment because having a job restores hope and opens the door to other opportunities. A key part of their model is educating people and dispelling stereotypes about homelessness. You can often catch a glimpse of team members on the streets in downtown San Rafael, at work in their brightly colored team t-shirts.

September 11, 2016

Maria B. Freitas Senior Community

Maria B. Freitas in Terra Linda offers 66 affordable low-income housing apartments and a variety of resident services. They’re part of Mercy Housing, one of the nation’s largest non-profit affordable housing organizations serving low-income families, seniors, individuals and people with special needs. Mercy Housing believes that making the community a better place is just as important as building a home. We’re delighted to be partnering with Mercy Housing and Freitas to alleviate senior hunger, one of ExtraFood’s top priorities.

September 04, 2016

Next Generation Scholars

NGS believes that equal access to higher education for students from low-income families is the key to making positive changes within our community. They provide a wide variety of services including tutoring, food for the students and their families, college counseling, test preparation, and many more. http://www.nextgenerationscholars.org

August 21, 2016

Parent Services Project

PSP engages and strengthens families who have been made invisible by race, immigration status, and/or poverty to take leadership for the well-being of their children, families, and communities. Their programs include literacy and child development, family engagement, and community outreach and organizing. Last week we brought extra food to their “National Night Out” event, a spirit-raising event complete with games, prizes, music, and food! http://www.parentservices.org

August 14, 2016

Huckleberry Youth Programs

Huckleberry’s mission is “to educate, inspire, and support underserved youth to develop healthy life choices, to maximize their potential, and to realize their dreams.” We provide tasty snacks to Huckleberry such as cupcakes from SusieCakes Bakery, Noah’s Bagels, enchiladas from Marinitas restaurant…anything to keep them studying when the afternoon blahs set in.

August 07, 2016

Voyager Carmel Center (a Homeward Bound facility)

Voyager Carmel Center became part of the Homeward Bound program in 1987. They provide short-term (1 to 4 months) and long-term housing for adults with mental illness. The center includes a 24-hour staff, a communal kitchen, and a program that focuses on crisis prevention, job readiness, and basic living skills improvement. A wonderful program!

July 31, 2016

The Family Center

Part of Homeward Bound of Marin, the Family Center is the only emergency shelter for homeless families in the county, providing shelter for 9 families for up to 6 months. Activities there include counseling, support for job search and housing search, tutoring, and of course food assistance. Family Center is an important resource in the community and one of the 7 Homeward Bound sites we deliver to.

July 24, 2016

Jewish Family and Children’s Services

JFCS provides comprehensive services to the entire community including counseling for individuals, couples & families, financial assistance, information & referral, support for people with disabilities, and volunteer opportunities. Each week we deliver produce from the Wednesday Corte Madera Farmers’ Market to JFCS, who distributes the bounty to homebound seniors.

July 17, 2016

Camp Create at St. Stephen’s Church, Belvedere

St. Stephen’s week-long summer day camp, which begins next week, draws kids from diverse backgrounds and cultures, from Marin City and the Canal, and are taught by professional art educators from local public and private schools. The camp’s emphasis is on the creative arts including painting, drawing, singing, drumming, multi-media and dance. This week we delivered several gallons of milk, yogurt and fruit for the snacks and meals that will be provided to the campers. With a donation from the Marin Farmers Markets on Sunday and Arizmendi San Rafael Bakery & Pizzeria next week, they are well on their way to having the food they need!

July 10, 2016

Mill Street Center

A Homeward Bound of Marin facility, Mill Street Center has been working with us since our very first week of operation—providing a critically important service to homeless men and women as the only night-to-night emergency shelter in the county. Besides delivering occasional spontaneous donations that match Mill Street’s needs, ExtraFood delivers regular donations of fresh farmers’ market produce and individual prepackaged meals to the great people at Mill Street.

July 03, 2016

Center Point

Center Point is a residential treatment program in San Rafael, supporting those who are in recovery from drug addiction, trauma, criminal behavior and domestic violence. Their facility serves 3 meals a day for up to 48 people. Their chef, Gregory, has been great to work with and so appreciates the food that we bring to Center Point each week.

June 26, 2016

The Hilarita Apartments

Hilarita is a 91-unit affordable apartment community in Tiburon with a diverse population of residents consisting of 50% families and 50% seniors. This week, one of their seniors was so delighted to receive our donation, he personally delivered some of the food to homebound seniors there.

June 19, 2016

Parnow Friendship House

An EAH Housing property in San Rafael situated adjacent to open space, Parnow has 72 apartments for seniors and those with mobility impairments. EAH Housing was founded in 1968 to address the needs of low-income families and older adults living in Marin. With its success, it has grown, and currently manages affordable housing communities in 50 municipalities in California and Hawaii. http://www.eahhousing.org/pages/apartmentdetail/21

June 12, 2016

People’s Inter-Cities Fellowship

Located in Marin City, this community-based church is a non-denominational, interracial, Bible-Centered Christian Fellowship. We are now delivering food for their food pantry several days a week and our volunteers are always greeted by Leticia with her big smile and infectious energy. http://www.picf.net

June 05, 2016

Mackey Terrace, an EAH Housing Property

Mackey Terrace is an EAH Housing property in Novato. EAH Housing was founded in 1968 to address the needs of low-income families and older adults living in Marin. With its success, it has grown, and currently manages affordable housing communities in 50 municipalities in California and Hawaii. Seniors are top priority for ExtraFood’s work, and we’re delighted to be working with Mackey Terrace and EAH.

May 29, 2016

Bennett House

Bennett House is a residence for low-income seniors in Fairfax. They’re part of Mercy Housing, a national, non-profit organization that believes that affordable housing and supportive programs help to transform neighborhoods and improve peoples’ lives. The seniors at Bennett House look forward to their weekly donations from the College of Marin and Comforts Cafe.

May 22, 2016

Ritter Center

Ritter Center provides critically-needed services to the homeless and very low income residents of our county: food and clothing, health care, psychotherapy and substance abuse counseling, showers, laundry, restroom facilities, and more—all provided free of charge. Because Ritter does not serve food onsite, we’re delighted to provide “takeaway” food donations that can be easily picked up by their clients.

May 15, 2016

Lifehouse

Lifehouse provides high-quality, personalized residential and direct support services to over 200 individuals with developmental disabilities in Marin and Sonoma counties. Lifehouse’s clients live in their own apartment or home, with support services ranging from two hours per week to 24-hour care. We deliver to their main office and from there the food is distributed to their many home sites. We’re proud to partner with such a terrific organization!

May 08, 2016

Catholic Charities - Canal Family Support

Located at Pickleweed Park & Albert J. Boro Community Center, CFS provides educational assistance and enrichment activities that support the cultural, physical, social and cognitive development of youth in the Canal area. The majority of children served come from families who are struggling with poverty, limited English, and marginalized legal status. We’re delighted to support CFS’ work! http://catholiccharitiessf.org/our-programs/canal-family-support/

May 01, 2016

St. Stephen’s Church, Belvedere

St. Stephen’s participates in the REST program (Rotating Emergency Shelter Team) which is now in its seventh year and operates from Nov. 15 to April 15. They also prepare hot lunches once weekly for the homeless. Says Pam Mortori, food coordinator at St. Stephen’s, “The soup [from The Cheesecake Factory] has added an extra dimension to the dinners and has been a huge help to the host teams who are expected to provide a full meal for 50 persons. It is a perfect complement to the bread and pizza that is from the Arizmendi delivery. Thank you for your help with REST and other feeding programs here in southern Marin. It has made a huge difference!”

