VISTA — Operation Hope-North County unveiled an expanded food pantry and clothing store during a ribbon cutting on Aug. 22 in Vista.
The nonprofit reconfigured two current rental properties to upgrade the pantry and boutique as the number of clients has increased over the past several years, according to Anneliese Petitt, OHNC’s community engagement coordinator.
OHNC also owns and operates a 12-bedroom and 45-bed shelter across the street from its pantry and boutique. The pantry is located at 840 Townsite Drive in Vista.
“We’ve had a 500% growth in the last fiscal year,” Petitt said. “In fiscal year 2022-23, we served over 1,100 individuals and over 650 families. That growth is not only due to rising costs, inflation and housing, but also due to the end of the emergency CalFresh allotment in April.”
She said the buildings used to be owned by the Vista Community Clinic, but OHNC is now renting the facilities to expand its footprint and services. The social services organization‘s landlord gave the nonprofit an in-kind donation for the building housing the pantry, so OHNC doesn’t have to pay rent and can repurpose those funds into its operations.
OHNC opened its food pantry before the COVID-19 pandemic to serve our graduate families from the shelter who had successfully obtained housing but were still experiencing food insecurity. The boutique was established to serve families at the shelter.
Since then, the pantry has grown in service by aiding more than 100 families per week from the community who are experiencing food insecurity. These services are part of the organization’s efforts to help prevent homelessness in Vista, which is a major need in the region, Petitt said.
Both the Food Pantry and Boutique operated as medical offices before OHNC moved into those office suites. For the past several months, OHNC has been working on renovating those spaces to exemplify hope and dignity, she said, for the community members they are serving.
OHNC recently completed Leah’s Pantry’s six-month Gold Star Certificate Program for its food services.
With the renovations, the pantry has quadrupled in size and the boutique adds more space. The larger space allows their clients a more robust shopping experience, Petitt said. They partnered with Ace Hardware Store in Oceanside, MiraCosta College and the Nordson Corporation, who helped with donations to facilitate the renovations, she said.
“We’ve been able to develop it to the point where we’re happy with what we’re doing and it works for our clients,” Petitt said. “Now we’re considered a gold-start certification program.”
The organization was founded in 2003 in response to a visible increase in the number of unsheltered families with children. ONHC began as a cold-weather shelter and in 2016 transitioned to a year-round organization that has helped countless families with children and single women who are experiencing homelessness.
OHNC also works its independence program to provide safe shelter, case management, and supportive services to help build life skills leading to self-sufficiency and independence. The shelter serves over 160 individuals per year and approximately 60% of those are youth.
