 | | | Photo provided
| | | | | | On August 28th Project Hearth, an organization working to prevent homeless-ness among Contra Costa families, held a "walk-around" at the Lafayette Reservoir to mark its founding twenty years ago.
During that time, Project Hearth has helped prevent over 500 families and thousands of children from losing their homes. According to Tim O'Keefe, Executive Director of SHELTER, Inc., with whom Project Hearth partners to provide financial assistance and counseling, "the longevity of Project Hearth can be attributed to the commitment of the members. They dedicate time and expertise, to raise donations through one solicitation letter a year. Project Hearth members hear the stories of every family they help and see the impact of their efforts. Without Project Hearth more families would be homeless."
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors honored Project Hearth at their meeting on August 10, 2010. The Board praised the women for stepping up and sticking with the project for twenty years.
Nine women who walked daily around the Lafayette reservoir created Project Hearth in 1990. They decided they wanted to help families on the brink of homelessness due to unforeseeable circumstances. Naming themselves "Project Hearth" to show their commitment to home and stability, the members focus their assistance on families, making a real difference in the lives of many parents and children who otherwise have nowhere to turn for help.
"Even though we don't walk as a group around the Lafayette Reservoir any-more," said one of the now fourteen-member board of Project Hearth, "we invite the community to join with us in our twenty year 'walk-around' to draw attention to the positive impact even a small group can have on the lives of people-in-need right here in our own community."
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA