Hunger–and food insecurity–don’t take summer vacations. That’s why House of Hope, Los Gatos’ grassroots food pantry, is sending out an SOS to the community: “Our shelves are almost bare. We need your help!”
“We have so much support from the community during the school year but come summer, everyone gets busy with vacations, trips to Tahoe, summer camps. It’s easy to forget about helping those in need,” said House of Hope director Jan Yount. Donations to the 100-percent community-driven food pantry hit dire new lows this month. “Currently, we only have enough inventory to provide food to the families we support for three more weeks,” Yount said.
Each week 50 to 75 families and individuals struggling with poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, substance abuse or just trying to make ends meet are provided with food, nourishment and spiritual support. (The number rises to 200 on holidays and other special occasions.) House of Hope serves people living in Los Gatos and surrounding communities but is open to anyone who needs help. This equates to thousands of items needed, the top 10 being canned fruit, cereal, soup, boxed pasta, toilet paper, paper towels, marinara sauce, jelly, canned chicken and top ramen.
There are two ways to donate:
· Visit https://ift.tt/339kSuk to use Amazon Prime to make a recurring donation to House of Hope. The pantry’s food drive wish list makes it easy to select needed items in bulk, such as a 24-pack of Swanson white chunk chicken breast, a pack of six Smucker’s strawberry preserves or 36 rolls of toilet paper. Schedule a monthly, bimonthly, annual or one-time donation. “Anything helps,” said Yount.
· Drop off donations at the Calvary Church office, 16330 Los Gatos Blvd., Los Gatos, Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Fridays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Accepted donations include surplus citrus/fruit growing in yards, along with any garden veggies.
House of Hope prioritizes treating guests with dignity. For this reason, they offer a personalized shopping experience. Accompanied by volunteer escorts, guests shop the shoebox-size pantry much as they would a grocery store and leave with four to five bags of essentials. That the pantry’s client base has increased substantially is not surprising considering homelessness in Santa Clara County has risen 30 percent in the last two years. To accommodate this influx of guests, the pantry is now open Thursdays, 3:30-5 p.m. by appointment.
House of Hope is also working with Silicon Valley Christian Legal Aid to provide pro bono attorneys for clients who need legal counsel every third Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon.
“It has been so exciting to see our town rally behind this tiny food pantry,” said Yount, “but we are 100 percent community-driven, and donations are crucial right now during the dog days of summer.”
To donate or volunteer, contact Jan Yount, House of Hope director, at jyount@calvarylg.com. Those in need of food and essentials (hot breakfast included) can drop by House of Hope at 16330 Los Gatos Blvd., Los Gatos (next to Calvary Church) Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon without an appointment. To make an appointment on Thursdays between 3:30 and 5 p.m., call or text 805-399-0149.
For those in need of legal counsel, stop by the third Saturday of the month at 8 a.m. to sign up for a same day appointment between 9 a.m. and noon.
