Open Your Herat to the Hungry and Homeless

Open Your Heart provided HOPE 4 Youth with support toward kitchen equipment for their Drop-In Center meal program. At their Drop-In Center, hot meals are a focal point for youth receiving services. These upgrades will transform HOPE 4 Youth's space into a true multi-use not to mention on-site kitchen for staff and volunteers. With the double sink addition, they will increase produce prep, thus increasing their ability to provide more nutritious, fresh menu options. The new dishwasher will eliminate unnecessary waste, and overall, they anticipate the total meals served to increase 30%, reaching more young adults and their children. Since the updates to the kitchen have been complete it has allowed HOPE 4 Youth to provide more nutritious fresh meals to participants and their children. One parenting youth commented “it makes me feel so much better about my parenting skills when I am able to provide a hot and healthy meal to my child”. Another youth commented that “the corn bread made by the volunteers reminded him of his grandmother who had passed years earlier”. He truly appreciated the feeling of safety and security that provided him while going through a difficult time in his life.