Announcing a new volunteer opportunity at St. Anthony’s and another way we Walk the Walk together, treating each other with dignity & respect:

We’re looking for a few folks to serve as cross walk traffic guards

Monday-Friday

from 9:30 am—1:30 pm.

You’d be helping our Dining Room Guests & Community members safely

cross an intersection on Golden Gate Ave between our Waiting Room and Dining Room.  You are at least 21 years old, dedicated (fog, rain, or shine!), friendly, attentive, reliable, and physically able to volunteer for the entire shift one or more days each week.

Individual Volunteer Orientation required Sat, Aug 11^th, 10:30 am-1:00 pm

Contact Marie O’Connor, Individual Volunteer Coordinator at 415-592-2726 or moconnor@stanthonysf.org to inquire and register for orientation.

Needed ASAP;    Available ‘til filled;       Thank you!

A major yarnstorm is brewing at St. Anthony’s.  That’s right, major yarn is being predicted in our area with an expected 6,000 handmade hats and scarves to make landfall by Dec. 21, 2012.  Thanks to the dedication of a large and diverse group of  wonderful crafters, we will be collecting handmade hats and scarves again this year.  So if you haven’t started already, get out those needles.!

The extremely low-income folks we serve here in the Tenderloin have appreciated the warmth and care of your hand crafted goods so much that this year we are making a few changes.  We will distribute scarves and hats on cold or rainy days as they occur rather than wait for Christmas, which is long after the cold weather begins here in San Francisco.  We will also distribute at Christmas.

Just imagine the relief on some frigid day yet to come when someone makes their way to the St. Anthony Dining Room for a hot meal and finds themselves also wrapped in a warm hat or scarf.  Imagine knowing that in your darkest hour, there are people everywhere who care about you and how that knowledge may sustain and give courage through the days yet to come.  Because when you choose hope, anything is possible.  For details, click here.

This blog entry is the second installment of Free Clothing Program Manager Allan Shapiro’s blog series covering “A Day in the Life of the Free Clothing Program.” The following details a scene outside the FCP as Allan arrives at work.

In my short time here at the Free Clothing Program, I’ve already walked out three sleeping bags to gentlemen either unable to make it to us, or unaware that we’re even here.

One of them was asleep on the sidewalk with but a blue plastic tarp to cover him. There was an empty bottle of wine in a bucket beside his head, so I left the sleeping bag beside it, not wanting to startle him, along with some shirts, a pair of pants, a pillow, a pair of socks, and a pamphlet with our information and hours. I have yet to see him come for service, but he has been using the sleeping bag.

Another was a young man sleeping on cardboard beneath some scaffolding. His friend had a sleeping bag, but he did not. I asked him if he needed one, which may have been a stupid question, becuase his answer was a definitive “yes.”

And the third gentleman was David. David also needs surgery. A brace covers his right leg, but the swelling won’t go down enough to allow the doctors to operate. His hands are also swollen. I have no idea how he pushes around his shopping cart all day. I also have no idea on any given day if I will ever see him again. Sometimes he sleeps in the sunlight on the sidewalk of the NW corner of 8th and Mission. Sometimes he doesn’t recognize me when I walk past him. Sometimes I worry that we won’t have ablanket or a sleepign bag the next time he needs one. They are one of those items that are always in high demand and that we never get enough of.

We recently received a very large donation of what I called Captain and Chenille blankets from the Marriott (Thank you again, Marriott!), but at the same time Episcopal Community Services was also in desperate need of blankets for their shelters, so we outreached the majority of the donation to them. Luckily there was also enough for our guests and for our own residential recovery program, the Father Alfred Center. But not even Captain and Chenille can keep you warm on a cold and windy night in San Francisco, and we only have a handful of sleeping bags left.

In photo: Free Clothing Program staff with blankets donated by the Marriott

A guest in the Dining Room

I don’t work in our Dining Room—I help raise the money that puts food on the trays every day. But I do have occasion to be in the Dining Room now and then, and I’ll inevitably ask a guest, “How are you doing?”  When I ask this question I don’t think that I’m expecting any answer—it’s more of a habit. If I were to think about it at all, I would expect him to say what we all say when asked that: “Oh, I’m okay, can’t complain,” or “It’s a crazy day, too much going on,” or just “Alright.” That’s why I’m always caught off guard by the answer I receive.

