Local Parenting Group Changing Lives One Meal at a Time

You can hear the joy before you see the half dozen babies and toddlers playing. Mostly new moms and dads packed around the kitchen counter and dining room table. They share parenting experiences while preparing fresh ingredients for a meal donation to homeless women and their children at the San Leandro Shelter.

These community-minded parents were brought together by Xouhoa Bowen. A transplant to San Leandro, this mother of two wanted to connect with other new parents and make a difference in the community with her toddlers in tow.

Last December, by organizing an online parenting group, Xouhoa gathered ten like-minded parents and their little ones for their first Community Lab event — donating a dinner for the 30 homeless women and their children who call Building Futures’ San Leandro Shelter home.

Today, through social media and word of mouth, Xouhoa’s group has grown to triple digits. With events focused on parenting support or family fun, it’s a wonderful surprise that the community-minded dinner donation event remains so popular.

“Since our first donation in December, our group is grown tremendously and the Dinner Donation events is one of the most engaging. There are so many parents in our community who want to help. We happily plan meals that are nutritious, delicious, made from scratch and even picked from our gardens!” group founder, Xouhoa Bowen enthuses.

Group members take turns preparing meal items and watching the little ones play together. Between parent interactions and child ones, the event is enriching for everyone. Parents, many new to parenthood, share ideas and experiences while chopping garden-picked vegetables and barbequing donated salmon fillets. Their children happily play together. Members unable to attend the event donate ingredients.

San Leandro dinner cooks, like Xouhoa’s group, know that they make a big difference in the lives of those in need — one meal at a time. Dedicated individuals, church groups and community clubs volunteer their time and resources to make a positive impact in the lives of homeless women and their children served at Building Futures’ San Leandro and Midway Shelters.

“To all of our dinner donors, thank you for your support.” says Building Futures’ Executive Director, Liz Varela. “You nourish and encourage the women and kids who call our shelters home as they regain stability and build improved lives.”

365 days a year, Building Futures helps Alameda County individuals and families rebuild their lives after homelessness and family violence. The agency provides emergency shelter, housing assistance, domestic violence intervention and outreach. Please visit our website at www.bfwc.org. Learn more about our dinner donation program and other volunteer opportunities under the Support Us tab, or call Lorie Curtis at 510-924-3092.

For more information about Xouhoa’s group “The Community Impact LAB”, please visit www.communityimpactLAB.org.

Pictured: Xouhoa Bowen, Christina Means, Kristen Martin, Dan Ricard, Meghan Lyding, Araceli Catalan, Sara Strickland, Kalen Curtis, Sunny Sun, Lindsey Rangel Giannini, Bethany Corrie, Yenhoa Ching, Alana Ledbetter and Serena Yu. Not pictured: Ami Shah, Amber Ennis, Janet Durand, and Mallory Englehart.