Quarterly News from Project Open Hand | Published Since 1989 Issue No. 124

Spotlight On The Journey Ahead: What's Next?

hile cities to its clients and community we are really eager to welcome Project Open Hand delivered continue to members, many of whom were folks back ASAP. We miss nearly 270 bags of groceries per reopen and sheltering in place and isolated conversing and breaking bread week to clients at home? lift COVID from society. with our clients,” said Erika “We’ve always delivered restrictions after over a year of W But now that an end to this Molina, Director of CNP. meals, but groceries add closure and uncertainty, Project Open Hand was never offline crisis (hopefully) appears to be For seniors like Robert, the an additional challenge for through it all. It was always open. in sight, Project Open Hand is thought of enjoying a meal in a temperature control and beginning to visualize what a communal setting with friends packing produce in a way that Just ask Robert, a Community post-pandemic world looks like. brings him joy. maintains quality. We found Nutrition Program (CNP) Client. CNP, which shifted its “We’re not meant to be the right sized cardboard box, “One night, everything is operation to providing hot and locked up. That’s not how we worked out the flow with our good. Then, all of a sudden, frozen to-go meals to seniors were made. We are made to distribution team, developed a all hell broke loose,” Robert and adults with disabilities be socializing with others, and good rotation of grocery items said about the beginning of in , plans on for seniors that’s very important and started delivering grocery the pandemic. “You hear about reopening 12 community because it keeps our minds and boxes to our clients,“ said Kristi people dying. It was scary.” nutrition sites. They will modify bodies active,” Robert said. Friesen, Manager of Nutrition The 74-year-old Brooklyn Services said. their approach to meet the The Wellness Program, native, who found temporary needs and comfortability of which offers medically-tailored Volunteer services, which residency in a hotel that was currently averages 40 volunteers turned into a shelter for the “I was not going to let the virus stop me." per day and 280 volunteers per homeless during the pandemic, week, will continue to operate believed that he needed to - Robert at minimum capacity until a help out anyway he could. full reopen and expansion Robert is not only a client, but of services is possible. It will he is also a volunteer at Project meals, groceries, and nutrition assess all volunteer needs and Open Hand and this past year its clients in the safest manner counseling and education, will staff them appropriately, based he has been helping package possible. continue to maintain social on need. The department will meals and food that would find “Now more than ever do distancing for the foreseeable continue promoting COVID its way to our clients. people feel socially isolated future and will prioritize client vaccinations and ask volunteers to self-screen for any health “It’s good to help somebody. and in need of community and staff safety. Client and issues. I have a gift which is to help and congregation. Research Nutrition Services will continue people,” he said. “I’m a stubborn has linked social isolation to engage clients with reduced “For us to continue to engage old man. I was not going to let and loneliness to higher risks physical contact. The Wellness volunteers in the months to the virus stop me from going to for a variety of physical and Program will also continue come, it is imperative that we work,” he said. mental conditions: high blood providing a service to clients protect each other,” Diana pressure, heart disease, obesity, that was started during the Contreras, Director of Volunteer Like Robert, Project Open a weakened immune system, pandemic – home delivered Services said. Hand’s staff and volunteers anxiety, depression, and groceries. worked feverishly to provide “The concept of going back cognitive decline. That’s why access to life-saving nutrition Did you know that on average, to normal is not one I can relate (continued page 5) Paul’s Letter We Were Never Offline

Community Nutrition Program Wins Important Funding

The Community Nutrition Program (CNP) won three contracts from the City of San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) that will support the program for the next four years. This means we will serve 294,200 meals in the fiscal year (starting July 1) to seniors, adults with disabilties (AWD), and delivery to AWD. Once a full reopen occurs, a total of 12 CNP sites across the city will open its doors for clients to enjoy meals in a safe, communal setting.