The average guest to the Dining Room has waited in line for an hour to receive a meal. If it’s the end of the month he has little or no cash in his pockets. According to the standards of contemporary culture he has failed the test of making himself into a productive, contributing citizen—he’s not acquired the things that convey status, security and well-being. So when I ask, “How are you doing?” I’m flabbergasted by his simple response: “I’m blessed!”

Therein for me is a challenge and an invitation.

The Challenge: The declaration by our guest that he is “Blessed” challenges what some have called the guiding vision of contemporary culture: the Myth of Scarcity.*

According to this vision there’s never enough—there’s not enough time, there’s not enough love, there’s not enough water, not enough oil, not enough jobs, not enough money. This is the basis of economic theory: what drives all of human behavior is the allocation of scarce resources.

The presumption is scarcity.  The very nature of value is defined by scarcity—the less there is of something the more valuable it is. This means we must compete for things. Competition, not cooperation, is the way to succeed.

According to this myth, our Dining Room guest should recognize his plight as a victim of this struggle for the limited stuff of this world. His response to my question should reflect either his determination to improve his lot (“Okay, I just got a new DVD player”), or his resentment that he’s losing out (“It’s not fair!”).

But instead he replies, “I’m blessed,” and thus . . .

The Invitation: Resist the cynicism that interprets this response as naïve optimism. Listen for this man’s conviction that in the face of probably countless hardships, some bad decisions and a rigged system, in this moment he has benefited from an abundance of goodness in this world. He’s blessed. The food he has received is an expression of a bounty with which we have all been blessed.

Were I to take the time to sit down and engage this guest (which I sometimes do), I would hear of other recent firsthand experiences of this bounty: the email from a brother just out of the hospital, the chance for a part-time job next week, maybe a lead on a new place in a senior housing building. We’re a faith-based organization, so this guest may feel comfortable (or compelled) to link this abundance to a generous God whose gifts and whose love overflows into our lives. We are also an organization committed to advocacy, so I may be invited to consider the need to confront social and economic policies that redirect this abundance to the few and away from the many.

I leave the table knowing that I’ve been blessed. My initial surprise at his simple response still has a hold on me. But it’s no longer surprise that this “person in need” considers himself blessed. I’m surprised that in my need for more of this and more of that, I so easily forget that I too am blessed.

Barry Stenger is St. Anthony’s Director of Development and Outreach

 *for more on “the Myth of Scarcity” see this article by Walter Brueggemann at http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=533

Full of anticipation and uncertainty, our immersion group met our hostess, Celina, last month at the St. Anthony Foundation. Although we didn’t know what to expect, we were excited to assist the residents of the Tenderloin and the St. Anthony’s community.

We learned that the TL, although only 25 square blocks, is densely populated by about 20,000 people, many of whom struggle with addictions and mental illnesses. We first headed to the Free Clothing Program, where we hung and organized clothing before meeting up with Celina to collect our lunch tickets and line up with the rest of the guests on Golden Gate Ave for lunch. We waited until they called our number, proceeded to the Dining Room, and then enjoyed a delicious meal of orange ginger chicken and yellow rice.

While dining, we met some wonderful guests.  Steve, who actually grew up near SI, counseled us to stay in school while Luis, a resident of the Father Alfred Center, spoke about his addiction and recovery process.

Celina’s parting advice at the end of the day was, “We may not know what it’s like to be homeless or addicted, but we do know what it means to be human.”  Perfect words to close the first day of a new adventure.

Each summer St. Ignatius High School spends a two week immersion with St. Anthony’s, serving our guests and learning about the issues they face.  This blog series will continue with reflections that SI students and their leaders shared on the last day of their immersion adventure.

Last Thursday, St. Anthony’s summer interns took a trip to the Mission District to learn about the urban gentrification occurring in San Francisco and observe the beautiful paintings that reflect the realities occurring in the surrounding neighborhoods. As we walked around, we wondered what will happen to the homeless and low income individuals who call the Mission home as costs continue to rise dramatically.  We had an engaging discussing about the politics of the situation with a local shop owner, and then moved on to the highlight of the trip: the murals themselves.

