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Friendship Foundation

The Raddest Scientists 💚🔬
“We started Rad Scientists to share our love of science with members of the community who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in hands on experiments. It is so fun and rewarding to see so many enthusiastic scientists each month!” – Gemma Burstein, Co-founder of Rad Scientists.
Rad Scientists will be with us all summer! We can’t wait to see you there. 🤩

Fallbrook Food Pantry

Our History
 
​Fallbrook Mission Project was formed in 1991 as a religious service organization to offer economic assistance, emotional support and spiritual nurturing while promoting client self-esteem and dignity. Its work included providing shelter, food, and clothing and helping with medical needs. In 2005 the pantry moved away from its religious status, became an official 501(c)3 and changed its name to the Fallbrook Food Pantry. With a 30-year history of service to Fallbrook, we are deeply ingrained and involved in the community and have earned the trust of our clients and stakeholders. We focus on building strong personal relationships reflecting the small, rural enclave that makes up the Fallbrook region, and we know all our clients personally. Our semi-isolated community is far from the larger services of the city of San Diego, so our population relies on and trusts FFP to meet the complex needs of our diverse clientele.  Annually, serve 50,000 households, supplying over 1.5 million pounds of food.  This translates to 5,598 unduplicated individuals each year.
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The Pantry has made significant headway in putting healthy food on families’ tables since 1991. But the need became clear to create a more holistic model to affect system change in more profound ways through education.  Therefore, thanks to the community’s generosity, a successful capital campaign led to the 2019 purchase of a new building and a state-of-the-art Learning Center. We established our first nutrition class in 2021. Since then, FFP education initiatives have grown exponentially from one course that supported less than 100 clients to now offering more than seven courses that support over 400 clients annually, recording more than 6,500 classroom hours of learning during our first year of educational services.  We are in a stage of strategic and dynamic growth to expand the program even further in scope and impact. 
 
Food Insecurity
 
Food insecurity in Fallbrook and San Diego County is a complex issue resulting from poverty, inflation, lack of affordable housing, low wages, racial inequities, lack of access to affordable nutritious food, health problems, and high medical costs. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated food insecurity for many individuals and families due to job losses, reduced hours, and other economic challenges. 
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FFP programs are especially critical in rural areas like Fallbrook where residents live in a “food desert.” Fewer grocery stores and limited availability of healthy, affordable food is associated with high-calorie and less nutritious food, leading to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. What’s more, ​rural areas like ours, experience “persistent poverty” compared to urban counterparts—higher poverty rates over a long period. Economic instability, high housing costs, lack of job opportunities, and limited transportation options contribute to food insecurity in our vulnerable community. Alternatively, the strengths of rural communities are the strong social ties between people and a deep connection to locally run organizations. Our programs build upon these strengths to provide holistic services that nourish and educate the mind, body and soul. 

The Eli Home

The Eli Home started in 1983 as a home bible study group in Mike and Lorri Galloway’s living room. This was the beginning of a passion that would drive a lifetime. Soon family, friends and, volunteer professionals shared the dream and the first shelter for abused children and their mothers opened 18 months later.

Today the Eli Home is a multi-faceted faith-based organization that provides services for over 1,000 abused children and their mothers, at-risk youth, and families each year. The Eli Home now operates shelter homes, a 13,000-square-foot discount store social enterprise, corporate offices, community rooms, and counseling offices. Eli’s professional counseling and therapy staff and organizational staff work from its corporate location in Anaheim, California.

The foundation of Eli is built on hearts of service, from the board to the staff and its volunteers. Through the years, our focus has never wavered in sheltering abused children and working to prevent family violence. The journey has never been easy, but it has been joyful. Our board of directors, staff and volunteers have willing hearts, busy hands, and faith that rings louder than our fears.

ELEVATE

EYG + Leadership Class = a great day.
Today, we began the 2024-25 school year at Centennial High School with our Elevator Speech Introductions. The entire class wrote out and then shared their introductions with the class.
Once again, we will bring our EYG transformative mentoring conversations to the students in the Leadership Class at the Big 10.
 

Kingdom Causes Bellflower

“We believe in the power of transformation and second chances, and this week, we’re highlighting a story about exactly that. Meet Michael.

Michael spent 11 years in prison, a time that kept him away from his 13-year-old son and from pursuing his dreams. Since his release a few months ago, he’s been focused on making up for lost time and building a better future. One of his key goals was to obtain his GED, understanding that it would open up new opportunities for him. He was committed and dedicated himself to studying every day and, through that determination, passed the test on his first attempt! This accomplishment was a big milestone for him, and the start of his bigger dream of becoming a certified electrician.

During his time with Good Soil Industries, Michael not only focused on his school goals but also secured a job at Sam’s Club! In his exit interview, he shared what he valued most about his time at GSI: “I valued the work environment, the respect that was given to me, and the opportunity GSI provided me with this job.”

As Michael moves forward in his journey, he has a message for others considering the program: “This is a good program. They will help you achieve your goals and be successful.”

Michael’s story is an example of what can be achieved with the right support and determination. As he continues working towards becoming a certified electrician and making the most of his new job, we celebrate his progress and look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish.

We are honored to be a part of Michael’s journey and remain committed to helping individuals like him find success and belonging. We believe in the potential of every person and are inspired by stories like Michael’s that highlight the power of second chances.”

Click here to learn more about Kingdom Causes Bellflower. 

Adventures to Dreams Enrichment

Kaysen Pajarillo is joining our team and will be lending a helping hand at the garden and various events. Kaysen is super excited to interact with the kids and create memorable experiences for them. With her enthusiasm and dedication, Kaysen is sure to make a positive impact on our team and the children we serve. We’re thrilled to have her on board!

Click to watch the video. 

Kids and Horses

Did you know Kids & Horses serves our elder community too?
 
We are so excited to bring this new program to our community. This is FREE to participants, but we are limited to 20 guests. Make sure to RSVP if you plan to join us. Please share this with anyone you know who may benefit.
And don’t forget to check out our Connected Horse workshops for people living with dementia and their care partners. We are already in the swing of our September session, but there is space in our upcoming October session. https://kidsandhorses.org/memoryloss-program/
 

Salesian Family Youth Center

Empowering Voices: Young Writers from Boyle Heights Shine at Salesian Family Youth Center

In a moving celebration of creativity and resilience, seven young writers from the Boyle Heights community recently presented their first published book at the Salesian Family Youth Center. The event, led by Luis Chacon and JC Montenegro, drew over 50 enthusiastic attendees eager to support and celebrate the achievements of these remarkable young authors.

Click here to continue reading.

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