Dear Friend, And in the United States, it’s estimated that Our Community Nutrition Program, which ecently I heard that we are a community 45 percent of deaths from heart disease, provides meals in communal settings to and a nation coming back online. stroke, or diabetes are linked to poor diet. seniors and adults with disabilities across R San Francisco, is important in addressing And thankfully, it is. And individuals who are food and nutrition insecure are at higher risk for the health risks and costs of social isolation. Every day we are witnessing a return chronic disease, especially for Black, Latino, As our cover-story, CNP client Robert back to normalcy. Families and friends and Native American people, and residents said, “We are not meant to be locked up... are gathering without masks. Parents are of lower-income areas. And this problem we are meant to be socializing.” dropping kids off at school. Restaurants was especially heightened during the And our efforts to continue to serve this are once again packed with diners who pandemic. are more than willing to add a little extra population received a huge boost after the tip to the dinner bill. And events can finally These are some of the reasons why our CNP program recently won three contracts be enjoyed in-person rather than on your work of providing more access to nutrition from the City of San Francisco Department phone or laptop. is so vital to the health of our clients and of Disability and Aging Services (DAS). We our community. As mentioned in our cover anticipate serving 294,200 CNP meals in While the country continues to come story, our grocery delivery program, which the first year of a four-year period. back online, I am even more proud to say was adopted during the pandemic, is Yes, the pandemic is nearing an end and that Project Open Hand was never offline one example. With over 270 grocery bag during this whole time. Our 130 employees normal life is coming back online. But for deliveries per week, we understood that Project Open Hand, the path to helping our and hundreds of volunteers came to work this was a service we had to continue. every day and we adapted every aspect of clients and community will always continue, our work in ways that we would have never Another issue is a great concern. no matter what roadblocks we may face. imagined. According to the Administration for Thank you for your support! Community Living, nearly 25% of U.S. We didn’t do this because we had to. We adults over 65 are considered to be socially did this because our clients and community isolated. And for those experiencing social needed us to. isolation, harmful health outcomes have But as life continues to go back to normal been associated with chronic isolation and and we pivot to living in a post-pandemic loneliness, including premature death, world, we understand that there are bigger a higher risk for developing dementia, issues moving forward. heart failure and stroke, and increased Paul Hepfer Chief Executive Officer According to a recent Washinton Post risk of hospitalizations. Because of these story, we’ve learned that over the last outcomes, an AARP study revealed that an additional $6.7 billion is spent annually on 25 years, nutrition has become the most To help, go to openhand.org. powerful detriment of health for everyone. enrollees who are socially isolated.

Quarterly News from Project Open Hand | Published Since 1989 Issue No. 124 Project Open Hand’s mission Board of Directors Executive Team Let’s Connect is to improve health outcomes Paul Hepfer openhand.org CHAIR: CHAIR OF FINANCE COMMITTEE: and quality of life by providing Chief Executive Officer Mike Henry, nutritious meals to the sick John Colton, Google Kaiser Permanante Ana Ayala, VP, Programs and vulnerable, caring for and San Francisco VICE CHAIR: Jonathan Jump, VP, Operations educating our community. MEMBERS: 730 Polk Street Ruth Yankoupe, Vishwa Chandra, Jennifer Wieman Petraglia, Herbert Dong, VP, Finance and San Francisco Getaround McKinsey & Company Splunk Information Technology CA 94109 (415) 447-2300 Andrew Chang, Aditya Wakankar, Project SECRETARY: Sangamo Therapeutics Amor Santiago, VP, Development and Osterweis Capital Oakland EDITOR/WRITER: Patricia King, Community Affairs Open Hand Olive Oil Council Theresa Chang, Andrea Wilkinson, 1921 San Pablo Ave. Marcus Tolero, Manager, Splunk Zogenix Kim Madsen, ME.d., R.D., Oakland Director, Nutrition Services CA 94612 Marketing and Communications Helene York, Ginny McSwine, (510) 622-0221 Salesforce Guckenheimer FOUNDER:

Ruth Brinker

2 | MealTimes | Issue 124 Community Spotlight: Destined to Help rika Molina always kept an ear out for the doorbell. It was the and it came to fruition in August of 2017 when the organization Emost important duty of the day for her. was hiring a Director of Community Nutrition Program (CNP), When the doorbell rang, she would head to the entrance that provides nutritious meals to older adults and adults with and open the front door. But she wasn’t welcoming disabilities in San Francisco in a communal setting. the mail-carrier or a visitor. It was a Project Open “I was really excited about this position. I used Hand delivery driver, who had hot meals to to refer clients to Project Open Hand. I even give her. walked a few of them to 730 Polk Street,” Over 30 years ago, Erika would visit Molina said. “Programs and public health her father and his partner in a hospice create community. I feel the importance house in the Castro District of San of it. I am a product of it, and it felt Francisco. The house took care of right.” gay men who were experiencing As the director of the CNP the effects of HIV/AIDS and were program, she manages a staff of too ill to leave their beds. Her over 20 and ensures that the over father’s partner was one of those 4,000 clients the CNP program taken care of by the staff and serves are receiving meals 365 days Erika. Her job -- take the Project a year. Open Hand meals she received This was of course particularly from the delivery driver to the difficult during COVID-19. In this bedside of her dad’s partner and all time, Molina helped shift CNP other men in the house. operations from a communal setting to It was this early-life experience that pick-up or delivery of frozen meals with laid the foundation for a life and career select sites serving hot to-go meals. dedicated to helping others. She said the transition was tough, but “CNP “I grew up seeing my father’s partners and didn’t skip a day,” because of the number of friends go through HIV in the 90s, and my mind was people who stepped up in the organization from different already set that I wanted to be a part of those people who help that departments to help out. community,” Molina said. “I didn’t have to choose what I wanted to The next challenge for Molina is reopening 12 CNP sites for do. I always knew.” clients - many experienced the health detriments of social isolation Molina, a Bay Area native who received a bachelor's degree in - so that they can enjoy meals in a communal setting with friends psychology from San Francisco State University and a master's again. degree in public health from Argosy, started out working in public “It’s like opening a number of new restaurants at multiple health at the age of 18 in Contra Costa County where she worked locations at the same time. We have to do it thoughtfully and safely with teenagers getting them access to sexual health care services. for our clients and staff,” she said. She then moved on in the public health sector, working with the Over 30 years ago, Erika received hot meals from Project San Francisco Public Health Department in the HIV research section Open Hand. Now, she is the one helping to provide meals to the and various other agencies that provided important services to the community. HIV/AIDS community. “Now I get to be the one to make sure the people get the food “I had a goal to go back to work through the different agencies when they need it. It makes me tear up just thinking about it, that helped my community when I was growing up,” Molina said. “I because I remember being in that position 30 years ago, waiting knew that there were levels I always wanted to tackle. for that delivery of food. I don’t take it for granted because I know “The direction of HIV prevention changed. It became a more what it can be like on that other side.” holistic approach. What else goes into it? It’s the lack of your None of this is possible without the help from supporters like foundations – housing, community and food. There are layers of you. Will you please consider a donation today to help support our priority for people and their health, and nutrition is one of them,” services? openhand.org/donate. Molina said. Her path to Project Open Hand seemed almost pre-determined, by Marcus Tolero, Marketing and Communications Manager Project Open Hand Plate Clubs Your gift makes a difference. MealTimes offers special acknowledgment to Project Open Hand supporters who have made gifts totaling $1,000 or more from February 1, 2021 through April 30, 2021. If you have questions about this list, please contact [email protected] or 415-447-2300.

PLATINUM PLATE CLUB Elizabeth Erdos and Wayne DeJong Chevron Matching Employee Fund Preston Maring, MD $50,000 - $99,999 Estate of Sylvester James Susan and Ronald Choy Mary McLeod Family Estate of Susan Brady Alfaro CRYSTAL PLATE CLUB The Jane and William Curran Foundation Janine and Jon Miller $2,500 - $4,999 Jerome and Thao Dodson Jessie Ngai GOLD PLATE CLUB $25,000 - $49,999 Anonymous (2) Shelby Dolliver PG&E Corporation Chandler Evans Randall Presuhn and Timothy Nguyen Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Milton Chen and Ruth Cox Carolyn and Gordon Davidson John Fandel Leroy Rey Crankstart Diane Freeman Christine and James Russell Walter & Elise Haas Fund Penny and Sean Fottrell Paul Hepfer Estate of Astrea Garnet Gorin Hans Sluga SILVER PLATE CLUB Patricia London, Aceves-London Famil Lorrie and Richard Greene Kim Syre $10,000 - $24,999 Kathy and James Guthrie Jeffery Trescott San Francisco Fund John and Katherine Halliday Vagelos Wissink Family Charitable Fund 730 Polk Street Allianz Global Investors Michael J. McGinley San Francisco Sharon Dickson and Jeff Gray Salesforce.com Mary Henderson Albert Weaser CA 94109 Maidenherren Fund Elizabeth Shattuck Estate of Sylvester James Annette Wild (415) 447-2300 Estate of Jane Musser CHINA PLATE CLUB Teresa Joyce Ellen Winter and Gary Stower Oakland W.K. Kellogg Foundation Donations $1,000 - $2,499 Kathryn Kelly and Kevin Kelly Geof Worcester WIZARD487 Fund James Kenney* Mrs. Jane Zaloudek and 1921 San Pablo Ave. Anonymous (3) Oakland BRONZE PLATE CLUB Philip and Sally Kipper Charitable Fund Dr. Charles Zaloudek Marian Beard and Daniel Wehmeier CA 94612 $5,000 - $9,999 Claire Kramsch (510) 622-0221 Mabel and Jeffrey Bialik* Meryl and Chris Larsen Amgen Foundation Bob and Susie Buckley David Lindsey Estate of Mitchell Dill Karin and David Chamberlain Karl Ludwig and Ann Ludwig

