Ruth Brinker
Encyclopedia
Ruth Marie Brinker was an American
AIDS
activist and founder of the nonprofit, Project Open Hand
. She began her activism in 1985 by providing food and meals to home-bound AIDS patients in San Francisco who were too ill cook or shop.
Brinker was born Ruth Marie Appel on May 1, 1922, in Hartford, South Dakota
. She moved to San Francisco, California
, during the mid-1950s, where she married her husband, Jack Brinker, in 1957. They had two daughters, Lisa and Sara, but later divorced in 1965.
By the mid-1980s, the AIDS epidemic was sweeping through San Francisco. One of Brinker's friends, who had AIDS and corresponding malnutrition
, became too weak to cook
or leave his home to go grocery shopping. Brinker, who was a grandmother at the time, and a group of her friends collaborated to provide the man with meals by dividing up the month to delivering them to his home. Unfortunately, some of the volunteers went on vacation and the man died by the time they returned to San Francisco.
Ruth Brinker vowed not to allow the same fate happen to others in San Francisco. She had previously worked in the food service industry and as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels
, a similar predecessor which provides meals to people who cannot purchase or prepare meals. She began organizing volunteers on a larger basis to deliver hot meals to AIDS patients in the city. This led to the establishment of her nonprofit, Project Open Hand, which was founded in summer of 1985 by Brinker and seven of her friends. The organization began with a small grant
of $2,000 dollars from a Zen
study group
and donated cookware. Project Open House has since expanded to provide meals and other services to the elderly and people with other chronic illnesses. In 1987 and 1988, Project Open House served 300 AIDS patients using an annual budget of $500,000. As of 2011, Project Open House provides 2,600 meals a day using $5.6 million in public and private donations. Brinker's nonprofit has been copied by "dozens" of organizations throughout the United States, according to the New York Times.
Ruth Brinker died from complications of vascular dementia at her home in San Francisco on August 8, 2011, at the age of 89. She was survived by her two daughters, one grandson and a great-granddaughter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
activist and founder of the nonprofit, Project Open Hand
Project Open Hand
Project Open Hand is a volunteer agency maintained and operated non-profit organization offering hot meals, grocery service, and nutrition education to those who qualify in both San Francisco and Alameda Counties...
. She began her activism in 1985 by providing food and meals to home-bound AIDS patients in San Francisco who were too ill cook or shop.
Brinker was born Ruth Marie Appel on May 1, 1922, in Hartford, South Dakota
Hartford, South Dakota
Hartford is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,534 at the 2010 census. The creators of the international Christian television show Burnnie the Bunnie: Tails From the Light Side live in Hartford.-Geography:...
. She moved to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, during the mid-1950s, where she married her husband, Jack Brinker, in 1957. They had two daughters, Lisa and Sara, but later divorced in 1965.
By the mid-1980s, the AIDS epidemic was sweeping through San Francisco. One of Brinker's friends, who had AIDS and corresponding malnutrition
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is the condition that results from taking an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, in excess , or in the wrong proportions....
, became too weak to cook
Cooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
or leave his home to go grocery shopping. Brinker, who was a grandmother at the time, and a group of her friends collaborated to provide the man with meals by dividing up the month to delivering them to his home. Unfortunately, some of the volunteers went on vacation and the man died by the time they returned to San Francisco.
Ruth Brinker vowed not to allow the same fate happen to others in San Francisco. She had previously worked in the food service industry and as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
, a similar predecessor which provides meals to people who cannot purchase or prepare meals. She began organizing volunteers on a larger basis to deliver hot meals to AIDS patients in the city. This led to the establishment of her nonprofit, Project Open Hand, which was founded in summer of 1985 by Brinker and seven of her friends. The organization began with a small grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
of $2,000 dollars from a Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
study group
Study group
A study group is a small group of people who regularly meet to discuss shared fields of study. These groups can be found in high school and college settings and within companies. Professional advancement organizations also may encourage study groups....
and donated cookware. Project Open House has since expanded to provide meals and other services to the elderly and people with other chronic illnesses. In 1987 and 1988, Project Open House served 300 AIDS patients using an annual budget of $500,000. As of 2011, Project Open House provides 2,600 meals a day using $5.6 million in public and private donations. Brinker's nonprofit has been copied by "dozens" of organizations throughout the United States, according to the New York Times.
Ruth Brinker died from complications of vascular dementia at her home in San Francisco on August 8, 2011, at the age of 89. She was survived by her two daughters, one grandson and a great-granddaughter.