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Two longtime East Bay private nonprofit organizations that joined forces this year recently unveiled their new moniker and are hosting a plethora of upcoming local events and programs to celebrate and support their various causes.
Last month the two groups formerly known as Child Care Links and Family Service Counseling and Community Resource Center announced their plans to merge into one entity. That partnership is now called Hively, a portmanteau “derived from the words ‘lively’ and ‘hive’ and means ‘a place or community full of life and energy.”
“Hively is the perfect combination of all the things we were looking for,” said CEO Kelly O’Lague Dulka in a statement. “It’s abstract enough that it allows us — even requires us — to tell people who we are and what it means. It’s friendly and engaging, which is exactly how we want our agency to be.”
The new agency unites the resources of the two former entities, which includes mental health and counseling services, child care vouchers and referrals, parenting programs, and providing free food, clothing and diapers to families in need at its Oakland and Tri-Valley locations.
They also connect community members with various vocational and educational resources and social services.
San Leandro-based Family Service Counseling had operated since 1926 before officially dissolving as an organization last month to join forces with Child Care Links, which was originally founded under the name Resources for Family Development when it first opened in 1976.
“With the merger came the desire to rename ourselves to better describe and define who we are,” Dulka said.
The partnership came about when Child Care Links decided to formally bring Family Service Counseling, which was trying to expand their mental health services and find executive leadership at the time, into their fold. Dulka said the new name “is the perfect combination of words” and invokes “a place filled with energy where people can feel a sense of belonging.”
The new name also includes new hours at Hively’s Community Closet, which provides clients with clothing, furniture and books.
The Closet in Pleasanton is open to clients on Tuesdays and Thursdays during normal business hours, and every other Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m., or in Oakland during normal business hours. Hively also hosts special Saturday shopping events throughout the year.
Hively board members, staff, volunteers and donors will also be serving up a memorable evening on Aug. 19 from 5-8 p.m. at SideTrack Bar and Grill, 30 W. Angela St., in downtown Pleasanton. A portion of the evening’s sales and tips will go toward benefiting the families that Hively serves.
Space is limited; those interested in attending are asked to reserve their seat now by calling 399-6789.
For more information about Hively, visit www.behively.org.