April 24, 2016

SparkPoint Marin

SparkPoint Marin, a United Way of the Bay Area project located in downtown San Rafael, is a financial education center that helps individuals and families “move from poverty to prosperity.” They do this by providing services such as debt-reduction coaching, budget-management coaching, job training, and support for finding housing. Each week they have an informal food pantry so that when their clients stop in for financial services they can leave with some extra groceries for the week. Many of the clients whom they serve live in the Canal area of San Rafael and this extra food helps with their weekly budgets. SparkPoint is an important community partner for ExtraFood as we work to support all aspects of of the solution to hunger in Marin.

April 18, 2016

Pilgrim Park Apartments

Located in Terra Linda, Pilgrim Park provides quality affordable housing—in partnership with The John Stewart Company—and a sense of community for its residents and the neighborhood. Nancy and Margie, the management team, arrange informal food pantries to distribute donations, so we’re able to bring them many types of food…bulk prepared food, produce, dairy and baked goods. They have many seniors living there who particularly appreciate the prepared food we bring them.

April 11, 2016

San Geronimo Valley Community Center

SGVCC provides a dynamic center for human services, arts & culture, education, health & wellness and community building, including a variety of food programs. West Marin is a “food desert”— its residents lack sufficient access to fresh, healthy, affordable food — and so is a priority for ExtraFood’s work. We’re delighted to support SGVCC’s food pantry and senior meal program. And check out the new film on hunger in Marin, “Hungry in Paradise,” on our website—SGVCC is featured!

April 04, 2016

The YMCA At Hamilton School in Novato

At the Marin YMCA’s after-school program at Hamilton School in Novato, activities include art, outdoor and indoor play, homework support, and of course snacks and meals. Hungry kids are a focus of ExtraFood’s work—we’re delighted to partner with the great people at The Y to get more healthy food to kids in need. http://www.ymcasf.org/marin/

March 28, 2016

San Geronimo Community Presbyterian Church

SGCPC started their food program upon learning they could receive donations from ExtraFood, which is the sole food provider for their thriving program. They serve vulnerable families in the San Geronimo Valley and relay food out to the coast. As a “food desert”—where residents lack sufficient access to healthy, fresh, affordable food—West Marin is one of ExtraFood’s key focus areas and SGCPC is a terrific partner for us there. http://sgpchurch.org

March 21, 2016

Helen Vine Recovery Center

Helen Vine, part of Buckelew Programs, is a licensed 26-bed co-ed residential detoxification program located in San Rafael that provides welcoming, recovery-oriented services to individuals with alcohol and drug addiction issues, as well as co-occurring psychiatric problems. We have just started to bring food to this great program which provides a vital “safety net” in our community for individuals with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders. http://www.buckelew.org/programs/helen-vine-recovery-center

March 14, 2016

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity

AHO is an organization designed for youth, by youth, for the future of youth who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. Since its inception in January 2005, AHO has been leading the way in addressing the growing trend of youth homelessness in Marin County, the Greater Bay Area and Sacramento. We’re delighted to support their youth at their monthly event planning meetings in Marin.

March 07, 2016

BACR’s Family Center at Bahia Vista School

Bay Area Community Resources provides the Family Center program at Bahia Vista in the Canal area of San Rafael—a high-priority area for ExtraFood’s work. Parents attend parent meetings, classes and volunteer in the classrooms. Their Wednesday parenting class is held in the evening so parents are able to enjoy a nice meal, which we’re delighted to support.

February 29, 2016

Homeward Bound’s Fourth Street Center

The Fourth Street Center provides 20 single-room units for single adults that are transitioning out of homelessness and have significant barriers to affording market-rate housing. Along with long-term housing, this center offers counseling and other support services for residents who continue developing their independent living skills. Residents share a communal kitchen and living area. ExtraFood.org serves 7 of Homeward Bound’s sites, reflecting HB’s critically important work in our community. We’re delighted to honor Fourth Street Center this week! www.hbofm.org

February 22, 2016

Enriching Lives through Music at San Pedro School

ELM inspires more than 120 kids from the Canal neighborhood to thrive emotionally, socially and academically through music education, performance, and engagement in a vibrant center of musical excellence. Family participation and community partnerships are key to accomplishing their mission. Last week, some of the ELM students gave a very special performance at the Rafael Theater. We are delighted to support ELM with food for their students! http://www.elmprogram.org

February 15, 2016

Novato Human Needs Center

Founded in 1972, the NHNC assists more than 4,600 people annually, helping low-income men and women overcome crises in their lives and move towards more self-sufficiency. They do so by providing a variety of local services including employment and education services, supplemental food assistance, rental assistance and in-home counseling for struggling families. We are delighted to be supporting their important work! www.nhnc.org

February 08, 2016

Novato Youth Center

NYC’s mission: to inspire and prepare local youth to succeed. They accomplish this by supporting their development in academics and learning; health and well being; personal enrichment through arts and athletics; and social interaction and community engagement. Annually they serve 2800 youth and their families. One-third of their staff is bilingual, so they can serve a culturally and socio-economically diverse mix of families. We’ve begun bringing them a wonderful donation from Nugget Markets’ Novato store and we are working to find more donations in Marin that match their needs. www.novatoyouthcenter.org

February 01, 2016

Marin Community Clinics Novato HealthHub

The Marin Community Clinics provide a wide range of primary care and wellness services for adults and children, particularly low-income community members—including the uninsured. The Thursday afternoon HealthHub provides a variety of services for hundreds of clients, including a food pantry, disease screening, medical referrals, nutrition education, and physical activities. Our volunteer, Sarah S., brings produce from the Thursday Civic Center Farmers’ Market to the Health Hub each week. We’re delighted to be supporting MCC’s work on “whole health” by providing them with “fresh from the farm” produce each week.

January 25, 2016

Rotary Valley Senior Village

Located in rural Lucas Valley, this 80-unit low-income housing project, created by Bridge Housing in partnership with Rotary Club of Terra Linda and the County of Marin, has been in operation since 1997. Winner of a 1998 Gold Nugget Award for “Best in the West” from the Pacific Coast Builders Conference and an award from the National Council on Senior Aging, Rotary Valley consists of charming one-story bungalow apartments with porches. Every Sunday, the residents gather together and create a mini food pantry to distribute the produce that we bring them from the Civic Center farmers’ market. And they never want to miss their delicious weekly donation that arrives from Bon Appetit Management Company on Thursdays!

January 18, 2016

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin

We’ve been partnering with St Vincent’s, located in downtown San Rafael, since our earliest days. Their Free Dining Room, which was created in 1981 as a free kitchen to serve Marin County’s hungry citizens, has been open every day since then, and has served more than two million meals to date. We deliver a variety of donations to St. Vincent’s, including fresh produce from the Sunday Civic Center Farmers’ Market. We’re proud to support St. Vincent’s important work serving the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.

January 11, 2016

Marin Services for Men

MSM seeks to improve the quality of the lives of adult men and their families who are adversely affected by dependence on alcohol and/or drugs, by providing services and housing in a clean, safe, and supportive environment. Guided by the 12-Step Model, they empower men to take charge of their recovery, becoming independent, productive members of their families and their community. We’re delighted to welcome MSM to the ExtraFood family!

January 04, 2016

Whistlestop

Whistlestop has been helping older adults age with dignity, grace, and independence since 1954. They provide delicious meals, classes, social programs, transportation, referral services, and more. ExtraFood supports Whistlestop’s work to get healthy, affordable home-delivered and onsite meals to those in need. There are as many as 12,000 seniors who can’t make ends meet in Marin, and those seniors are among ExtraFood’s highest priorities. We’re proud to partner with Whistlestop to serve them.