These murals are a reflection of the urban realities that affect this low income, largely Hispanic community. We saw a colorful variety of urban artwork.  This included something as reassuring as children riding their bikes down the street smiling, to the upsetting reality of individuals sleeping on the street while the surrounding wealthly population ignores them.  It was an eye-opener to be present in the rich culture of a community struggling to hold on to their diversity as urban gentrification gradually settles in.

Andrew Nauer is a Communications Intern for St. Anthony Foundation.

It has been a little over a month since Matt Cain pitched the first perfect game in Giants franchise history.  The perfect game is possibly the most dramatic, intense and rare feat in all of sports.  What makes it so special?  Why is it so captivating?  Well, simply put: everyone has to be perfect.  There’s no second chance, no allowance for a mistake.  The pitcher, and his entire team, must do everything right.  No hits.  No walks.  No errors.  It’s nearly impossible.  And this is why we are fascinated.  Accomplishing what is nearly impossible makes us feel super human.  It makes us hopeful.  It reminds us we are equipped with talent and skill and connectivity that can conquer fear and uncertainty and failure.  What’s more is that the perfect game starts just as every other ordinary game – with a first pitch.  The 42,000 plus fans at the ballpark that Tuesday were probably planning to see a good game.  With a pitcher like Cain, they might have been anticipating a great game.  But it’s safe to say that no one expected to witness perfection on that night.

A month later, almost every day since, I have thought about that perfect game.  I find myself asking the same questions: What does perfection mean at St. Anthony’s?  How do we pitch a perfect game?  Would perfection be the Dining Room serving 3,000 meals with no health emergencies and no incidents?  Or would perfect be shutting the Dining Room down for a day because no one in San Francisco was hungry or without food?  Is perfect Father Alfred Center graduating a complete class of men every month or is perfection the disappearance of dealers on our corners and the temptation of liquor in our stores?

Maybe perfection is none of these.  Maybe perfection is walking with a diabetic patient and sharing your favorite healthy recipe with her.  Maybe perfection is an almost new pair of shoes that can be worn to a job interview.  Maybe perfection is being able to offer a veggie tray to a guest that doesn’t eat meat.  Maybe perfection is a smile and eye contact that shows respect and warmth.  Perfection is found most often in the little things.

We start every day with one pitch.  Each day seemingly as ordinary as the one before it.  But then something magical happens.  And I feel like I witness perfection every day.  Our staff.  Our volunteers.  Our guests.  We all back each other up.  We are connected in a way that is dramatic and rare.  The difference between baseball’s perfect game and ours is that we are full of second chances.  And when mistakes are made, our team does more than catch a deep fly ball or turn a crafty double play.  We make it better by putting the ball back in the hands of our guests.  We empower them and they inspire us to continue playing until the last out.

We know we are not superhuman.  But working together to do the little things well and the big things even better makes us hopeful.  We are reminded that not only is our community equipped with talent and skill and connectivity to conquer fear, uncertainty and failure – we are blessed with hearts full of passion.

Offense scores runs.  Defense wins games.  Passion drives perfection.  Matt Cain pitched a passionate 9 innings of perfection and his team passionately backed him up, giving The City joy overflowing.  With our hearts full of passion, St. Anthony’s aims to give the same to our guests.  Is it easy to be perfect?  No way!  Can we start each day with one pitch and give it a try?  Yes we Cain!

Play ball!

Celina Sutton is the Group Volunteer and Internship Program Coordinator and a huge San Franicsco sports fan.

In 1950, thousands of San Franciscans pitched in to help Fr. Alfred convert an old auto repair shop into St. Anthony’s Dining Room.  After 38 million meals and 62 years, we need a new building that will serve more people and change more lives.

Today, we have great plans to build the New St. Anthony’s Dining Room.  If you haven’t joined us in this campaign, now is the time to act.  We are closing in on the final months and we need your help to begin construction.  If you donate before August 1^st, the Field Foundation will generously match your gift up to $50,000.  Help us feed those in need; help us build a New Dining Room for San Francisco.  Click here to learn more and donate today.

