Open Heart Kitchen received a $450,000 grant from the Senior Assistance Foundation of the East Bay (SAFE) to support the construction of a new production kitchen and dining room at its Vineyard 2.0 Project. The Vineyard 2.0 Project, located at 450 N. Livermore Avenue in Livermore, will include permanent, supportive housing and other services such as temporary overnight shelter, mailboxes, showers, laundry, and free hot meals provided by Open Heart Kitchen. Construction began in April, 2022 and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.
“Senior Assistance Foundation of the East Bay has been a key funder of Open Heart Kitchen for several years. We are so grateful that their grant has helped to finish out our capital campaign.” Open Heart Kitchen’s Executive Director Heather Greaux said.
Open Heart Kitchen’s Capital Campaign Chair, Janette Pace, said, “This kitchen project will enhance our ability to provide local seniors with a daily opportunity to connect socially over a nutritious meal, and advance our mission of working toward a future with increased food security in our valley.”
Open Heart Kitchen’s Hot Meal Program continues to provide meals free of charge Mondays through Fridays from 1 to 3 pm at the Robert Livermore Community Center, along with Senior Meals at all three Tri-Valley senior centers and at a low-income senior housing complex.
Senior Meals are provided mid-day Monday through Friday for people over the age of 60. A dinner service is also offered at the Ridgeview Commons senior housing complex in Pleasanton Monday through Friday. Senior meals are by reservation and can be enjoyed in our onsite dining rooms or to-go. All diners must wear a mask for pickup and may give an optional $3 donation. To make a reservation or for more information on senior meals, call (925) 500-8241.
In addition to its core programs, Open Heart Kitchen will continue its COVID-19 response efforts with a 19,000 square foot warehouse to store and distribute groceries including dairy, meat, fresh produce, and non-perishable items to local non-profit organizations. Named the “Open Heart Food Bank,” the new warehouse space will be instrumental in serving as a food distribution hub for Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore. The organization was selected by the Alameda County Community Food Bank as the Redistribution Organization partner for the Tri-Valley region through an open RFP process.
For the most up-to-date information on where to obtain a meal, please visit openheartkitchen.org.
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About Open Heart Kitchen:
Founded in 1995 as a small, grassroots effort to address hunger in the Tri-Valley, Open Heart Kitchen serves people in need through four programs: the hot meal program, the senior meal program, the street outreach program, and the grocery distribution program. Our mission is to provide equitable access to nutritious food today, while building a food secure tomorrow. In 2021, Open Heart Kitchen served more than 2 million meals to the Tri-Valley community. For more information, please visit openheartkitchen.org.
About Senior Assistance Foundation of the East Bay:
The mission of the Senior Assistance Foundation of the East Bay (SAFE) is to effectively utilize its assets to assist non-profit organizations that provide services to low-income seniors in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. For more information, please visit safeastbay.org.
FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES
Contact: Denise Bridges, Development Director
Phone: (925) 500-8104
Email: denise@openheartkitchen.org