December 28, 2015

San Rafael Rotary Manor

A Beacon Communities and American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW) property, and located in a neighborhood not far from downtown 4th Street, this 99-unit apartment building offers low-cost and safe housing for seniors. In addition to providing seniors with comfortable apartments, San Rafael Rotary Manor provides easy access to community services and a myriad of activities. The facility is originally a project of Rotary Club of San Rafael and a testament to the wonderful service of Rotarians throughout our county. http://www.rotarymanor.com

December 21, 2015

Gilead House

Our Recipient of the Week is Gilead House in Novato. They provide transitional housing for homeless families for up to 12 months. In addition, they provide job skills training, financial management education, parenting coaching, and mentoring for their residents, with the goal of facilitating a successful transition to a stable life and permanent housing. We’re honored to support Gilead’s work to help vulnerable people in our community lift themselves out of homelessness.

December 14, 2015

Warner Creek Senior Housing

Warner Creek Senior Housing is a property owned and managed by Eden Housing with programs created in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin. Located in Novato, Warner Creek has 60 1-bedroom units for very low to extremely low-income seniors. Residents living at Warner Creek have access to a supportive resident services program designed to help them “age in place” and live independently for as long as possible. Warner Creek also includes twenty-two units targeted to seniors with long-term chronic health conditions or other physical disabilities. The residents have always been so grateful for their twice-weekly donations of prepared food and Monina, Warner Creek’s Services Coordinator, is a delight to work with!

December 07, 2015

Maria B. Freitas Senior Community

Maria B. Freitas offers 66 affordable low-income housing apartments and Resident Services programs. Freitas supports their residents with the resources they need to be good neighbors and members of a greater community. They’re part of Mercy Housing, one of the nation’s largest non-profit affordable housing organizations serving low-income families, seniors, individuals and people with special needs. Mercy Housing believes that making the community a better place is just as important as building a home. We’re delighted to be partnering with Mercy Housing and Freitas to alleviate senior hunger, one of ExtraFood’s top priorities. https://www.mercyhousing.org/vision-mission-values

November 30, 2015

Huckleberry Youth Programs-Marin

Huckleberry’s mission is “to educate, inspire, and support underserved youth to develop healthy life choices, to maximize their potential, and to realize their dreams.” Since 1967 Huckleberry has provided services, many free of charge, to youth ages 12-25. Services include a counseling program, substance abuse intervention and treatment, mental health education workshops, career training support groups, case management, and outreach. We bring them a regular food donation every Monday and we bring other donations whenever possible. They have large groups of students in afternoon/evening study groups who need food for all that brainpower! http://www.huckleberryyouth.org/teenhealth.html

November 23, 2015

Marin AIDS Project

Located in central San Rafael, MAP’s mission is to provide the people of Marin County the best quality HIV/AIDS services, information, education and support possible. Every Sunday afternoon we bring generous donations from the Civic Center Farmers’ Market to their office on Irwin Street. On Mondays, during their food pantry hours, the people they serve can pick up fresh, healthy produce to cook in their own kitchens. HIV and AIDS continue to be significant issues in our community and ExtraFood is delighted to be supporting MAP’s important work. http://www.marinaidsproject.org

November 16, 2015

Fireside Apartments

Fireside is a property owned and managed by Eden Housing in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin and Marin County Community Mental Health. They have 50 affordable family and senior units and a community center for lower income seniors, families, and individuals with special needs. 8 units provide permanent affordable housing for seniors exiting Homeward Bound’s programs, and Homeward Bound provides ongoing support services for all residents. Fireside receives weekly produce from the Civic Center Farmers’ Market as well as baked goods from Arizmendi twice weekly.

November 09, 2015

Bennett House

Bennett House is a residence in Fairfax for low-income seniors and is part of Mercy Housing, a national, non-profit affordable-housing organization. Mercy Housing believes that affordable housing and supportive programs help to transform neighborhoods and improve peoples’ lives; Bennett House so clearly shows Mercy Housing translating that belief into action. Every Friday, the residents at Bennett House look forward to the delicious food donations that arrive from Comforts, Andronico’s and College of Marin. Because up to 12,000 seniors in our county can’t make ends meet, seniors are among ExtraFood’s top priorities. We’re delighted to partner with Bennett House to support elders in our community.

November 02, 2015

Martinelli House

Martinelli House provides 66 units of affordable, quality housing in San Rafael to seniors age 62+ and people with disabilities. They’re part of the Mercy Housing Group, a nationwide organization which has participated in the development, preservation and/or financing of more than 45,800 affordable homes. Each week the delightful Mary Mendoza, Martinelli’s resident services manager, greets our volunteers as she receives our deliveries from M.H. Bread & Butter Bakery and Andronico’s. So many seniors in our expensive county live on a low, fixed income and can be faced with deciding between buying food and medication. We’re delighted to be working with Martinelli House to support elders in our community.

October 26, 2015

Family Center

The Family Center, part of Homeward Bound of Marin, is the only emergency shelter for homeless families in the county, providing shelter for 9 families for up to 6 months. Activities there include counseling, support for job search and housing search, tutoring, and of course food assistance. Family Center is an important resource in the community and one of the 7 Homeward Bound sites we deliver to. We look forward to delivering more food to them and helping to free up the parents (12 adults with 15 kids) on evenings when they are participating in the “house meetings” and unable to cook.

October 19, 2015

New Beginnings Center

Part of the Homeward Bound of Marin​ family, NBC is an 80-bed shelter for single homeless adults—the largest homeless shelter in the county. It includes the Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, which welcomes residents and students from the community into a job-training program in their state-of-the-art kitchen. Students intern at the Jackson Cafe in downtown San Rafael, a partnership with Whistlestop, as well as at FSCA’s chef events and in other venues. ExtraFood has been working with NBC since our very first week of operation, 22 months ago, and we’re proud to support their work to help people lift themselves out of homelessness. https://www.hbofm.org/Homeless-Adults.html

October 12, 2015

Jewish Family and Children’s Services

Jewish Family and Children Services provides comprehensive services to the entire community including counseling for individuals, couples & families, financial assistance, information & referral, support for people with disabilities, and volunteer opportunities. Each week we deliver baked goods from Bordenave’s and produce from the Wednesday Corte Madera Farmers’ Market to JFCS, who distributes the bounty to homebound seniors.

October 04, 2015

Mill Street Center

A Homeward Bound of Marin facility, Mill Street Center has been working with us since our very first week of operation— providing a critically important service to homeless men and women as the only night-to-night emergency shelter in the county. Besides delivering occasional spontaneous donations that match Mill Street’s needs, ExtraFood delivers regular donations of fresh farmers’ market produce and individual prepackaged meals. And their staff is always collaborative and friendly with us.

September 28, 2015

YWCA of San Francisco & Marin

The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Once monthly, we bring a donation of cupcakes from SusieCakes Bakery​ to their FiftyPlus job program. The program helps women develop new skills and build confidence, as well as help in finding a new job. The cupcakes are a great treat for their monthly graduation ceremonies. Check out the YWCA’s website to nominate a pivotal woman for the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame! https://www.ywcasf-marin.org

September 21, 2015

Bay Area Community Resources at Laurel Dell School

Bay Area Community Resources is a regional nonprofit, headquartered in San Rafael. BACR’s mission is to promote the healthy development of individuals and families, encourage service and volunteerism, and help build community. Toward these ends, BACR delivers services at more than 100 school- and community-based sites in program areas such as After School, Alcohol and Drugs, Mental Health, Healthy Communities and Youth Leadership. We are delighted to be delivering a baked goods donation to their after-school program at Laurel Dell School in San Rafael every Thursday. http://bacr.org/programs/after-school/11-marin-after-school-programs

September 14, 2015

Pilgrim Park Apartments

Located in Terra Linda, Pilgrim Park provides quality affordable housing—in partnership with The John Stewart Company​—and a sense of community to its residents and the nearby neighborhood. Community is enhanced through the general design of its living units (61 apartments), its Homework Club, summer activities, a Head Start program, the John Starkweather Learning Center and the new Community Center. Pilgrim Park was created in 1971 by the First Congregation Church under the leadership of John Starkweather. http://pilgrimparkapts.com

September 07, 2015

Ritter Center

Ritter Center offers critically-needed services to the homeless and very low income residents of our county: food and clothing, health care, psychotherapy and substance abuse counseling, showers, laundry, restroom facilities, and more—all provided free of charge. Because Ritter does not serve food onsite, they need food donations that can be easily picked up by their clients—what we call “takeaways”. This week, ExtraFood organized the delivery of 50 boxes of emergency food kits and 25 boxes of high protein “full meal” bars to Ritter Center.

