Ed. Note: This week’s entry was written by Domanique, a student at St. Mary’s College participating in a January Term internship with St. Anthony Foundation. Today is her last day with us but from the sounds of it, she’ll be back!

St. Anthony Foundation has been a new experience for me. Although it wasn’t my first time working with the homeless, this encounter was different and exciting. I have been able to understand people and have learned to not look on the surface of the individual, but to dig deep into the soul of each person I met. I have made myself available to work outside of my comfort zone and embraced the tasks that I thought would be hard to overcome, but that I found quite intriguing and overwhelming. I have humbled myself not only to those that I have met but also those whom I have known for years. This experience helped me to get a better relationship with God and my understanding of Matthew 25:36 (Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me…) I feel truly blessed to have had this opportunity and I hate that I have to go. I had such a great experience with St. Anthony’s, that I want to continue to volunteer in my free time! See you all soon!

Photography Justin Sullivan spent time last week doing a photo essay on Joe, a longtime guest and friend of St. Anthony Dining Room. Click here to check it out.

Gymboree is in the business of children’s clothing, playtime, and music, but for the last two years they’ve been packing presents for adults, here at St. Anthony Foundation.

Gymboree employees are a lot of the reason we could give a gift bag to every person who came to St. Anthony Dining Room on Christmas Day. They donated the bags, colored hats, and chocolate bars, in addition to labels they had printed with “Happy Holidays.” They collected hundreds of travel size shampoos, bath gels, and lotions. Then they came in person to label and fill the bags with the ingredients they had brought, plus socks St. Anthony’s had been collecting for weeks.

The Gymboree values statement promotes making a difference, being creative, passionate, and authentic, and acting like a family.  “We care about one another,” they say. “We have a sincere respect for one another and we foster trust and camaraderie.  We like to have a good time and celebrate success.”

Twenty-two-hundred bags. Twenty-two-hundred very low-income people whose day was brightened by a special meal at St. Anthony’s and a present. Yes it was a useful present; practical. It was also colorful, warm, and unexpected. Like the sticker that said “Happy Holidays” and the chocolate bar in among the socks and bath gels.  It was a success to celebrate.

We tell groups who help us with Christmas projects that Christmas is the hardest day of the year for our guests. On other days, you’ll see a cheerfulness and sense of community you might not expect. But on Christmas, you just hope that whatever we can do sinks in by the day after and cheers people up.

This Christmas, it seemed to me our guests on the whole were in better spirits than I’d seen since I started here. More people wished me a merry Christmas or responded to my own “Merry Christmas” with a big smile; more people thanked me for one thing or another than I remember from previous years. Gymboree reminded us that that one day of kindness and thoughtfulness can make a difference; one gift on one day of the year. And don’t forget the chocolate.

Over 50 individuals residing in the Tenderloin visited the St. Anthony Poverello Room today to take a standardized test. Not just any test, but one to work for the 2010 Census Bureau. TL regulars picked up #2 pencils and tried their hand at a 28 question test to assess their skills and to determine what positions they were most qualified for.

The Tech Lab, a program conceived between two partnerships, again reached out to the community to collaborate with the Tenderloin Workforce Center (TWC). The TWC is a city funded program aimed at helping individuals obtain employment. Not completely dissimilar to some of the services offered at the Tech Lab for folks who are looking for employment, the TWC’s sole mission is to provide the community with valuable resources and information helpful in the job search. Oh, and it is conveniently located next door the Dining Room entrance. It became apparent that both the Tech Lab the Workforce Center were referring clients back and fourth; The Tech Lab would send individuals to TWC who were looking for work, training programs, or resume tips while TWC would send folks over who needed to brush up on their computer skills. When contact was made with someone working for the 2010 census, it seemed a natural partnership would be created for the project. (more…)

That time of the month,

Dining Room line down the block.

Rain, rain, go away.

What’s cooking this week at St. Anthony Dining Room!

Monday January 25 – Chicken and Sausage Hot Pot
Chicken and sausage cooked with rice

Tuesday January 26 – Red Beans & Rice
Cajun spice red beans and rice. Served with cornbread

Wednesday January 27 – Mongolian Beef
Beef simmered with vegetables and mushroom in an Asian Hoisin sauce

Thursday, January 28 – Turkey Gumbo
Spicy Louisiana turkey stew with Gumbo file. Served over rice.

