First UU Church of San Diego
  • Home
  • Worship
    • Messages
    • Online Worship
    • Participate in a Service
    • Principles & Sources
  • Connections
    • Welcome Newcomers! > >
      • Visiting First UU
      • What is UUism?
      • Become a Member
    • Groups from A-Z > >
      • Affinity Groups
      • Archives
      • Art Guild
      • Looking Glass Theatre
      • Meditation
      • Men's Fellowship >
        • UUMF Renewal Registration
      • Neighborhood Groups
      • UU Seniors
      • Wisdom Circles
    • Member Networking
    • Right Relations
    • Listening Circles
  • Music
    • Vocal Ensembles
    • Handbell Ensemble
  • Education
    • Children's RE > >
      • Family Ministry Library
      • Children's RE Registration
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Family Ministry > >
      • All Church Camp
    • Youth Programs
    • Young Adult & Campus Ministry
    • Our Whole Lives (OWL)
    • SD Co-op Preschool
  • Programs
    • Front Street Productions
    • Caring
    • Food Pantry
    • Larger UU Connections > >
      • Denominational Relations
      • Friends of De Benneville Pines
      • Philippines Partner Church
      • Transylvania Partner Church
      • UU Service Committee
    • Leadership Development
    • Social Justice > >
      • Social Justice Executive Team
      • Climate Justice
      • Generosity Offerings
      • Organizing for Justice
      • Palestine-Israel Justice Group
      • Rainbow Action
      • Reproductive Justice
      • Sanctuary
      • SOLACE
      • Uptown Community Service Center
    • Ushering
  • Giving
    • Donations > >
      • Pledging
      • Planned Giving
      • Donate Your Vehicle
      • Donate Flowers
    • Dining for Dollars D4$
    • Shop and Support!
  • News
    • Blog
    • The Window - Weekly Bulletin
    • First Words Magazine
  • About
    • About First UU
    • For Members > >
      • Member's Login
      • Board Login
    • Hillcrest Campus
    • South Bay Campus
    • Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Calendar
    • Our Sustainable Future
    • Facilities >
      • Facilities Overview
      • Ceremonies
      • Facilities Use Request Form
    • Forms
    • Governance > >
      • Article II
      • 8th Principle
      • Journey Toward Wholeness >
        • Black History Month
      • Strategic Planning > >
        • Funding our Future
        • Visioning The Future
      • Our History
      • 150th Celebrationn
  • Contact
    • Ministers and Staff
    • Website Feedback Form
    • MAG Contact Form
    • Privacy and Terms

BLOG

Pantry Teams with Rady’s Children’s Hospital Health Stars

10/26/2020

0 Comments

 
PictureShirley Koch and Xochitl Cerda from Rady’s Children’s Hospital Health Stars Program.
By Maureen McNair
Here is a good reason to answer a telephone call from an unknown phone number, even in the weeks leading up the election: it could be actual good news! Shirley Koch works for Rady’s Children’s Hospital in a program called Health Stars. Health Stars provides early literacy intervention for low income and homeless parents with children up to age 8. It was Shirley on the phone calling to introduce herself and ask if she and her team could distribute books and literacy information at some of our Saturday food and Sunday diaper distributions.  I immediately agreed. Not only that, after Shirley explained her literacy mission in more detail, I let her know she had hit pay dirt to help her meet the goals of Health Stars. 

Prior to Covid-19, Health Stars workers read to children at schools, sent home books with them, and met with their parents to provide low income and homeless parents with more literacy resources. Health Stars had to close down the way they rolled out their program last March when the State went into lockdown. Now, Shirley said, they want to reach those same parents in other ways.

I told Shirley she had hit pay dirt because of the Chula Vista neighborhood where we are located. We are in a Promise Neighborhood. Promise Neighborhoods are identified by the US Department of Education as targeted places to improve results for at risk children from cradle to college.

In California, up until 2018, there were only four Promise Neighborhoods in the entire State — in San Francisco, Hayward, Corning, and a cluster area including Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, and San Ysidro. But, last year, in 2019, the US Department of Education added our Chula Vista neighborhood as only the fifth California Promise Neighborhood. About $5 million in funds will be funneled into our community through the Promise Neighborhood program.

Shirley was thrilled to hear a broad description of the area where our clients come to get food. She made plans right away to distribute books written in both English and Spanish, which she and a colleague did for the first time this past Saturday.

I let Shirley know that we give food to about 160 heads of household. We agreed she would be on site from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM. However, she left just after 9 AM because she had already run out of the 50 bags of books she prepared to give away! Next time, she says she will prepare more bags.

I am really excited for the children and grandchildren of our pantry clients who will periodically have new books appearing in their homes now. Next up, Shirley plans to give away book bags at a Sunday diaper distribution where we provide diapers for about 75 children every week. 
​
Don’t you just love it that we are nourishing both the bodies and minds of people in our South Bay community!
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    What's New?