According to John Tyler, Associate Professor of Education at Brown University, those who do not complete high school can increase their earning potential by 5-25% by getting their General Equivalency Diploma (GED).  Here at the Tenderloin Technology Lab we are hoping to help our guests increase their earning potential.  With the assistance of Sophie our summer intern, the TTL has been able to develop an online GED study hall course.  Within this course guests will take an introductory session which will enroll them in the free online platform that is maintained by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).  Through the PBS platform guests can take practice exams, learn what to expect when taking the exam, and hone in on areas where they may be struggling.  After the initial session, guests can attend weekly study hall classes that are more free form, yet still under the guidance of skilled volunteers.  Through this new program the TTL is hoping to use information access to help our guests better themselves and become more employable.  Check out the TTL Calendar to learn more about this class and other classes offered at the TTL.

Thanks to everyone who joined in on the national call-in day to support SNAP in the Farm Bill.  Here’s an update on the Farm Bill action from July 11.

On Wednesday, July 11, the House Agriculture Committee voted to accept $16 billion in cuts over 10 years to SNAP (the “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program”, also known as “food stamps” or “CalFresh” here in California).  A group of Representatives (Reps. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, Joe Baca of California, Peter Welch of Vermont, Marcia Fudge of Ohio and Terri Sewell of Alabama) attempted to reinstate $16 billion to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program, but their amendment failed on a 15 to 31 vote.

What would the $16 billion in cuts to SNAP mean for California?

• Put restrictions on the use of “Categorical Eligibility”.  In California, AB 433 of 2008 (one of our Hunger Action Day bills) implemented modified Categorical Eligibility in California, extending CalFresh to individuals whose income is low enough for them to qualify but who have assets (savings, retirement funds) that would make them ineligible.  Restricting the use of Categorical Eligibility in California  would make approximately 177,000 low-income households ineligible for CalFresh.
• Put restrictions on the use of the “Heat and Eat” option.  In California, AB 6 of 2011 (another one of our Hunger Action Day bills) will, starting January 1, 2013, increase CalFresh benefits by $43/month for about 200,000 California households by allowing them to automatically qualify for a deduction for utility payments.  The Farm Bill amendment to restrict the use of Heat and Eat will limit states’ abilities to automatically allow for a utility deduction.

What happened and why?

SNAP enrollment has risen from 19 million in 2002 to 46 million in 2012.  Those who favor cutting SNAP see SNAP spending as a drain on the economy and are trying to cut costs by identifying what they call “loopholes” used by states to ease SNAP enrollment.  Two of the “loopholes” they’re trying to close are Categorical Eligibility and Heat and Eat. As House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas stated, “SNAP’s resources have been stretched because this administration has encouraged states to take liberties in how the program is administered”.

Anti-Hunger advocates who support SNAP see the program as an important economic stimulus and point out that SNAP enrollment is supposed to rise during times of economic difficulty, when more people are experiencing job loss, poverty, and hunger.  As the economy improves, SNAP enrollment rates will go down.  The Congressional Budget Office projects that the share of the population that participates in SNAP will fall back to 2008 levels in coming years and that SNAP costs as a share of the economy will fall back to their 1995 level by 2019.

Anti-hunger advocates see streamlining efforts such as Categorical Eligibility and Heat and Eat not as loopholes, but as tools to reduce administrative burdens on states and on SNAP participants while helping to ensure that hungry low-income people are able to access nutrition benefits.  Categorical eligibility helps low-wage working families with children and seniors with modest savings to qualify for SNAP.   Heat and Eat helps reduce paperwork and allows low-income people who don’t have utility bills in their name, but who still pay utility costs, to receive a SNAP benefit that is above the minimum benefit level of $16 per month.  A cut to Heat and Eat would disproportionately affect seniors, the disabled, and working poor families with children.

Next Steps:

There is still a lot of dissention in the House of Representatives around the Farm Bill.  Although it has passed through the House Agriculture Committee, there doesn’t seem to be much support for the bill in the full House.  The more conservative members of the House would like to see the bill’s price tag cut down further.  The more liberal members of the House don’t like the Farm Bill in its current form because of the SNAP cuts.

To further complicate matters, the Senate’s version of the Farm Bill differs significantly from the House’s version.  It is unclear at this point whether either house of Congress will bring the Farm Bill to the floor for a vote before the current version of the bill expires in September. They may decide to extend the current Farm Bill until the November election and to deal with creating a new Farm Bill at a less politically contentious time.

We will continue to keep you updated on upcoming opportunities to contact your representatives and advocate for a fair Farm Bill that does not hurt hungry people.