Friday, January 29 – Pasta Marinara
Classic tomato sauce over pasta

Saturday, January 30 – Curried Turkey
An Indian style curry made with turkey

Sunday, January 31 – Arroz con Pollo
A Mexican dish of rice, chicken and vegetables.

Check back for weekly installments of On The Menu!

Ed. Note: Below is the first installment of a new Blog series called “From The Intern Desk …” This particular entry was written by Katie, our intern extraordinaire who is currently serving in the St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic, the Dining Room and the Development department:

Having grown up as a small town Midwesterner and even smaller-town college student (attending Dartmouth in the miniscule Hanover New Hampshire), the transition to the St. Anthony foundation in San Francisco has been an interesting one.

On Wednesday, January 20th the other interns and I participated in the “Homelessness Ends With a Home” rally and march. After taking the historic, if somewhat sluggish, cable car to the ferry building we came across a mass of people, chanting and holding up a variety of signs–the most common reading “house keys not handcuffs.” Although it was a cold and cloudy morning people had traveled from all over the west coast to attend this march. The crowd was a mix of currently homeless, previously homeless, advocates, non profit workers, and, like me, a few clueless people looking lost and out of place. As the afternoon progressed a series of speakers, singers, and poets stood on stage to talk about their hopes, demands, and experiences. As they spoke, and sometimes even screamed, I watched as the clouds gradually cleared from above our heads to let the elusive sun shine through, warming our soggy bodies. Maybe it was the sunlight, or the banners, or the energy of the crowd, but I finally began to realize how much this march meant to these people. It wasn’t merely a symbolic walk down Market Street, it represented the very survival and future of the people standing next to me, in a way I could probably never truly grasp.

As the march began a brass band started to play and people on megaphones led energetic chants. After a few blocks it started to sprinkle, then rain, and then pour. Although my first instinct was to complain, I quickly realized that if thousands of people had to live and sleep in these conditions, the least I could do was walk in them. After countless blocks, endless yelling, and hundreds of stares from bystanders, the march finally reached the federal building. The rally was an impressive and empowering experience, and I can only hope that it will make a small difference in the long-term fight against homelessness. It was a great pleasure to walk beside people with such passion, who were willing to fight to obtain what so many of us take for granted–a home.

According to the American Optometric Association, early detection is a key factor in effective treatment of glaucoma — an eye disease that is often a complication of diabetes. Diabetics are 40% more likely to suffer from glaucoma, but with the help of early detection, symptoms of glaucoma can be treated to prevent nerve damage and blindness.

We see many low-income patients here at St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic who suffer from diabetes as a result of poor diet and food insecurity. In an effort to reduce health disparities experienced by these men and women in our community we offer free eye screenings during designated diabetes days, during which care is focused diabetic medical and educational needs. These free optical screenings make it possible for uninsured diabetic patients to receive the specialized care they need.

To learn more about diabetes, check out diabetes.org or speak with your healthcare provider.

The Volunteer Center is now accepting people’s choice nominees for it’s Annual Awards. Anyone can vote once a day, everyday until April 28th, 2010. We encourage you to vote St. Anthony’s as your favorite non profit, and to please share this voting opportunity with your family and friends!

We celebrated the life and mourned the passing of a great woman this past Saturday. Joan Dangel was a charter member of the Stitchers for St. Anthony. She just missed celebrating their 25th anniversary next month. She volunteered in the dining room every Wednesday. She was such a joyful, radiant, loving presence for us and our guests.

Her children and grandchildren told wonderful stories about her, but the one that really hit me came from a neighbor in Pacifica. Joan never learned to drive. Every Wednesday Joan would be standing at the bus stop to come and volunteer, usually holding a bag of donations for our guests. Even in the pouring rain she’d faithfully and patiently wait for the bus.

For all the poor and homeless mothers and their children she knit and sewed for, and for all the guests, volunteers, and staff she cheered with her presence, and for the devotion and compassion that lit her up like the sun, we give thanks.

May the Angels lead you into paradise:
may the Martyrs come to welcome you,
and take you to the holy city, Jerusalem.
May choirs of Angels welcome you,
and with Lazarus who is poor no longer
may you have eternal rest.