    The First UU Church of San Diego blog is your resource for upcoming events and past event recaps. Leave us a comment to let us know what you think!

    Categories

    All
    150th Celebration
    Aging
    Announcements
    Art & Collectibles Auction
    Black Lives Matter
    Board Of Trustees
    Camp De Benneville Pines
    Careers
    Climate Change
    Climate Justice
    COVID Caring
    Democracy In Action
    Dining For Dollar$
    Events
    First UU History
    First Words Stories
    Food Pantry
    Free Family Friendly Events
    Front Street Productions
    General Assembly
    Gun Violence
    Holiday Events
    Holiday Greetings
    Immigrants Rights
    Intercultural Workshops
    International Women's Day
    Journey Towards Wholeness
    JTW
    Kids Activities
    LGBTQIA
    Marriage Equality
    Meditation Mondays
    Meet A Volunteer
    Minister Letters
    On The Side Of Love
    OSF
    Partner Churches
    Pledge Drive
    Press Releases
    Racial Justice
    Religious Education
    Reopening Team
    Rev. Alix Klingenberg
    Rev. Carolyn Owen Towle
    Rev. Carolyn Owen-Towle
    Rev. Everett Howe
    Rev. Ian Riddell
    Rev. Jennifer Channin
    Rev. Justine Sullivan
    Rev. Kathleen Owens
    Rev. Omega Burckhardt
    Rev. Tania Marquez
    Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
    Sabbatical Notes
    Sanctuary
    Social Justice Actions
    South Bay Campus
    Staying Connected
    Stevie Carmody
    Unitarian Universalism 101
    UU Parenting
    UUs In Action
    UU Women
    Visioning The Future
    Volunteer Opportunities

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    April 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    October 2014
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    March 2011
    October 2010
    September 2008
    June 2002

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
(619) 298-9978  |  Staff Directory
We have two campuses:
Hillcrest campus: 4190 Front Street, San Diego, CA. 92103  |  South Bay campus: 970 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA. 91911
  For GPS to our Hillcrest Campus, please use 298 W Arbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92103
For detailed directions, parking and more see our Contact page.
Picture
©First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego. All rights reserved. Admin.
  • Home
  • Worship
    • Messages
    • Online Worship
    • Participate in a Service
    • Principles & Sources
  • Connections
    • Welcome Newcomers! > >
      • Visiting First UU
      • What is UUism?
      • Become a Member
    • Groups from A-Z > >
      • Affinity Groups
      • Archives
      • Art Guild
      • Looking Glass Theatre
      • Meditation
      • Men's Fellowship >
        • UUMF Renewal Registration
      • Neighborhood Groups
      • UU Seniors
      • Wisdom Circles
    • Member Networking
    • Right Relations
    • Listening Circles
  • Music
    • Vocal Ensembles
    • Handbell Ensemble
  • Education
    • Children's RE > >
      • Family Ministry Library
      • Children's RE Registration
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Family Ministry > >
      • All Church Camp
    • Youth Programs
    • Young Adult & Campus Ministry
    • Our Whole Lives (OWL)
    • SD Co-op Preschool
  • Programs
    • Front Street Productions
    • Caring
    • Food Pantry
    • Larger UU Connections > >
      • Denominational Relations
      • Friends of De Benneville Pines
      • Philippines Partner Church
      • Transylvania Partner Church
      • UU Service Committee
    • Leadership Development
    • Social Justice > >
      • Social Justice Executive Team
      • Climate Justice
      • Generosity Offerings
      • Organizing for Justice
      • Palestine-Israel Justice Group
      • Rainbow Action
      • Reproductive Justice
      • Sanctuary
      • SOLACE
      • Uptown Community Service Center
    • Ushering
  • Giving
    • Donations > >
      • Pledging
      • Planned Giving
      • Donate Your Vehicle
      • Donate Flowers
    • Dining for Dollars D4$
    • Shop and Support!
  • News
    • Blog
    • The Window - Weekly Bulletin
    • First Words Magazine
  • About
    • About First UU
    • For Members > >
      • Member's Login
      • Board Login
    • Hillcrest Campus
    • South Bay Campus
    • Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Calendar
    • Our Sustainable Future
    • Facilities >
      • Facilities Overview
      • Ceremonies
      • Facilities Use Request Form
    • Forms
    • Governance > >
      • Article II
      • 8th Principle
      • Journey Toward Wholeness >
        • Black History Month
      • Strategic Planning > >
        • Funding our Future
        • Visioning The Future
      • Our History
      • 150th Celebrationn
  • Contact
    • Ministers and Staff
    • Website Feedback Form
    • MAG Contact Form
    • Privacy and Terms