Children’s Summer Lunch Program
In rural communities, organizations must often come together to address the needs of vulnerable citizens. The “No More Hungry Kids” school lunch program, in Humboldt County, is an example of that sort of collaborative effort.

This collaborative school lunch program provides a nutritional link between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next for the 46% of all Humboldt County children who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches.

The Rio Dell Community Center is located in a school where up to 85% of the over 280 students qualify for free and reduced-price lunches. The Center partners with Food for People to provide summer lunches for students along with two other children’s nutrition initiatives. The other two components of the program are the “After School Snack” and “Backpack for Kids” programs.

During the summer lunch program, up to 50 children gather at the Rio Dell Fireman’s Park to receive tasty and nutritious lunches. The program began on June 16 and continued until school started on August 15. During the school year, the Rio Dell Community Center provides After School Snacks to the students and distributes Backpacks for Kids every Friday filled with nutritious foods. The children enjoy their backpack treats over the weekend and return to school on Monday well fed and ready to learn.

The No More Hungry Kids campaign also provides services at the Blue Lake and Willow Creek Community Resource Centers. The three Centers are located in distinct isolated areas of Humboldt County and each is a primary source of commodities, food pantry access and the other nutrition programs for their communities.

In FY 08, Food for People was funded by the North Coast Funders Network, including assistance from the St. Joseph Health System-Humboldt County Community Needs Network.

Funders include: North Coast Funders Network and St. Joseph Hospital- Humboldt County   Top

Resource Center for the Homeless
The Eureka Community Resource Center helps homeless persons stay in touch and engaged with the world around them. From help with job resumes and applications to social security to basic necessities like food and clothing, the resource center provides important services for some of the most neglected members of the community. At the center, patrons have access to a telephone line, a public computer, a mailing address for checks and other personal mail, free coffee in the winter and water in the summer. The resource center serves as a much-needed home base for those who would not otherwise have a means of connecting with the world in which they live.   Top

Paso a Paso
St. Joseph Health System- Humboldt County’s Paso a Paso program offers classes in parenting and breastfeeding education and support, as well as prenatal classes for Spanish-speaking mothers and families.

Humboldt County has seen a sharp increase in the number of Spanish-speaking families moving to the North Coast over the past 10 years. It is essential that Latina mothers and their families have access to Spanish language educational programs.

Paso a Paso classes include De Madre a Madre breastfeeding support group, Clases para Madres y Padres Nuevos (new parents classes) and prenatal classes, as well as complimentary outreach and support services, including doula services, interpretation and general support.

Funders: First 5 Humboldt, March of Dimes, SJHS Foundation, and St. Joseph Health System-Humboldt County   Top