Happy Holidays to all: our virtual community dinner!

Please send your pictures and wishes here!

Dear friends, members and volunteers of HelpBerkeley-

Yesterday we had our largest run! We delivered 1,038 Holiday meals, with 47 drivers, many of whom were first-time drivers, 39 packagers and baggers, 4 pickup managers, and many more volunteers.

We are very happy to have shared all this food: as a good Frenchman, I always feel that everything can be solved with food :slight_smile: The reason, of course, is that you share food with those you care about.
The point of sharing a meal is not to feed, but to share companionship, in the same way as you laugh with your friends but you don’t laugh alone.

When we volunteer at HelpBerkeley, we do so because we care about our neighbors and our community. We are all physically alone this Holiday, but spiritually we are not alone. We are all surrounded by this warmth of companionship that our network our caring neighbors and friends provides.

So let’s post lots of pictures and make this a virtual Holiday celebration: Happy Holidays to all!

In my household, we would like to share our lovely Holiday lunch. My firstborn son came back to us today to be with us for a while. We waited for him to celebrate Hanukkah, so today is our first day of Hanukkah :slight_smile: . He made his own first Hallah, and there, below, are my two sons, celebrating with us:

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Beautiful

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Dear Michel: loved your photos, your sons, the bread! Four of us single women, living alone are about to share our meal on zoom. I’ll try to photograph. best to you and your family, Hannah Meara

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you’ve inspired me to try my hand at a holiday loaf of challah. enjoy your precious time with loved ones.

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MAGICAL MAGICAL KINDNESS AND SUCH LOVE>

ALL THANKS FOREVER<

Patricia
( tea lady)

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Michel
You and your team are rock stars! You have stepped up at a time of need that no one could have anticipated. I shared my meals with my extremely healthy 90 year old mother as you did the same with your boys. Thank you for making this holiday so much more enjoyable.
PEACE
J.

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Dear Help Berkeley volunteers, and especially the chef and Michel Thouati,
Thank you for the delicious dinner. With each morsel, we think of all the effort that you put into this dinner. It gives us a feeling of community – – much appreciated during this holiday period.
Chuck and Laurie, 901 Creston.

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It was wonderful!
from Claudia Johnson

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A blessed occasion to you and it was a pleasure to have been part of your dream to feed those in need. I will continue to participate in the call in to the clients.
Julianne Gimhing

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Michel, may you and your family enjoy being together and stay safe and healthy with hope for the New Year. . May you know your efforts in mobilizing the community in providing this Help Berkeley idea is appreciated by so many. The Covid-19 vulnerable community feels the love. Thank you so much to you, your family and the many volunteers making this happen.

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Thank you
:heartpulse::evergreen_tree::snail::pray:ellen Levin

I didn’t think to take a picture of the delicious stuffed squash and roasted vegetables when I enjoyed them last night. Inspired cooking! I am grateful to be among the lucky recipients if so much generosity. I am spreading the meal over several days, finishing tomorrow. Thanks to all who made this possible, including the chef, staff, volunteers, and all who contributed to funding this holiday comfort.

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What a lovely post Michel. Yes, a meal is so much more than simply food. It is also companionship, community and caring. You have lead the way for all of us to show that Berkeley Cares! Here’s a photo of my son on our delivery route yesterday. And a photo of our Menorah from the last night of Hanukkah

. Happy Holidays everyone!

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The wonderful things you are doing are made more brilliant by their stark contrast to the devastating year we have experienced. Your deeds help to illuminate what we all hope awaits us, at the end of the tunnel. L’Chaim. Happy (finally) New Year!

| MichelThouati dispatcher
December 25 |

  • | - |

Please send your pictures and wishes here!

Dear friends, members and volunteers of HelpBerkeley-

Yesterday we had our largest run! We delivered 1,028 Holiday meals, with 47 drivers, many of which were first-time drivers, 39 packagers and baggers, 4 pickup managers, and many more volunteers.

We are very happy to have shared all this food: as a good Frenchman, I always feel that everything can be solved with food :slight_smile:The reason, of course, is that you share food with those you care about.
The point of sharing a meal is not to feed, but to share companionship, in the same way as you laugh with your friends but you don’t laugh alone.

When we volunteer at HelpBerkeley, we do so because we care about our neighbors and our community. We are all physically alone this Holiday, but spiritually we are not alone. We are all surrounded by this warmth of companionship that our network our caring neighbors and friends provides.

So let’s post lots of pictures and make this a virtual Holiday celebration: Happy Holidays to all!

In my household, we would like to share our lovely Holiday lunch. My firstborn son came back to us today to be with us for a while. We waited for him to celebrate Hanukkah, so today is our first day of Hanukkah :slight_smile:. He made his own first Hallah, and there, below, are my two sons, celebrating with us:

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Thanks to all the community and the wonderful volunteers for the very delicious Christmas Eve dinner. We are so grateful for the care and kindness that went into the preparations. It helped to know during these shut in times, and without our family, that others gave their time to ease the solitude.

Thank You so much, Elizabeth

Thank you for another wonderful dinner!

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Thank you for gifting so many!! Merci! Merci!!!
Peace and joy of the season to you and yours, Michel!
Arlene Acuna

Packing soup. :slight_smile:

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Ann Rosenberg

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Thank you Michel for the brilliant little miracle you & your wonderful volunteers make happen every single day.
I also, like many others, got into bread making as an extracurricular activity. Here’s my latest… the candles are onions. We’re make the Xmas tree bread tomorrow.
Every blessing to you & yours, Sandy

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Oh, Wow! How Wonderful!!! Happy Holidays :yellow_heart:

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