HopeLink of Southern Nevada continues to provide for families in need
HopeLink of Southern Nevada is continuing to press on with its programming by adding new amenities to further assist low-income families.
This year, for the first time, HopeLink, 178 Westminster Way, received a grant from the United Way for $38,000 to help set up a food program.
Before the grant, HopeLink gave out only canned food goods that had been donated.
Karen Kyger, executive director of the organization, admits that in the past, the mentality was to let the food grants go to the "big guys."
"And then I decided to make a pitch," Kyger said. "Be careful what you wish for."
She found out that HopeLink was eligible for the grant this year.
"My first thought was, 'I only have one refrigerator,' " Kyger said. "I needed at least one more refrigerator and a freezer."
The organization got on its Facebook page to share the good news and how it needed a refrigerator and a freezer. Within two hours, Kyger said, it had both.
To make the food program more successful, HopeLink wanted to have participants really invest into it. It named this program Bountiful Hope.
The first part of the program, said Belkis Quezada, the family resource center coordinator at HopeLink, is a one-time class by the Southern Nevada Children's Heart Center. This is the first class required to receive food.
"Basically, it is a lot of information, including information about purchasing food and how to extend your food resources," Quezada said.
The other part of the program consists of an eight-week class taught by a group of nutritionists who give tips on how to cook healthier food and provide hands-on demonstrations. At the end of each class, participants get to take home the ingredients they used during the program.
By the end of the programs, HopeLink encourages members to look for healthier food choices that last longer.
Even if people must choose canned food over fresh vegetables, the class teaches participants to rinse canned vegetables to eliminate up to 60 percent of the sodium.
Kyger said that often, HopeLink has to supply people in the classes with utensils, too.
"For some people, if it is not a microwave, they don't know how to cook," Kyger said. "Microwaves aren't the healthiest."
Since the program started in February, 450 people have participated.
In addition to adding the food program to HopeLink, the staff is beginning to focus on its yearly back-to-school programs.
"That's new backpacks, new shoes, a new outfit and school supplies," Kyger said.
The organization hopes to provide all this for 1,100 to 1,500 children.
"There are studies that show kids who go back to school feeling less prepared have a harder time learning," said Donna Israelson, an administrative coordinator at HopeLink.
A $20,000 grant from Changing Lives, a community fund, has positioned HopeLink to help 500 of those children so far.
HopeLink hopes to have all the funds in by July so that by August, every child will be taken care of.
"We rely on both big and small donors," Israelson said.
HopeLink wants the community to make a donation or even sponsor a child. HopeLink estimates that it costs about $100 to completely sponsor a child.
The best thing about getting people in the community to invest, Kyger said, is they can't forget about the child they have sponsored.
"You don't forget about them until next August," Kyger said. "You ask about their needs around Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you write a check, that's great. But when I get 10 people in the community, I get 10 people in the community."
Without volunteers, HopeLink's staff could get only so far.
"We might get the clothes donated," Israelson said. "But who is going to stuff them into sacks for us?"
HopeLink needs volunteers for anything from clerical work and keeping the office tidy to specific projects.
"We just had people volunteer during tax season by helping some of our low-income families with their taxes," Kyger said
Israelson said HopeLink had a volunteer open house in April where 23 new volunteers signed up.
"We are planning to have another one in June," Israelson said.
For more information or to make a donation, visit link2hope.org or call 566-0576.
Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 387-5201.