"Gracefully Broken, a nonprofit founded by Antioch native Randi Garcia, has spent the past three-and-a-half years serving residents in need through resource distribution, family events and volunteer outreach rooted in dignity and compassion. Garcia, born and raised in Antioch, said her connection to the community runs deep, having attended local schools before eventually settling in Oakley. The inspiration for Gracefully Broken came during her first clothing giveaway."
""A young boy about 8 years of age asked if he could have one," she said. "He yelled across the room, 'Mom, I got a new toothbrush.' I had to walk away ... the most basic item anyone can have, and here a small boy is so excited about it." That same day, a grieving mother approached Garcia, unsure how she would afford school clothes after losing her husband months earlier. The encounters reshaped Garcia's vision."
Gracefully Broken serves families across East Contra Costa County by distributing food, clothing and hygiene items and providing emotional support and family events. The nonprofit grew from a small clothing giveaway that included "blessings in a bag" of hygiene essentials. Encounters with recipients, including an excited child receiving a toothbrush and a grieving mother unable to afford school clothes, shifted focus toward one-on-one conversations and emotional support. The organization operated within Antioch Covenant Church before becoming an independent nonprofit last July to increase access and reduce perceptions of religious requirements. Gracefully Broken remains based at a church but does not require religious participation.
Read at The Mercury News
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