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The Housing Consortium of the East Bay and Open Heart Kitchen officially celebrated the opening of the new Vineyard Resource Center in Livermore with a ribbon cutting ceremony last week.
The permanent-supportive services launched in late January at the center located at 450 North Livermore Ave. However, the May 9 ceremony brought community members and officials from both organizations together to commemorate the facility’s early success.
Since its January opening, OHK has produced over 34,000 meals out of the production kitchen on-site and the Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB) has all the permanent supportive apartments occupied with 24 residents.
“In the first three and half months of operations, we were able to provide 142 hygiene kits, 1,925 restful nights of sleep to 68 shelter guests, 500 loads of laundry for over 100 people, and 1,100 showers for 150 people. Plus bus passes and clothing to over 500 people,” said OHK Executive Director John Bost. “This work is not done by Open Heart Kitchen alone, it takes all of our nonprofit partners to come together to help a person along their journey. Open Heart Kitchen has produced over 34,000 meals of which 12,000 were served right here at Vineyard,” he added.
The amenities provided at the Vineyard Resource Center include OHK’s main production kitchen and dining room, a laundry room with machines donated by the Rotarian Foundation of Livermore, showers, clothing closet, mail services, a community room with free Wifi access, and offices and meeting rooms for local service providers to offer additional services and meet with clients.
At the grand opening event last Thursday, Darin Lounds, executive director of HCEB, reflected that “it took a great deal of grit to move the Vineyard vision to where we are literally standing today.”
He continued, “Our development team, our funders and our partners all had to persevere and push through challenges. But, you know who else showed grit? Our residents, shelter guests, and diners. They have all been met with greater obstacles than I will ever understand. They have pushed through these obstacles to get to Vineyard. They, along with Vineyard staff and their support folks will continue to push through whatever is in their way to make their reality match the vision for their life. And HCEB is proud to be a small part in their journey.”
Justin Chen, executive director for Chase Community Development Banking, lauded the partnership and collaboration that went into developing the project’s residential units.
“It has been a privilege working with the Housing Consortium of the East Bay – and the many partners involved – to create these high quality, affordable units for residents here in Livermore,” Chen said. “We are proud to fund a project that will support the community for the long term, with the addition of supportive services, healthy food and community space.”
Livermore Mayor John Marchand presented a proclamation to HCEB and OHK, and described the city strategic plan’s pillar of a thriving community.
“If a community is going to thrive then everyone has to have the opportunity to thrive. In order to do that, you need a place to thrive, you need a place to be. And that’s what this amazing facility is, it’s a place for people to be and to thrive. And thank you to all of you that made this dream come to reality,” Marchand said.
Community meals at the center are available Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m.
For more information on support services at Vineyard, or to volunteer, visit www.openheartkitchen.org.