August 31, 2015

Center Point

Center Point is a residential treatment program which supports those who are in recovery from drug addiction, trauma, criminal behavior and domestic violence. There are many services which the organization offers to at-risk individuals including job prep training and vocational programs. Center Point assists children, families, adolescents, veterans, homeless individuals, and substance users to become responsible members of their communities. The San Rafael facility serves 3 meals a day for up to 48 people. http://www.cpinc.org

August 24, 2015

Movin’ On Up

Movin’ On Up is an amazing organization that helps foster kids finish high school and move on to college. Kids who have grown up in the foster care system often find themselves without support when they reach adulthood. And MOU’s 3-home program reflects an additional, critically important need: 70% of 17-year-olds in foster care express a desire to go to college, but only 2% go. MOU provides housing, meals and a variety of other services to help their young people…move on up. We are delighted to be supporting MOU with food donations. http://www.movinonup.org

August 17, 2015

SparkPoint Marin

It will take many people and organizations working together to end hunger and waste in Marin by 2025, and so ExtraFood is always looking for partners who provide complementary services to our vulnerable neighbors. We’re delighted to welcome SparkPoint, a United Way project located in downtown San Rafael, to the ExtraFood family. SparkPoint is a financial education center that helps individuals and families “move from poverty to prosperity.” They do this by providing services such as debt-reduction coaching, budget-management coaching, job training, and support for finding housing. Such valuable services in our community! Thank you to our friends at Bank of Marin for referring us to SparkPoint; more information here: http://sparkpointcenters.org

August 10, 2015

Next Generation Scholars

Next Generation believes that equal access to higher education for students from low-income families is the key to making positive changes within our community. They combine a rigorous academic program with community-building activities and wrap-around social services. Their summer program serves 70 kids, and some of their students worked at our recent Volunteer Appreciation Event. Check ‘em out! www.nextgenerationscholars.org

August 03, 2015

St. Stephen’s Church, Belvedere

St. Stephen’s week-long summer day camp, Camp Create, draws kids from diverse backgrounds from Marin City and the Canal. The camp’s emphasis is on the creative arts including painting, drawing, singing, drumming, multi-media and dance. St. Stephen’s reached out to us and has been thrilled with amazing produce from the Sunday Marin Farmers Markets​, as well as lots of dairy, juice and bread from Corte Madera Nugget Markets​. We hope to be delivering more food to them in the future to supplement their soup kitchen for the homeless.

July 27, 2015

Lifehouse

Lifehouse provides high-quality, personalized residential and direct support services to over 200 individuals with developmental disabilities in Marin and Sonoma county. Lifehouse’s clients live in their own apartment or home, with support services ranging from two hours per week to 24-hour care. http://www.lifehouseagency.org

July 19, 2015

Manzanita Recreation Center

Part of the Marin City Community Services District​, Manzanita provides a variety of programs and services to children, including students at neighboring Bayside MLK Jr Academy. They also provide support to the children’s families through food distribution and classes for adults, including cooking classes where they’ve incorporated our donations. ExtraFood especially appreciates Reggie, who receives the donated food at Manzanita and is always happy to lend a helping hand to our volunteers! http://marincitygov.org/youth-recreation

July 12, 2015

Voyager Carmel Center (a Homeward Bound facility)

Voyager Carmel Center became part of the Homeward Bound program in 1987. They provide short-term (1 to 4 months) and long-term housing for adults with mental illness. The center includes a 24 hour staff, a communal kitchen, and a program that focuses on crisis prevention, job readiness, and basic living skills improvement. We love Voyager, not only because of the great work they do, but because we can deliver at all hours of the day and evening, 7 days a week! https://hbofm.org/Mental-Health.html

July 05, 2015

Community Action Marin’s Old Gallinas Children’s Center

CAM is an important partner for ExtraFood, reaching thousands of people throughout Marin with their services and serving meals to over 1500 children per day. The Old Gallinas Children’s Center supports 300 low-income families and over 600 children from 3 months to 13 years old, providing academic, arts, and physical education activities. And they provide breakfast, snacks, and lunch to the kids and support their families with food as well. http://bit.ly/1TXKoJq

June 28, 2015

Marin Community Clinics—Novato branch

The Marin Community Clinics provide a wide range of primary care and wellness services for adults and children, particularly low-income community members—including the uninsured. The Novato clinic’s amazing Thursday afternoon HealthHub provides a variety of services for hundreds of clients, including a food pantry, disease screening, medical referrals, nutrition education, and physical activities. We’re delighted to be supporting MCC’s work on “whole health” in partnership with many people in our community.

June 22, 2015

Marguerita C. Johnson (Marin City) Senior Center

Marin is such a costly place for seniors who are on a fixed income. Fortunately, great places like MCJSC, part of the Marin City Community Services District​, help provide a safety net for our seniors, including a great food program that we’re delighted to support. http://marincitygov.org/senior-recreation-programs

June 15, 2015

Rotary Valley Senior Village

A BRIDGE Housing​ property located in rural Lucas Valley, this 80-unit low-income housing project has been in operation since 1997. Winner of a 1998 Gold Nugget Award for “Best in the West” from the Pacific Coast Builders Conference and an award from the National Council on Senior Aging, Rotary Valley has charming one-story bungalow apartments with porches for elders in our community. http://www.bridgetown2.com/properties/rotary/

June 08, 2015

San Rafael Rotary Manor

A Beacon Communities​ property located in a neighborhood not far from downtown/4th Street, this 99-unit apartment building offers low-cost and safe housing for seniors. With so many living on a very low and fixed income in an expensive county, seniors are a top priority for ExtraFood’s work to help end hunger in Marin. www.rotarymanor.com

June 01, 2015

Sunny Hills Services’ TAY Program

The TAY program, located in San Rafael, is a transitional youth program that supports young adults ages 16-25 on the path to independence and success. http://www.sunnyhillsservices.org/

May 25, 2015

Gilead House

Gilead House provides transitional housing in Novato for homeless families for up to 12 months. In addition, they provide job skills training, financial management education, parenting coaching, and mentoring for their residents, with the goal of facilitating a successful transition to a stable life and permanent housing. We delivered a donation to Gilead this week and were so impressed by the facility and its warm, communal living spaces. www.gileadhouse.org

May 18, 2015

Warner Creek Senior Housing

Warner Creek is a property owned and managed by Eden Housing with programs created in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin​. They have 60 1-bedroom units for very low to extremely low-income seniors. Residents living at Warner Creek have access to a supportive resident services program designed to help them “age in place” and live independently for as long as possible. Warner Creek also includes twenty-two units targeted to seniors with long-term chronic health conditions or other physical disabilities. We visited Warner Creek a few weeks ago, while filming an interview with one of the residents, and were so impressed with the facility…a cheery and light-filled entrance area and a lovely landscaped courtyard and garden. Seniors are a top priority for ExtraFood! http://www.edenhousing.org/property/warner-creek-senior-housing

May 11, 2015

Tam House

Tam House is a Circle of Elders who enjoy their own rooms and independence while sharing communal space with independence. The organization strives to provide a “place to belong” and thrive, so often such a critically important gift to those who are late in life. Seniors—of whom there are 9,000-12,000 living below the self-sufficiency standard in Marin—are a top priority for our work, and we’re delighted to welcome Tam House into the ExtraFood family. https://tamhome.wordpress.com/

May 04, 2015

Maria B. Freitas Senior Community

Maria B. Freitas Senior Community in San Rafael provides Assisted Living to 65 seniors, enabling them to live as independently as possible while making personal care available as their care needs increase. They’re part of Mercy Housing​, one of the nation’s largest non-profit affordable housing organizations serving low-income families, seniors, individuals and people with special needs. Seniors are a top priority for ExtraFood, with between 9 and 12 thousand living under the self-sufficiency standard in our county.

