Hively Ribbon Cutting April 22, 2022
Hively
Karen Brace
925-417-8733 ext 314
kbrace@behively.org
Post Event Press Release
Dublin and Pleasanton Chambers Welcome Hively to Dublin with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Photo attachments–4
Friday, April 22, 2022 10am
[Dublin, CA] – The Dublin and Pleasanton Chambers performed a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the Hively Family Resource Center at 7066 Village Parkway.
Located in Dublin, the HFRC provides a one-stop shop for families to obtain all the basic necessities they need – all under one roof for maximum convenience and accessibility. The Community Closet provides new and gently used clothing, shoes, books and housewares, early literacy materials; and the Food Pantry provides food and other basic necessities All these resources are provided free of charge to all families in need. The Diaper Pantry provides diapers and wipes to Hively enrolled families free of charge. Families may choose what they want and take what they need.
Interim CEO, Mary Hekl lauded the community for their role in launching the new HFRC. “Hively is grateful for the partnership and funding from the City of Pleasanton, the City of Dublin, and our generous community donors who help make the Hively Family Resource Center possible. This is a community effort. Volunteers from the Tri-Valley area provide customer service, sort donations and restock food. All of this enables families to choose what they want and take what they need for a dignified shopping experience.”
The event was attended by several representatives from the Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore City Councils as well as the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. The most notable guest in attendance was State Assemblymember of the 16th district, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who also spoke at the event. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan thanked the entire Hively team and made special note of their dedication to families throughout the pandemic as well as their commitment to ensuring parents had the “real essentials.” She closed by giving special thanks to the childcare providers, calling them “some of the heroes” of these past few years. “Watching you show up everyday to give our kids the skills they need for the future….I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Hively Board of Directors Chair, Ryan Duncan Anderson, commented on the impressive turnout for the event, noting the community support for Hively is “incredible.” Said Duncan Anderson, “Parenting is so hard; Hively’s job is to make it a little easier. If a parent is struggling and needs help, they can come get clothing, food, advice and resources.”
Other speakers included the President of the Livermore Family Child Care Association, Shruti Agarwal, who is also a childcare provider. Agarwal credited Hively with helping her keep her childcare business open during the pandemic, even as many were forced to close their doors. “Hively provided supplies and testing kits, but they also provided emotional support” for providers. Hively’s Friday afternoon Listening Sessions, for child care providers, “were especially valuable,” said Agarwal.
Hively’s mission is to provide resources and support so that everyone in our community can thrive. Hively provides holistic support and services to strengthen families by providing child care subsidies for CalWORKs recipients; parent education classes to support healthy home environments; and family-strengthening classes to support the parent-child bond. In addition, Hively has affordable mental health services on a sliding-fee scale; and provides economic support through the Hively Family Resource Center, which provides free diapers (to qualified families) as well as free clothing, shoes, food and other basic necessities to families in need.
The HFRC is open Wednesdays 11AM-7PM and Saturdays 9AM-12PM.
For more information about Hively services or to donate, please visit our website: www.behively.org
Photo 1 & 2: From left to right: Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan; Hively Interim CEO Mary Hekl; Dublin Vice Mayor Jean Josey; Dublin Councilmember Shawn Kumagai; Dublin Councilmember Sherry Hu; Hively Board Chair Ryan Duncan Anderson
Photo 3: Hively Staff
Photo 4: interior of the Hively Family Resource Center
