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Palo Alto nonprofits Avenidas and La Comida are coming together to host Flavors of Palo Alto, a food-filled fundraiser in support of programs for older adults.
Avenidas and La Comida have been serving Palo Alto’s older adult community, defined as those 65 and above, for more than 55 years. La Comida board member Nancy Coupal said the nonprofit has lost “a substantial amount” of funding from the federal government and estimates that they need to make up about 20% of that money. Both in need of additional funding, La Comida and Avenidas decided to team up and host a fundraiser showcasing bites from various local restaurants.
La Comida, which this year moved into its new headquarters on Bryant Street, serves more than 325 meals to older adults in Palo Alto daily, according to Coupal, allowing older adults to socialize and connect with others. In addition to its new downtown location, it serves meals to seniors at Stevenson House in south Palo Alto.
“When you eat at La Comida, you’re not just serving the purposes of a nutrition benefit to your body, but also the psychosocial aspect,” she said. “Some of these people don’t see anybody, they live alone, and so when they come to La Comida, they get to socialize and be with others.”
The joint venture represents a reunion of sorts for the two nonprofits. La Comida had spent decades in the Avenidas building at 450 Bryant St., before it was forced to leave to accommodate the building’s renovation. Since then, La Comida had been relying on temporary locations for its north Palo Alto programs, including the First United Methodist Church on Hamilton Avenue.
Now that it’s back in downtown Palo Alto, and directly across the street from Avenidas, both nonprofits are envisioning a closer partnership to accommodate their guests and combat loneliness among local seniors.
Kristina Lugo, president of Avendias, said the nonprofit is hoping to fundraise for its newest program, Friendly Voices, which provides socially isolated older adults a weekly phone call, as well as expand its wheelchair-accessible transportation program.
“We’re working to increase social connection among a population that otherwise can at times not have as much opportunity to connect with peers,” Lugo said.
Flavors of Palo Alto will be held Thursday, Sept. 24, from 4-6 p.m. at Mitchell Park Community Center with more than 13 local restaurants serving small bites. The $125 ticket includes live music, an open bar and bites from local spots such as Bevri, Chef Chu’s, Evvia Estiatorio, La Bodeguita Del Medio, Meyhouse, Oren’s Hummus, Terun, The Patio, The Pro, Redwood Cafe, Zareen’s and more. Coupal, founder of Coupa Cafe, said Coupa Cafe will be making its tres leches and chocolate mousse for the event.
Coupal said she hopes for around 200-250 people to attend and to raise half a million dollars, which will be split equally between Avenidas and La Comida. Her ultimate goal is for La Comida to continue to “make delicious food and make people happy and give them a place where they feel they belong.”
Flavors of Palo Alto, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto; Sept. 24 from 4-6 p.m. Tickets are $125.
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