Santa Clara County families and advocates in the court system had a recent opportunity to enjoy time together over a Thanksgiving meal at a local park and zoo.
Families in the Dependency Wellness Court and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs shared in a “Friendsgiving” Nov. 15 at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose. The event — hosted by Happy Hollow Foundation through a Healthy Living grant from Kaiser Permanente — aimed to give positive experiences to people participating in the dependency wellness court and their families. The voluntary wellness program helps people through recovery, enabling them to reconnect with their loved ones, while the CASA program provides advocates to speak for foster youth in court.
The Friendsgiving feast provided struggling children and families a supportive environment ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Happy Hollow Foundation Executive Director Rhonda Nourse said such uplifting childhood experiences are critical to recovering from trauma. Nearly 200 people attended the event this year, double the amount from 2024. Nourse said she was humbled by attendees sharing what they were thankful for, from clothing and food to sobriety and a roof over their heads.
“It showed that the foundation has a very meaningful role in these people’s lives — just providing this one simple meal … and a positive experience around a holiday,” Nourse told San José Spotlight. “These families have a choice between putting food on the table or a day spent at Happy Hollow. (Through the foundation), kids have an opportunity to create more memories, have access to nature and a day of play in the park and zoo with each other.”…