Pathways of Hope celebrated the Grand Opening of our resource center and announced the center’s new name on Saturday, March 19th. The building at 611 S. Ford Ave. in Fullerton, formerly known as The Food Distribution Center, or The Center, was christened HUB of Hope.
For over forty years, Pathways of Hope has been providing emergency food for those in need in our community. Last year, Pathways’ food distribution program served over 5,500 individuals by providing over 37,000 meals. In response to the needs of the community, Pathways’ resource center has adopted new service methods and has begun offering additional resources to clients, such as nutrition classes and career counseling.
“Over the course of the last year, Pathways of Hope has made several strategic changes to our food program. For example, instead of distributing standardized bags of food, we have adopted a Client Choice Model, where our clients get to select the food items that best fit their families’ needs,” said Eric Azariah, Chairman of Pathways of Hope’s Board of Directors.
Pathways wanted to give the resource center a new name to reflect the expansion of available services, so the organization invited members of the community to submit their best ideas. Pathways received over 60 submissions, and the winner was chosen by the Board of Directors. The winning name, HUB of Hope, was submitted by Fullerton resident Judy Berg, who was honored at the Grand Opening.
Over one hundred people attended the event, hosted at 611 S. Ford Ave., Fullerton. Students from Cal State Fullerton served cotton candy and hosted an array of games and crafts for children. Fullerton organizations like CareerWise and Champions for Change shared information about their services with members of our community. Pathways of Hope ran a Lemonade Stand, hosted games, and provided snacks for attendees.
Assemblywoman Young Kim and former Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva both attended the Grand Opening Ceremony and showed their support of Pathways of Hope by speaking at the event.
Eric Azariah announced the resource center’s new name and introduced Judy Berg, who had the chance to share the inspiration behind her winning submission.
“The word ‘center’ immediately brings to mind ‘hub,’” Judy said, “And I thought, ‘hub’ is fine, but it should stand for something.” She thought about the work that Pathways of Hope does in the community and the relationships Pathways develops with the people they serve, and she came up with the acronym: “Helping, Understanding, Believing.”
“I’ve been tuned into Pathways for the majority of its existence, and the name HUB of Hope ties in with their mission and what they are committed to doing: Helping, Understanding, and Believing.”
Eric Azariah said, “We are excited about the expansion of resources at HUB of Hope, and proud to be collaborating with our partners to provide a comprehensive array of services to those in need in our community.”
Big thanks to Eastside Christian Church, CSUF, CareerWise, Champions for Change, and John Brion and Kathy Gunn for supporting The Grand Opening!
HUB of Hope Resources
Food Program: Monday – Friday, 1 pm to 4 pm, and Saturday from 9 am – noon
– Receive emergency food and hygiene items three times per month; clothing vouchers twice per year
– Free for all
CareerWise: Monday and Friday, 1:30 pm – 5 pm
– Access career counseling from knowledgeable specialists
– Free for homeless individuals
Gardening Class: Wednesday, May 4th, 10am
– Learn basic gardening skills and receive a free plant grown at HUB of Hope
– Free for all
OC Health Care Nutrition Class: Monday, May 9th, 4:00 pm
– Learn how to make nutritious meals and best practices for staying healthy
– Free for all
Contact Pathways of Hope’s offices to learn more about resources available at HUB of Hope by calling (714) 680-3691 or emailing info@pathwaysofhope.us.
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