April 27, 2015

Opportunity for Independence

Opportunity for Independence provides individualized services for adults with developmental disabilities. Established in 1991, OFI now has several residential and vocational programs which serve hundreds of adults with developmental and cognitive impairment. Their model of service enables participants to graduate from one program to the next, thereby motivating them on to the “next step” towards independent living. http://ofiinc.org/

April 20, 2015

Huckleberry Youth Programs - Marin

Huckleberry’s mission is “to educate, inspire, and support underserved youth to develop healthy life choices, to maximize their potential, and to realize their dreams.” Since 1967 Huckleberry has provided services, many free of charge, to youth ages 12-25. Services include a counseling program, substance abuse intervention and treatment, mental health education workshops, career training support groups, case management, and outreach. http://huckleberryyouth.org/

April 13, 2015

Marin AIDS Project

MAP, located in San Rafael, carries a mission to provide the people of Marin County the best quality HIV/AIDS services, information, education and support possible. Every Sunday afternoon we bring produce, gleaned from the Farmers Market, to their office on Irwin St. On Mondays, during their food pantry hours, the people they serve can pick up fresh, healthy produce to cook in their own kitchens. Check them out here: http://www.marinaidsproject.org

April 06, 2015

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County

We’ve been partnering with St. Vincent’s, located in downtown San Rafael, since the early days of ExtraFood. One of the many great things about working with them is that they’re open 7 days a week to receive our food donations. Their Free Dining Room was created in 1981 as a free kitchen to serve Marin County’s hungry citizens, has been open every day of every year since then, and has served more than two million meals to date. Amazing people, amazing organization. http://www.vinnies.org/

March 30, 2015

Bay Area Community Resources - Bahia Vista School

Our Recipient of the Week is Bay Area Community Resources​ at Bahia Vista School. BACR provides the Family Center program at Bahia Vista in the Canal area of San Rafael—a high-priority area for ExtraFood. Parents attend parent meetings and classes and volunteer in the classrooms. ExtraFood will be providing food for their parent education classes every other Wednesday evening through our partnership with Lotus Cuisine. A multicultural collaboration! http://bacr.org/

March 23, 2015

Fireside Apartments, a property owned and managed by Eden Housing

Our Recipient of the Week is the Fireside Apartments, a property owned and managed by Eden Housing and part of a partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin and Marin County Community Mental Health. Fireside has 50 affordable family and senior units and a community center for lower income seniors, families, and individuals with special needs. 8 units provide permanent affordable housing for seniors exiting Homeward Bound’s programs, and Homeward Bound provides ongoing support services for all residents. Seniors are a top priority for ExtraFood—according to the Grand Jury, there are 9,000-12,000 living below the federal poverty level in Marin—and we’re delighted to be supporting Fireside’s work.

March 16, 2015

San Geronimo Valley Community Center

SGVCC provides a dynamic center for human services, arts & culture, education, health & wellness and community building, including a variety of food programs. West Marin is a “food desert”—it lacks access to fresh, healthy, affordable food—and so is a priority for ExtraFood’s work. We’re delighted to be working with SGVCC to help vulnerable people in our community. www.sgvcc.org

March 09, 2015

LIFT-Levantate

Our Recipient of the Week is LIFT-Levántate, whose mission is to promote healthy, equitable communities, especially those communities with limited resources. Their Community Health Hub in the Canal is one of the examples of their “whole health” model, where they provide healthy produce, physical activity classes, and health screenings to underserved residents. This week ExtraFood will be providing LIFT with donated food for their 10am-1pm March 7 event at McInnis Park that LIFT is presenting in collaboration with Marin County Parks, “Family Fun: Spring Wakeup.” http://www.marincountyparks.org/depts/pk/calendar#/?i=1

March 02, 2015

Bennett House

Bennett House is a residence for low-income seniors in Fairfax. They’re part of Mercy Housing, a national, non-profit organization that believes that affordable housing and supportive programs help to transform neighborhoods and improve peoples’ lives. The senior community in Marin is a top priority for ExtraFood and we’re delighted to welcome Bennett House to the ExtraFood community. www.mercyhousing.org

February 23, 2015

West Marin Senior Services

WMSS provides a wide variety of services throughout West Marin, from the San Geronimo Valley to Stinson Beach to Tomales along the coast. Their services include: food programs for 800 people every week including home-delivered meals, care management, respite care, a senior living facility for aging-in-place, friendly visitors for seniors, transportation assistance, and much more. West Marin’s most vulnerable citizens can often be isolated from the rest of Marin and so we are continuing to create a food bridge to this area. We look forward to sending more food their way. http://www.wmss.org/

February 16, 2015

Homeward Bound’s Family Center

The Family Center is the only emergency shelter for homeless families in the county, providing shelter for 9 families for up to 6 months. Activities there include counseling, support for job search and housing search, tutoring, and of course food assistance. We want to welcome Tony, their new program director, and we look froward to working with him in his new role.

February 09, 2015

Martinell House

Martinelli House provides housing to seniors over 62 and people with disabilities. There are 66 units in the San Rafael complex which provides affordable, quality housing for its residents. Martinelli House is part of the Mercy Housing Group, a nationwide service which has participated in the development, preservation and/or financing of more than 45,800 affordable housing units. https://www.mercyhousing.org/

February 02, 2015

Mill Street Center

Mill Street Center opened its doors more than 27 years ago. It’s an emergency shelter for homeless singles, has 55 beds and is one of nine facilities run by Homeward Bound of Marin. For a lot of people, Mill Street is the entry point to sort out what they want to do and how to get employment. Our Operations Manager, Kathy, had the opportunity to visit Mill Street this week and tour the facility with Teddy, the manager. She reports Mill Street has a homey feel and is clean, organized and busy with remodeling activities. Teddy is able to take advantage of some of the short-term residents’ construction skills, which is great when Teddy needs help with a bathroom repair or a room remodel. Mill Street Center is a true gem in our community. https://hbofm.org/Homeless-Adults.html

January 26, 2015

Center Point

Center Point is a residential treatment program which supports those who are in recovery from drug addiction, trauma, criminal behavior and domestic violence. There are many services which the organization offers to at-risk individuals including job prep training and vocational programs. Center Point assists children, families, adolescents, veterans, homeless individuals, and substance users to become responsible members of their communities. The San Rafael facility serves 3 meals a day for up to 48 individuals. http://www.cpinc.org/

January 19, 2015

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity

AHO serves Marin’s homeless young adults ages 18-25 and engages youth who have been previously homeless as youth outreach advisors, peer mentors, program advisors, board members and spokespersons of their experience. They help young people connect to AHO’s 25 Alliance for Youth community partners who provide essential services including all aspects of job support, housing, scholarships for education, financial literacy, health care, legal aid, wardrobe and counseling. Check out their Jan 29 event!