* Designates members of The Supper Club, Project Open Hand’s monthly giving program. MealTimes | Issue 124 | 3 To learn more about The Supper Club, visit: www.openhand.org/give/supper-club. (continued from pg 1 "What's Next?")

to. While many industries were hills. The ocean. The trees. The From Our impacted by the pandemic and scenery. The City called to him. Kitchen are starting to open back up, to Yours But when he arrived, the Project Open Hand remained harsh reality was that he had open. Our frontline staff and nowhere to go and he was in volunteers do not get to work need of a meal. He noticed a from home and our clients will line of people outside of Curry not stop needing meals; this is Senior Center. It was a breakfast our normal.” line. “I just saw people standing The kitchen, which prepared outside the building, and they 22,158 medically tailored were being served meals.” meals in the first few weeks of When he sat down to eat June, anticipate adjusting their his hot breakfast, he was operation to preparing more hot approached by a Project Open Lemon Herb Dressing meals once a full reopen occurs. Hand staff member and was The kitchen also plans to asked if he wanted to volunteer. continue to use cost-saving He signed up immediately. Ingredients products like pre-cut and frozen And almost every day since • ½ cup olive oil • Splash tabasco sauce (optional) vegetables and pre-cooked then he’s received a meal and • ¼ cup lemon juice • 2 tablespoons fresh & diced whole wheat grains. volunteered with Project Open • 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast herbs, or dried herbs of your “Our production level will still Hand. • ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional) choice (try oregano, basil, and be the same, but we’re planning “It’s like love is medicine -- a garlic powder) to serve more hot meals to CNP good kind deed is medicine. clients once the communal sites People need to know that you Instructions reopen,” Executive Chef Adrian care,” he said. Barrow said. Measure out all ingredients into a mason jar or a container with a tight fitting And it’s that reason alone why This brings us full circle back Project Open Hand has always lid. Shake to mix together. Store salad dressing in the refrigerator for up to 2 to CNP client/volunteer Robert. stayed open. weeks. Salad dressing may thicken as it chills, you can set it out on the counter to return to room temperature before use. Alternatively, just mix together the He first received a Project This was only possible amount you will use for your salad in the bottom of a large serving bowl, then Open Hand meal 10 years ago because of the help from caring at the Curry Senior Center, a supporters like you. Thank you! add salad greens to toss and coat with dressing. Add the rest of your salad CNP site, after a long three-day, ingredients, mix and enjoy. cross-country bus trip from the East Coast. He always wanted by Marcus Tolero, Marketing and Communications Manager to come to San Francisco. The

4 | MealTimes | Issue 124 MealTimes | Issue 124 | 5 openhand.org Cover Story Cover What's Next? What's The Journey Ahead : Quarterly News from Project OpenQuarterly Hand PAID Non Profit Non U.S. Postage U.S. Boston, MA Boston, Permit #53692 Permit

Lemon Herb Dressing Dressing Herb Lemon Yours: to From Kitchen Our Winter 2018/2019 | Issue No. 115 No. 2018/2019 | Issue | PublishedWinter Since 1989 Destined to Help to Destined Spotlight: Spotlight: PAGE 4 PAGE PAGE 3 PAGE Project Open Hand Street730 Polk San Francisco, CA 94109