When Felicita Diaz first arrived at Family House in San Francisco, the last thing she was thinking about was food. She had just admitted her daughter to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, where she was being treated for a serious and rare autoimmune disease.
It had been long day, and truth be told, Felicita didn’t even know she was hungry. But when she walked into the community kitchen at Family House, she found it stocked with canned food, boxes of pasta, and fresh fruit, too – everything she needed to put together a nourishing meal.
Family House is one of 450 nonprofits that the Food Bank partners with to provide food for instances just like this – when neighbors are facing a life crisis and need a helping hand. Based near the hospital’s Mission Bay campus, Family House is a state-of-the-art home away from home that provides free housing and support to families whose children are undergoing medical care.
“I was so caught up with all the things I needed to do to help my daughter that I forgot to feed myself,” Felicita says. “I walked into the kitchen, opened up the cupboard, and found everything I needed to make myself a nice meal of rice and beans. Having this food on hand is so helpful. It gives me a little extra time to concentrate on my daughter instead of shopping.”
Paul Goold, Director of Family Services, keeps the Family House kitchens stocked with groceries that he picks up from the Food Bank warehouse, just a few blocks away.
“The Food Bank has been an incredible partner to Family House,” Goold says. “Nonprofits in our community achieve the most when we collaborate. The Food Bank partnership with us is a perfect example of that – we are able to provide a full range of services that sustain our families so they can care for their children.”
Share