About Us
The Butter Paddle: Unique Gifts that Give Back
For nearly 60 years, The Butter Paddle has been a destination for beautiful, unique gifts and home accessories. We specialize in local and women-owned businesses, to ensure your gift is one-of-a-kind.
Voted Best Gift Store in Silicon Valley by the Mercury News and Best Gift Boutique and Best Nonprofit Organization by the Los Gatan, The Butter Paddle continues to be a favorite among shoppers who value both quality and community.
The Butter Paddle is entirely run by more than 70 volunteers, who make up the Eastfield Ming Quong (EMQ) Auxiliary. All proceeds from the store are donated to Pacific Clinics, which provides behavioral and mental health services for local, at-risk children and their families.
Our Impact
Last year, we:
- Donated 15,000 diapers, coats, backpacks, and toiletries
- Volunteered 31,000+ hours
- Helped fund essential Pacific Clinics programs, including foster care, neurodevelopmental services, and emergency aid to local children and families
Our History
For nearly a century, the EMQ Auxiliary has been dedicated to supporting local at-risk children. Founded in 1934 to aid San Jose’s first orphanage, it later established The Butter Paddle in 1967 to create a stable fundraising source. Originally the Bay Area’s first gourmet kitchen store in Saratoga, The Butter Paddle has since grown into a premier destination for upscale gifts, home décor, and more in downtown Los Gatos.
Please consider donating to the Children's Fund, benefiting Pacific Clinics.