What Goes Around Comes Around

By Richard Johnson

Hayes Valley Community Partners (HVCP), in which Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association is an active partner, takes pride in fostering a safe and caring community. Our goal is to provide positive activities and events that bring our community together and celebrate our diversity.

As many of you know, holidays often bring out the best in all of us. This was recently demonstrated by Lorraine Gash of Friendship Village. Lorraine coordinated a donation from one non-profit to another that brought us one step closer to continuing our mission. Usually, we need to take the initiative to reach out for donations of this kind so it was refreshing to see such a proactive approach to community building.

I initially met Lorraine through my work with the Northern Police Community Relations Forum. Through our prior work together, she knew that HVCP worked with youth and families of the Hayes Valley/Western Addition neighborhoods. So, when she was approached by David Joy of Thanksgiving Once A Month with the possibility of a donation during Easter season, she immediately thought of HVCP. Call it Karma, or just being in the right place at the right time, but we readily accepted the offer.

Finding recipients for the Easter baskets was easy. The Easter baskets were given to youth of the Hayes Valley Playground and the Western Addition Drum Corp and Drill Team. Sincere thanks to David F. Joy and his non-profit Thanksgiving Once A Month for donating Easter Baskets to 50 youth. Thanks also to Lorraine for bringing our community together in such a positive way. You made a brighter Easter for many youth and families in our neighborhood!