January 12, 2015

Jewish Family & Children’s Services

JF&CS provides a wide variety of programs for people of all ages, beliefs, and backgrounds, including the Seniors at Home visiting program, the RIDES transportation program for seniors, a Holocaust Survivors Speakers Bureau, over 400 workshops a year for parents through their Parent’s Place program, and a food pantry. http://www.jfcs.org/

January 05, 2015

Voyager Carmel Center

The Voyager Carmel Center, part of the Homeward Bound family, focuses on supporting adults with persistent mental illness, housing 26 long-term residents who would otherwise face homelessness and 10 residents for 1- to 4-month stays. Voyager provides some of the residents’ meals, a communal kitchen, activities, and a variety of support services. And they’re available 24/7 for ExtraFood food donations that match with their needs. They’re a great organization, and will always be close to our hearts as they were ExtraFood’s very first recipient. https://hbofm.org/Mental-Health.html

December 29, 2014

San Geronimo Presbyterian Church

Volunteers at San Geronimo Presbyterian Church., led by ExtraFood Volunteer Chloe, act as a “hub” for us in West Marin. Not only do church volunteers distribute food at the church to local families, but volunteers also relay food to West Marin Senior Services, Food For Families, and other organizations up and down the coast, from Muir Beach to Stinson to Pt. Reyes to Tomales. Along with our partners at San Geronimo Valley Community Center, the church plays a vital role in helping many individuals and families who struggle with hunger, isolation, and the “food desert” in West Marin. http://www.sgpchurch.org/

December 22, 2014

Movin’ On Up

Movin’ On Up is an amazing organization that helps foster kids finish high school and move on to college. Kids who have grown up in the foster care system often find themselves without support when they reach adulthood. And MOU’s 3-home program reflects an additional, critically important need: 70% of 17-year-olds in foster care express a desire to go to college, but only 2% go. MOU provides housing, meals and a variety of other services to help their young people…move on up. We are delighted to be supporting MOU with food donations. www.movinonup.org

December 15, 2014

Ritter Center

Ritter Center offers critically-needed services to the homeless and very low income residents of our county: food and clothing, health care, psychotherapy and substance abuse counseling, showers, laundry, restroom facilities, and more—all provided free of charge. Because Ritter does not serve food onsite, they need food donations that can be easily picked up by their clients—what we call “takeaways”: for example, individually wrapped sandwiches and packaged goods such as energy bars.

December 08, 2014

West Marin Senior Services

WMSS provides a variety of food programs, an assisted living facility, care management, transportation assistance, home care referrals, family respite care, friendly visiting, and many other services to seniors and others in West Marin. Many of you have met the amazing Chloe, who organized a new food program around our Friday deliveries to the San Geronimo Church, and who organizes all of the food-related programs and much more for WMSS. She and her team work with church members to distribute food there to Valley residents, and they also relay food from the church’s refrigerators to the coast—from Muir Beach to Pt. Reyes to Tomales. WMSS is truly a treasure among the nonprofit organizations in our community. www.wmss.org

December 01, 2014

Lifehouse

Lifehouse provides high-quality, personalized residential and direct support services to over 200 individuals with developmental disabilities in Marin and Sonoma counties. Lifehouse’s clients live in their own apartment or home, with Lifehouse’s support services ranging from two hours per week to 24-hour care. A terrific organization in our community—check ‘em out. www.lifehouseagency.org

November 24, 2014

New Beginnings Center

NBC, part of the Homeward Bound of Marin family, is an 80-bed shelter for single homeless adults—the largest homeless shelter in the county. But there’s more….NBC includes the Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, which welcomes residents and students from the community into a job-training program in their state-of-the-art kitchen. Students intern at the Jackson Cafe in downtown San
Rafael, a partnership with Whistlestop, as well as at FSCA’s chef events and in other venues. But NBC is also our Recipient of the Week because they donated 200 pounds of extra frozen meals to us this week! NBC is a truly a wonderful partner and we’re proud to have been working with them since our very first week. https://hbofm.org/Homeless-Adults.html

November 17, 2014

Next Generation Scholars

Next Generation is focused on enabling equal access to higher education for young people from low-income families. They provide “dedicated underserved students with all the advantages available to those of privilege,” combining “a rigorous academic program with community building activities and wrap-around social services…approached through the lens of ethnic studies and social justice.” A terrific organization! http://nextgenerationscholars.org/

November 10, 2014

Warner Creek Senior Housing

Warner Creek Senior Housing in Novato, a property owned and managed by Eden Housing with programs created in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin, has been very grateful for our donations. Says Veronica Bowers, program coordinator, giving an example, “One of our tenants has been in and out of the hospital and now uses an oxygen tank. She was so thrilled [about the
donation] that her eyes teared up.” Warner Creek has 60 1-bedroom units for very low to extremely low-income seniors. Residents living at Warner Creek have access to a supportive resident services program designed to help them “age in place” and live independently for as long as possible. Warner Creek is affordable to senior households earning 20% to 50% of the Marin County Area Median Income, and includes twenty-two units targeted to seniors with long-term chronic health conditions or other physical disabilities. http://www.edenhousing.org/property/warner-creek-senior-housing

November 03, 2014

Manzanita Recreation Center in Marin City

Part of the Marin City Community Services District, Manzanita provides a variety of programs and services (including snacks) to children, including students at neighboring Bayside MLK Jr Academy. They also provide support to the children’s families through food distribution and classes for adults, including cooking classes where they’ve incorporated our donations. Manzanita is a huge resource in Marin City, one of the focus areas for our work, and we’re delighted to be supporting them. http://marincitygov.org/youth-recreation

October 27, 2014

YMCA Marin

We deliver to 2 of the Y’s programs serving 100 vulnerable kids at 2 schools in Novato. Activities include art, outdoor and indoor play, homework support, and of course snacks and meals. Hungry kids are a focus for ExtraFood and we’re delighted to partner with the great people at the Y to get more healthy food to kids that need it. http://www.ymcasf.org/marin/

October 20, 2014

Whistlestop

Whistlestop provides a wide range of services for older adults and people living with disabilities in Marin. Their services include the Jackson Cafe in downtown San Rafael, two home-delivered meal programs, a home-delivered grocery program, an extensive transportation service, and more. Whistlestop tells us that there are 20,000 seniors ages 60+ living below the Elder Economic Index poverty level in Marin. Disabilities, depression, and isolation are common. Seniors are one of the populations we focus on in our work, and Whistlestop is a key partner in helping to feed those who struggle with hunger. www.whistlestop.org

October 13, 2014

Community Action Marin’s Child Development Program

Community Action Marin is an important partner for ExtraFood, reaching thousands of people throughout Marin with their services and serving meals to over 1500 children per day. The Child Development program supports 300 low-income families and over 600 children from 3 months to 13 years old, providing academic, arts, and physical education activities. And they provide breakfast, snacks, and lunch to the kids and support their families with food as well.

October 06, 2014

Marguerita C. Johnson Senior Center in Marin City

There are 20,000 seniors 60+ in Marin who are living in poverty, as measured against the Elder Economic Index. 20,000! The average Social Security benefit for seniors in Marin is $12,000/year…not going to cut it. Fortunately, great places like MCJSC help to provide a safety net for our seniors, including a great food program that we are delighted to support.

