Peninsula Volunteers Blog Moving to New Website

Peninsula Volunteers has a newly re-designed website and our blog is going to become part of that site.

That means that we won't be updating this blog site any more. All the same material we would post here will appear on our main website from now on.

We will keep this blogspot open for some time to come, just to archive some of your favorite posts. So don't delete the link from your "bookmarks" and "favorites" just yet.

We hope you'll like our new format.

Thanks for reading and DO join us at www.penvol.org.

Accepting White Elephant Sale Goods Now

It's that time of year again to start thinking of drinking Irish Coffee as you wander the halls of Little House picking up those odds and ends you always wanted.

In fact, if you have merchandise to donate for the White Elephant Sale, we're accepting those now through March 8th at Little House between the hours of 10 AM to Noon and again from 2 to 4 PM, Tuesdays through Thursdays. (I'm sorry, but we cannot accept drop offs at any other times.)

Mural Project - Call for Artists!

Little House is seeking a mural design for the interior of our Little House Cafe at 800 Middle Ave. in Menlo Park.

Theme: Two murals, one a Parisian cafe scene viewed from outside, showing diners enjoying food and beverages, camaraderie, and possibly looking from inside the cafe to the street outside, with Parisian views in the background. The second mural is an interior view closer of coffee being served.

Mural #1: Outdoor scene dimensions are 54" high by 137" wide.
Mural #2: A barista serving coffee; dimensions are 48" high by 58" wide.

Little House will supply the acrylic paints and gesso for painting the mural.

Since Little House serves a demographic that includes all ages, the style needs to be something that will appeal to a broad range of people. It doesn't need to be realistic, it can be somewhat abstracted or impressionistic, but it can't be cartoon-like or graffiti style.

PRIZE: The artist whose design is chosen will be included in the social media sites of Little House and Peninsula Volunteers, and will receive two free dinners at LuLu's Restaurant in Menlo Park.

Entry Deadline: March 22, 2012. Finalist will be asked to submit design in person.

NOTE: By submitting their artwork to the Little House Art Spaces, all artists agree to allow photographs to be taken of their art for educational, publicity and archival purposes by Peninsula Volunteers, Inc.

Entries may be sent to: cduhring@peninsulavolunteers.org.

Your entry must include the following: Name, Mailing Address, Phone, and Email (if you have one), plus your signature on this statement: "AGREEMENT: Your signature gives artist's consent to all conditions specified in the guidelines." Include the date you signed.

Meals on Wheels Receives Sequoia Hospital Grant

For the third year in a row, Peninsula Volunteers Meals on Wheels has received a $25,000 grant to participate in the Sequoia Hospital Homecoming Project (SHHP). The SHHP is a 5 agency collaborative that works toward supporting adults who have been recently discharged from the hospital to prevent their re-admission. Meals on Wheels, obviously, supplies the nutritional component and the daily safety check.

Last week the Dignity Health (formerly Catholic Healthcare West) region, from San Francisco down the Peninsula, awarded grants to a number of worthy agencies, all cooperating to improve community health.

Bart Charlow, PV Executive Director, Marie Violet, Director of Health & Wellness Center at Sequoia Hospital, and Marianne Mannia, former Rosener House Director and ubiquitous community volunteer.

The fun part for Peninsula Volunteers was that we got to spend some time with Marianne Mannia, who had been Director of our Rosener House program many years ago. She continues to volunteer for community health. And as you can see in the picture, she is the picture of health herself! What an advertisement for longevity through having a true purpose in life.

Our thanks to Sequoia Hospital and Dignity Health for supporting our program. 

Subaru "Share the Love" for Meals on Wheels

Peninsula Volunteers “Meals on Wheels” Awarded $750 “Share The Love” Most Meals Grant

from Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) 

Subaru’s “Share The Love” Event helps deliver nutritious meals and compassion to San Mateo County’s elderly

Menlo Park, CA (February 15, 2012) – Peninsula Volunteers “Meals on Wheels” program is proud to announce it has been awarded a $750 grant from Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) in recognition of its participation in MOWAA’s “Share The Love” Most Meals Contest. As part of Subaru of America, Inc.’s “Share The Love” Event, Peninsula Volunteers “Meals on Wheels”  worked with Carlsen Subaru during the holiday season to deliver warm blankets to low-income homebound seniors and disabled adults who receive Meals on Wheels daily lunches.

“Carlsen Subaru’s Manager, Todd Parkinson, was literally a driver for blanket deliveries,” said Bart Charlow, Executive Director of Peninsula Volunteers, Inc.  “Subaru supplied the car and worked with us, County Supervisor Don Horsley and NBC Bay Area to bring the gift of warmth, live on TV, to some of our long time meals recipients. When people can put a face to the service, they truly understand that Meals on Wheels is a life giver and often even a life saver!”

