In the latest column, news about a downtown restaurant’s recent fundraiser for bicycles to benefit those in need, a nonprofit pioneering a modular housing facility in East Palo Alto, and renamed Stanford Children’s Health.
PAY IT FORWARD… Restaurant Palo Alto Local Union 271together with Tito’s Vodkarecently raised $2,000 for the nonprofit San Jose Good Karma bikes, a second-hand bicycle shop that refurbishes and distributes bicycles to young people, the homeless and low-income residents. The downtown restaurant handed over the check to the organization on July 19.
Local Union 271 raised the money by donating a dollar every time someone bought a specific item on the menu and spending the money on the “Pass the buck” program.
Clayton Adelhelm, the restaurant’s finance director, said the money will enable Good Karma to deliver about 40 to 50 bicycles to those in need. “I thought it was a good cause to help children go to school, to help the homeless get a job… I want to thank everyone who has supported us,” said Adelhelm.
Jenny Circle, director of development for Good Karma Bikes, said the organization is extremely grateful not only for the support from Local Union 271 and Tito’s Vodka, but also from the restaurant patrons who came out to show their support for the program. “Pass the Buck is such a great way to support local nonprofits and charities, and so many different people are involved,” Circle said.
Adelhelm said the restaurant hopes to help other causes. “We now want to do something with the homeless in Palo Alto,” Adelhelm said. “We see a lot of the same homeless people every day and I try to do some kind of program where we can donate some extra food and some money.”
A FRESH START … United Hope Builders marks a new chapter in its effort to solve the Bay Area housing crisis.
On July 19, the nonprofit East Palo Alto broke ground for a new factory to produce modular homes in partnership with indieDwell, an Idaho B company that manufactures the units. The facility is located at the end of Bay Road near Cooley Landing.
“This is an important milestone in our efforts to bring more affordable housing to the Bay Area,” said Pastor Paul Bains, founder and president of United Hope Builders. “This joint venture plant with indieDwell will put faster-to-build, lower-cost housing products into the hands of affordable housing developers.”
Construction should be completed by the end of the year. The factory will consist of three buildings that together occupy 57,500 square feet; it is expected to produce 400 modular units per year.
According to the indieDwell chair, the facility will open in early 2023 Pete Gombertwho said the facility will be staffed by 100 employees.
NEW NAME, SAME PURPOSE… Many members of the community are familiar with the name Stanford Child Healththe local system that serves children and expectant mothers.
On Tuesday, the care network announced its new name: Stanford Medicine Child Health. The change was made to be consistent with Stanford Medicineincluding Stanford Healthcare and the Stanford School of Medicine.
“Collaboration has long been part of our DNA. Now we are making that statement more public as the entities under Stanford Medicine will continue to realize our collective vision of healing humanity through science and compassion, one child and family at a time,” President and CEO of Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Paul King said in a press release.
The pediatric health care network began in 2012 with an obstetrician in Palo Alto, and has since expanded to 200 pediatric and obstetric groups throughout the Bay Area.
“We are working to create a culture that better aligns with the expertise and innovation associated with Stanford Medicine and better represents our shared efforts to shape the future of healthcare through the work we do every day,” Les Liftersaid senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.