September 29, 2014

Maria B. Freitas Senior Community

Maria B. Freitas is a senior living community in San Rafael offering Assisted Living to support 65 seniors to live as independently as possible while making personal care available as their care needs increase. ExtraFood will help provide food for their Monday pantry. Maria B. Freitas is part of Mercy Housing, one of the nation’s largest non-profit affordable housing organizations serving low-income families, seniors, individuals and people with special needs. We’re delighted to be working with them.

September 22, 2014

Community Action Marin

Community Action Marin is one of the most impactful organizations in our county, reaching over 4,000 people every day with a wide variety of services. They operate 15 diverse social service programs, including serving 1,500 meals a day to vulnerable children through their such programs as Head Start and Child Development. A number of our volunteers have delivered to their Head Start program in the Canal and we are now delivering to their main office next to Whole Foods in San Rafael as well. Learn more about their important work at http://www.camarin.org

September 15, 2014

Mill Street Center

Homeward Bound’s Mill Street Center, a 55-bed facility, is the county’s only night-to-night emergency shelter for homeless adults, serving both men and women. Some of the beds are reserved for emergency night-to-night stays, and some are reserved for adults working on an action plan to end homelessness in their lives. Staff support the residents around the clock, and we join many organizations supporting the center with food donations. Mill Street is an important part of the safety net in our community.https://hbofm.org/Homeless-Adults.html

September 08, 2014

Opportunity for Independence in San Rafael

Since 1991, OFI has provided individualized programs that promote life skills and self-realization for people with developmental disabilities. Programs focus on behavior management, interpersonal skills, support for finding and sustaining affordable housing, job readiness, and other important skills. OFI also provides a residential program at the Lincoln Avenue Apartments, a facility built in association with EAH Housing. Check them out: http://ofiinc.org/

September 01, 2014

St. Vincent De Paul Society of Marin County

St. Vincent’s, located in downtown San Rafael, helps those who are struggling to make ends meet, providing “compassionate, individualized assistance to help our neediest neighbors obtain nutritious food, affordable housing, meaningful employment, and a voice in their own community.” Our donations support St. Vincent’s food program, which feeds hundreds of people every day of the year. And St. V’s being open every day is very important to us, particularly for our weekend donations when many other nonprofits are closed. St. Vincent’s is a true gem in our community. www.vinnies.org

August 24, 2014

The Fireside Apartments

The Fireside Apartments, a property owned and managed by Eden Housing, has 50 affordable family and senior units and a community center for lower income seniors, families, and individuals with special needs. 8 units provide permanent affordable housing for seniors exiting Homeward Bound’s programs, and Homeward Bound provides ongoing support services for all residents. We’re delighted to be supporting their work. http://www.edenhousing.org/property/fireside-apartments

August 17, 2014

Homeward Bound’s Family Center

The Family Center is the only emergency shelter for homeless families in the county, providing shelter for 9 families for up to 6 months. Activities there include counseling, support for job search and housing search, tutoring, and of course food assistance. Family Center is an important resource in the community and one of the 7 Homeward Bound sites we deliver to. hbofm.org/Homeless-Families.html

August 10, 2014

San Geronimo Valley Community Center

SGVCC holds emergency food pantries and senior lunches on Mondays and Thursdays, and as such is an important partner for ExtraFood.org as we work to redirect the abundance of other areas in Marin to those in need in West Marin. SGVCC provides a wide range of services in the Valley including health fairs, youth programming, visual and performing arts, and classes. Check ‘em out! www.sgvcc.org

August 03, 2014

Gilead House in Novato

Gilead House provides transitional housing for homeless families for up to 12 months. In addition, they provide job skills training, financial management education, parenting coaching, and mentoring for their residents, with the goal of facilitating a successful transition to a stable life and permanent housing. www.gileadhouse.org

July 27, 2014

Huckleberry Youth Programs-Marin

Huckleberry’s mission is “to educate, inspire, and support underserved youth to develop healthy life choices, to maximize their potential, and to realize their dreams.” At their San Rafael office in the Montecito Shopping Center, Huckleberry provides a comprehensive health promotion and youth development program serving Marin County youth ages 12-25. Services include a counseling program, substance abuse intervention and treatment, health education workshops, health clinic services, support groups, case management, and outreach. http://www.huckleberryyouth.org/teenhealth.html

July 20, 2014

Marin AIDS Project

Since 1984, MAP has provided a safety net of HIV/AIDS services for people in Marin. Services include a food pantry, HIV testing, home-based health care, case management, benefits advocacy, counseling, education, needle exchange, support groups, and more. Although HIV/AIDS doesn’t get near as much publicity as it used to, some of the sobering statistics include: about 1 in 4 new infections in the U.S. is among youth ages 13-24, and over 1M people in the U.S. are living with HIV. We’ve been delivering regular donations of fresh produce from the farmer’s markets to the Marin AIDS Project and are proud to support their work. www.marinaidsproject.org

July 13, 2014

Voyager Carmel Center, part of the Homeward Bound family

Voyager focuses on meeting the needs of homeless adults with persistent mental illness. In addition to providing short- and long-term housing, Voyager provides a variety of support services to residents that are designed to enhance residents’ individual strengths. Voyager has 24/7 staff, a communal kitchen, and regular social activities for residents. Located next door to St. Vincent’s in San Rafael, Voyager will always hold a special place for ExtraFood.org as the first-ever recipient of an ExtraFood.org delivery. Kudos to Voyager for their fine work in our community! hbofm.org/Mental-Health.html

July 06, 2014

Ritter Center

Ritter Center provides a critical safety net for the homeless and the working poor, including a food pantry, medical clinic, clothing, showers, laundry service, case management, and many other services. Recently the County selected Ritter Center to manage the new Housing First program, which provides housing for 24 homeless clients in scattered sites around the county with wrap-around support services. www.rittercenter.org

June 29, 2014

LIFT-Levantate

LIFT provides a wide variety of services throughout the county and beyond, including food programs, health education, nutrition education, physical activity, and chronic disease screenings. We’ve been supporting their Novato HealthHub and Workplace Wellness programs for quite some time. This week LIFT opens a HealthHub in the Canal, one of our highest-priority areas, and we’ll be sending food donations their way to help in the start-up. Nonprofits in Marin feed many people onsite, but many of the hungry in our community won’t go to nonprofits’ offices for a number of reasons, such as transportation, embarrassment, and awareness. So to end hunger in Marin, it’s critically important for ExtraFood.org to also partner with organizations that are taking food *to* Marin’s most vulnerable residents where they are. And that’s a centerpiece of LIFT’s strategy to serve underserved communities. Check ‘em out! www.lift-levantate.org

June 22, 2014

West Marin Senior Services

WMSS provides a wide variety of services throughout West Marin, from the San Geronimo Valley to Stinson Beach to Tomales along the coast. Their services include: food programs for 800 people every week including home-delivered meals, care management, respite care, a senior living facility for aging-in-place, friendly visitors for seniors, transportation assistance, and much more. West Marin can so often be isolated from the rest of Marin, and a number of you have begun helping us build a bigger bridge from the abundance of food donations and volunteer dedication we have on this side of the county, to the most vulnerable in West Marin. We’ve been delivering food to the San Geronimo church, which WMSS volunteers have been distributing there and also bringing to the coast. And, we’ve begun to organize donations from businesses in West Marin for delivery to WMSS. A great organization doing very important work. Check ‘em out! www.wmss.org

June 15, 2014

Lifehouse

Celebrating 60 years of service this year, Lifehouse provides high-quality, individualized residential and support services to over 200 individuals with developmental disabilities in Marin, Sonoma, and San Francisco Counties. Services include independent living homes, intermediate care facilities, up-to-24/7 in-home care, community referrals, advocacy, and more. www.lifehouseagency.org