As one of the five Subaru “Share The Love” Event charitable partners, MOWAA created the Most Meals Contest to foster partnerships between local Meals On Wheels programs and Subaru dealerships. MOWAA is awarding $150,000 in Most Meals grants to the 48 Meals On Wheels programs across the country that recruited dealership employees to volunteer, deliver meals in Subaru vehicles and engage community members in the fight to end senior hunger.

Most Meals grants awarded by MOWAA range from $250 to $35,000.  The nation’s economic downturn has made it more difficult to raise money to provide meals to the community’s homebound seniors.  Peninsula Volunteers “Meals on Wheels” will use the money to help fund the increasing cost of gasoline to deliver over 80,000 meals to 8 cities in San Mateo County each year.  

The Subaru “Share The Love” Event ran from November 19, 2011 to January 3, 2012.   Subaru is donating $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased during “Share The Love” to the customer's choice of one of five charities, including MOWAA. Over the past three years, proceeds from the Subaru “Share The Love” Event have provided funds to MOWAA to support its vision to end senior hunger by 2020. 

"We are honored to be part of ‘Share The Love’ again this year," said MOWAA President and CEO, Enid Borden.  "Subaru is a corporation with a conscience. They understand that providing nutritious meals to hungry and homebound seniors in need is a moral imperative."

About Peninsula Volunteers

Peninsula Volunteers, Inc. is a pioneer in senior services and was the first volunteer organization to receive a HUD grant to develop and build low-income senior housing in the United States.  For 64 years, Peninsula Volunteers, Inc., has created and provided high quality and nurturing programs for the aging in South San Mateo County, which have allowed seniors to pursue long, healthy and useful lives.  Each year, Peninsula Volunteers, Inc. delivers over $5 million in services, including over 150,000 hot meals to seniors and the homebound and senior centers, and touches over 4,500 households through its programs: Meals on Wheels; Little House, The Roslyn G. Morris Activity Center; Rosener House Adult Day Services; and Peninsula Volunteer Properties, Inc.  The latter provides 82% of the affordable senior housing in Menlo Park at Crane Place and Partridge/Kennedy Apartments. For more information, visit: www.peninsulavolunteers.org.

About Meals On Wheels Association of America

The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is the oldest and largest national organization in the United States representing those programs that provide meals to people in need.  MOWAA’s mission is to end senior hunger by 2020.  To obtain more information about MOWAA or to locate a local Meals On Wheels program, visit the MOWAA website at www.mowaa.org.

Treat Your Loved One to the Alzheimer's Cafe

If you've been feeling kind of isolated from friends and fun, since your loved one has been dealing with Alzheimer's or Mild Cognitive Impairment, then you can break out and start living gain! Come and socialize at our Alzheimer's Cafe on Tuesday, January 17th.

The Alzheimer's Café is a place and opportunity that brings together people living with dementia, their families, and their caregivers. It is a warm and inviting atmosphere that nurtures friendship and mutual support.

Based on the work of Dutch psychologists, the Café is a place where everyone can be themselves, share experiences, and learn from one another. There's no agenda, only the opportunity to socialize and enjoy a day out in a creative environment. Feel free to stop in, have coffee and pastries, and become part of this growing movement.

For information, call Julie Scales, Little House Program Manager at (650) 326-2025, ext. 229.

Days and Times: 3rd Tuesday of every month, 2 – 4 PM. Next event: Feb. 21, 2012
Location:   Little House Activity Center 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025

Cost:   FREE, donations gladly accepted.

Facebook Returns for Hands-On Training

 

Feb. 23rd - 3:30 PM

After a successful first meeting, experts from Facebook are coming back to Little House to teach smaller, more interactive classes. To provide individual attention, classes are limited in size and therefore pre-registration is required. 

FREE

The last time Facebook came to Little House we were completely full, with a waiting list. You would have thought that Facebook's 800 million regular users had arrived. 


Don't miss your opportunity! Reserve your space right away.

Authors Salon nearly sold out, so hurry!

Friends, our 21st Annual Authors Salon is nearly sold out. If you want tickets, please rush your order today!

Returning to a Peninsula location, the Sharon Heights Country Club, this year's line up of authors has some of the best-sellers you've been dying to hear live. Great lunch, great speakers, great company, so what are you waiting for?

By the way, we still have room for underwriters and sponsors.

For more information, call Cathy Duhring: 650-326-0665, ext. 238, or email: cduhring@peninsulavolunteers.org