APRIL 2025 NEWSLETTER
Our Partnerships are Our Strength
Dear Friends,
At GRIP, our strength has always been in our unity. From our earliest days, when a handful of faith communities came together to feed the hungry, to today’s thriving network of over 40 faith-based partners, our mission has been powered by collective compassion. These partnerships continue to grow — now including local nonprofits that bring specialized services directly to our shelter guests, from mental health support for children to financial literacy workshops for parents. Together, we create the safety net our unhoused neighbors need to rebuild their lives.
Below in our Partner Profiles, we hear from Nain Villanueva de Lopez, the Contra Costa Supervisor for our newest partner, Tandem, a nonprofit which brings valuable educational resources to the families we serve.
We also have a brief update about our vegetable garden and the Plant to Plate team, another local nonprofit, that is helping us design and structure the space.
As always, thank you for being a part of the GRIP family!
With gratitude,
Ralph Payton, Executive Director
Partner Profile: Building Literacy and Equity—An Interview with Tandem’s Nain Villanueva de Lopez
This month, we’re excited to spotlight our newest community partner, Tandem, a nonprofit committed to social justice and early childhood education. Tandem is now bringing literacy resources and family engagement programming to the children and families at GRIP’s family shelter.
We sat down with Nain Villanueva de Lopez, Tandem’s Contra Costa Supervisor, to learn more about their mission and the new collaboration.
Q: Can you share the inspiration behind your organization’s focus on literacy for children and in family shelters, specifically?
Nain: At Tandem, we believe that literacy is more than just learning to read—it’s the foundation for lifelong learning, self-expression, and social-emotional development. We focus on early literacy because the first five years are critical for brain development, particularly in underserved communities. In family shelters, books become more than educational tools—they are sources of comfort, consistency, and connection. We’ve seen the power of reading to strengthen the parent-child bond and help families navigate times of instability with resilience.
Q: What drew your organization to collaborate with GRIP’s family shelter?
Nain: GRIP’s commitment to wraparound support for families aligns so well with our mission. Their deep community roots and holistic approach made them a natural fit for partnership. We were especially moved by the shelter’s emphasis on nurturing both children and their caregivers. By partnering with GRIP, we can reach families at a moment when support and connection matter most.
Q: How do you envision this partnership enhancing the literacy support provided to children at GRIP?
Nain: We aim to integrate literacy into everyday life at the shelter. This includes offering storytime activities, providing culturally relevant books, and equipping staff to engage children in playful, literacy-rich interactions. It’s about making literacy accessible, joyful, and a natural part of a child’s day.
Q: How do you plan to tailor your literacy initiatives to meet the unique needs of children in transitional housing?
Nain: Our approach is flexible and trauma-informed. We provide durable books through our “Lil Library” that don’t need to be returned, which helps with the high mobility many families experience. We focus on stories that reflect the children’s own lives and use interactive, play-based techniques that meet them where they are—emotionally and developmentally.
Q: In what ways do you plan to involve parents or guardians in the literacy development of their children?
Nain: Parent engagement is central to our mission. We host workshops that show caregivers how to support literacy using everyday moments—no special training or materials needed. Whether it’s telling a story while cooking or making up rhymes on a walk, we help parents see themselves as their child’s most powerful teacher.
Q: Are there opportunities for community members to support or volunteer in your literacy programs at GRIP?
Nain: Absolutely! Volunteers are essential to what we do. Community members can assist with storytime sessions, help distribute books, and share their love of reading with families. It’s a beautiful way to connect with and uplift our community.
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Stay tuned as Tandem begins its literacy programs at GRIP’s family shelter this spring. We are grateful for partners like Tandem who share our vision of building brighter futures—one story at a time.
Planting Seeds of Change with P2P: Richmond Students Launch GRIP’s Community Garden
On April 18th, GRIP was thrilled to welcome a team of bright and enthusiastic Richmond high school students from the Plant to Plate (P2P) internship program to kick off the next phase of our community vegetable garden. These student interns, guided by P2P staff, rolled up their sleeves and got straight to work—clearing space, preparing soil, and beginning to lay the foundation for what will soon be a thriving garden space for our shelter families. Their energy, teamwork, and commitment to community service were inspiring to everyone on site.
This hands-on day marked the beginning of an exciting partnership that brings together youth development, food justice, and family well-being. As the garden grows, these student interns will return to lead educational workshops for children and parents staying at GRIP, helping families connect with fresh food, learn basic gardening skills, and experience the therapeutic joy of cultivating something together.
We’re deeply grateful to Plant to Plate for their vision, and to the students whose efforts will help turn this space into a source of nourishment, learning, and healing for our community.