June 08, 2014

New Beginnings Center, part of the Homeward Bound family

NBC is an 80-bed shelter for single homeless adults that combines shelter, job training, and work experience opportunities. Their job training programs include the Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, which offers a class in cooking basics and food service techniques. Some of their students will be serving food at our Volunteer Appreciation Event next Sunday, completing a circle of giving between NBC and ExtraFood. NBC does great work, check ‘em out! https://hbofm.org/Homeless-Adults.html

June 01, 2014

Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Rafael

JF&CS’ many programs support and strengthen people of all ages, beliefs, and backgrounds. Services include a food program, transportation for seniors, a senior companionship program, a youth community service program, parenting workshops, an adoption service, parenting coaching, and a wide variety of other services. Check ‘em out! www.jfcs.org

May 25, 2014

Canal Alliance

Canal Alliance helps low-income, Spanish-speaking immigrants in Marin in a variety of ways: with food, crisis counseling, classes, support for kids to succeed in school, legal help, and more. They help over 3,000 people each year. Truly a gem in our community! www.canalalliance.org

May 18, 2014

Cornerstone Community Church in Marin City

Cornerstone is “a thriving, multi-cultural, multi-generational church that seeks to impact the world through faith and excellence.” Cornerstone holds a dinner for families and children each week that ExtraFood.org has been supporting since the beginning of January. And they do this in Marin City among some of the most vulnerable populations in the county. Carolyn, our contact at Cornerstone, is always gracious, collaborative, and a pleasure to work with. www.cccogic.org

May 11, 2014

Next Generation Scholars

Next Generation is focused on enabling equal access to higher education for young people. They provide “dedicated underserved students with all the advantages available to those of privilege,” combining “a rigorous academic program with community building activities and wrap-around social services…approached through the lens of ethnic studies and social justice.” An inspiring organization doing inspiring work. Check ‘em out! www.nextgenerationscholars.org

May 05, 2014

Marin Interfaith Street Chaplaincy

Chaplain Paul and team bring “compassionate spiritual support to unsheltered and precariously housed people in Marin” — a “movable sacred space” on the streets. From their website: “We envision a community in which nobody is seen as “less-than” and all life-giving traditions and ways of life are honored.” Check out the brief video on their site! www.homelesschaplaincy.org

April 27, 2014

Homeward Bound’s Fourth Street Center in San Rafael

The center provides 20 single-room units for single adults that have significant barriers to affording market-rate housing. Along with long-term housing, this center offers counseling and other support services for residents who continue developing their independent living skills. Residents share a communal kitchen and living area in a space that occupies the second floor over several street-level businesses. As with all of Homeward Bound’s many sites and services, an important contribution to the community! www.hbofm.org

April 20, 2014

Manzanita Recreation Center in Marin City

In partnership with the Boys and Girls’ Club of Southern Sonoma and Marin Counties, Manzanita conducts programming for K-8 kids, including from neighboring MLK/Bayside School, every day after school. Most of the kids at MLK/Bayside get free or reduced fee breakfast and lunch at school, so our food donations offer important continuity to those children. marincitygov.org/youth-recreation

April 13, 2014

TAY PATH, a Buckelew Program

TAY PATH provides services to young men and women (16-25) who are struggling with mental health challenges. PATH stands for People Actualizing Their Hopes, a name chosen by the program’s participants. The program uses a strength-based model, and integrates wellness and recovery principles. PATH supports Transition-Age Youth (TAY) to become the architects of their own futures, to engage in a journey of self-discovery, and to live meaningful, sustainable lives in a community of their choice.www.buckelew.org/programs/path.html

April 06, 2014

Warner Creek Senior Housing

Warner Creek, a property owned and managed by Eden Housing, helps to meet the needs of low-income seniors in Novato with safe, attractive, and affordable homes and on-site services, which are conducted in partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin. Residents living at Warner Creek have access to a supportive resident services program designed to help them “age in place” and live independently for as long as possible. Warner Creek is affordable to senior households earning 20% to 50% of the Marin County Area Median Income, and includes twenty-two units targeted to seniors with long-term chronic health conditions or other physical disabilities. www.edenhousing.org

March 30, 2014

Mill Street Center, a Homeward Bound facility

Mill Street has been working with us from our very first week, and are now taking regular deliveries from us on Saturdays when very few other nonprofits in Marin will do so. Mill Street provides a critically important service to homeless men and women as the only night-to-night emergency shelter in the county. And their staff is always collaborative and friendly with us. As with all of our recipients, our goal is to help them feed people more, feed more people, and ultimately, to enable them to redirect food budget dollars to their other important services. hbofm.org/Homeless-Adults.html

March 23, 2014

Marguerita C. Johnson Senior Center in Marin City

The center’s mission is to provide a broad range of individual and group activities and services designed to respond to the needs and interests of the elderly. They provide meals, a food pantry, transportation, a computer lab, support groups, exercise classes, and many special events and activities. Check them out! www.mcjseniorcenter.net

March 16, 2014

Homeward Bound of Marin

Homeward Bound of Marin operates 14 programs for homeless men, women and children, offering 450 beds per night and serving approximately 1,400 people each year. Nearly all of the people they serve each year move out of homelessness and into housing. And, Homeward Bound provides a variety of services to help their clients become more self-sufficient, including their Fresh Starts Culinary Academy which prepares clients for jobs in the food-service industry. We deliver to 7 of Homeward Bound’s sites, all of which are terrific. Truly an extraordinary organization in our community. hbofm.org/What-We-Do.html

March 08, 2014

St. Vincent De Paul Society of Marin County

St. Vincent’s, located in downtown San Rafael, helps those who are struggling to make ends meet, providing “compassionate, individualized assistance to help our neediest neighbors obtain nutritious food, affordable housing, meaningful employment, and a voice in their own community.” Our food donations support St. Vincent’s food program, which feeds hundreds of people every day of the year. Please support their work! www.vinnies.org

March 02, 2014

The Fireside Apartments

The Fireside Apartments, a property owned and managed by Eden Housing, provides 50 affordable apartments and a community center for lower income seniors, families and individuals with special needs. In partnership with Homeward Bound of Marin and Marin County Community Mental Health, Eden Housing provides a robust package of supportive social services to Fireside residents. 10 of the units are devoted to families exiting Homeward Bound’s other programs. hbofm.org/Homeless-Families.html

February 23, 2014

San Geronimo Valley Community Center

SGVCC provides a wide variety of services for Marin residents and particularly residents of the Valley, where there are quite a number who struggle with hunger. As our only recipient in the Valley at the moment, SGVCC is an important partner for us in serving that part of our county. We’ve been delighted to support their Thursday food pantry. sgvcc.org

February 16, 2014

Gilead House in Novato

Gilead House provides transitional housing for homeless single women and children for up to 12 months. The program includes education, job skills training, financial management training, parenting skills coaching, and mentoring. Truly an inspiring nonprofit in our community. www.gileadhouse.org

February 08, 2014

LIFT-Levantate in Novato

LIFT-Levantate addresses the most challenging health and wellness issues facing families in lower socioeconomic communities by providing access to affordable, healthy food; nutritional education; health education; life skill training; fitness opportunities; and much more. ExtraFood.org delivers food to their Health Hub in Novato, at which they serve food to 300 families every week. http://lift-levantate.org/

February 02, 2014

Voyager Carmel

Voyager Carmel is our first Recipient of the Week. Voyager, in downtown San Rafael, is part of the Homeward Bound family of programs in Marin. Voyager serves clients with persistent mental illness, providing short- and long-term housing and a variety of other programs that support and enhance clients’ lives. Voyager is one of our few recipients that is staffed and open 24 hours a day to receive our donations. They do great work in our community. http://hbofm.org/Mental-Health.html

January 26, 2014