For most of her life, Shellena Eskridge thought she knew her family’s story.
Today, she serves as Executive Director of Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP), one of the Bay Area’s leading organizations supporting families experiencing poverty and housing instability. But only after stepping into the role did she discover something she never knew: decades earlier, her mother, Shelley, had been an HPP client.
As a young mother, Shelley was working hard to build a stable life for her children. A friend connected her to HPP, where she found housing, parenting support, a trusted case manager, and a community that believed in her.
In a short film shown at Tipping Point’s 2026 Benefit, Shelley reflected on what that support meant. “Sometimes we just need somebody to help us, to show us the way, and then we’ll take it from there.”
Neither Shelley nor HPP could have imagined how far that support would reach.
Years later, Shellena returned to the very organization that helped her family, eventually becoming its executive director. Then, while expecting her first child, she experienced a high-risk pregnancy that led to an emergency C-section. Recovering while caring for a newborn gave her a new perspective on the challenges many HPP families face, strengthening her commitment to ensuring families receive quality pre- and perinatal care.
HPP was Tipping Point’s very first grantee. With Tipping Point’s investment in both the organization and Shellena as a leader, HPP has grown into a pillar of support for the community. Now, HPP helps thousands of Bay Area families each year build stability through housing, economic mobility, parenting support, and early childhood services.
Looking at her daughter and grandson today, Shelley sees the ripple effect of that support across generations.
“When I’m gone,” she said, “I don’t have to worry. Now we have another generation.”
That’s why Tipping Point invests in organizations like HPP. When families have stable housing, trusted relationships, and the support they need, the impact doesn’t end with one person, it can change the course of generations.
