Around Town: 10-year-old's Italian dinner kits feed the needy, foster community bonds - Palo Alto Online

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In the latest Around Town column, news about a 10-year-old from Palo Alto who tapped on the community to help her create Italian dinner kits for the needy, local residents recognized for the volunteer work during the COVID-19 pandemic and which members of the Stanford University community have been selected to help President-elect Joe Biden in the White House.

BUON APPETITO! ... Tessa Berney's Italian dinner kits consist of three simple ingredients: pasta, pasta sauce and a positive note for the recipient all packaged in a Ziploc bag. In about a month, the sixth grader managed to gather enough donations for a total of 145 sets that were donated last week to Peninsula Family Service. It's her way of helping out people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I can't write them a check, I'm only 10, so I want to help them in a different way," she said. Tessa was inspired to launch the project after watching a video of a family of four who lived in a small, one-bedroom apartment and received help through the nonprofit. She reached out to her neighbors in Old Palo Alto and surrounding areas through Nextdoor and her school, Silicon Valley International School, to support her food drive. To keep things safe and contactless, donors left their contributions in a bucket set up outside of her home. Then, Tessa and her family would pick them up and wipe everything down. The notes in each kit varied in messaging, from a holiday greeting to simply "Buon Appetito!" She chose to center her food drive on pasta dishes because they're filling meals and the receiver could make their own additions, such as a protein or vegetables (plus, it's popular among children, Tessa added). The project caught the attention of Palo Alto Firefighters Local 1319, which gave her a $1,000 check. She plans to spend a majority of the funds to assist firefighters in the Bay Area. Looking forward, Tessa intends to make dinner kits every holiday season. "It just felt good to give back to my community and to help others ... in such a difficult year."

RICH IN KINDNESS ... As Aesop once said, "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." The Greek fabulist's words couldn't ring more true for the people behind this year's distinguished volunteer fundraisers recently celebrated on Silicon Valley Philanthropy Day. The Nov. 19 event by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Silicon Valley Chapter showed appreciation for a handful of locals who have stepped up to serve the needy. Among the recognized locals were Palo Alto City Council member Alison Cormack, Megan Swezey Fogarty and Lynne Russell for their work in helping low-wage workers with rent and other expenses for basic needs. The organization also recognized Evelyne Keomian, founder of The Karat School Project, a Palo Alto-based nonprofit that works to educate women and girls. Keomia has assisted people who live in recreational vehicles parked on El Camino Real. Click here for a full list of this year's honorees.

TOP OF THE LINE ... President-elect Joe Biden has wasted no time since the general election was called in his favor. Over the past few weeks, news has circulated of his Cabinet nominees and picks for agency review teams, some of whom have ties to Stanford University. One of the most notable choices was announced this week. State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who received his undergraduate and law degrees from Stanford, has been tapped to serve as the secretary of Health and Human Services. Becerra would be the first Latino to serve in the role if confirmed, according to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' transition team. Five Stanford scholars have been picked to serve on Biden and Harris' agency review teams. The appointees are Linda Darling-Hammond, an education professor; Colin Kahl, senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; Pam Karlan, professor of public interest law; Arun Majumdar, director of the Precourt Institute for Energy; and Ramin Toloui, the Tad and Dianne Taube policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. "These teams are composed of highly experienced and talented professionals with deep backgrounds in crucial policy areas across the federal government," the Biden-Harris transition team said in an announcement.

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Around Town: 10-year-old's Italian dinner kits feed the needy, foster community bonds - Palo Alto Online
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