Oral History

Nevida Butler & Byron Lanier Bland III Interview

Themes:
Subjects:
Dorian Brown, Byron Lanier Bland III, Crab Fest, Community Block Party, Nevida Butler, Marian Nixon, Share-A-Thon Walk
Date of Creation or Publication:
11/7/2025
Creator
Meda Okelo
Donor
Nevida Butler
Byron Lanier Bland III
Language
English
Copyright Statement:
Interview of Nevida Butler & Byron Lanier Bland III by Meda Okelo about the Ecumenical Hunger Program (EHP). Topics include: Nevida arriving in EPA in 1973; Byron organizing a Bay-area wide food program conference where he met Marian Nixon and Etta Smith of EHP; Nevida meeting Marian Nixon around 1974 and becoming a board member; Marian Nixon starting EHP, distributing food at the old Ravenswood High School site; Byron recruiting Nevida to be the executive director in 1981; importance of Stanford student and community volunteers; the expansion of EHP in Whiskey Gulch, adding clothing and furniture resources; why Whiskey Gulch was important; early struggles of the organization; various fundraisers; moving from Whiskey Gulch due to redevelopment; changing the name to EHP Cares; the EHP Way; what advice they would give their younger selves starting an organization like EHP, and where they would like EHP to be 50 years from now.

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