“Charity depends on the vicissitudes of whim and personal wealth; justice depends on commitment instead of circumstance. Faith-based charity provides crumbs from the table; faith-based justice offers a place at the table.” (Bill Moyers)

At the Tenderloin Technology Lab (TTL), are we offering charity or working for social justice and perhaps more importantly, does it matter? As a Jesuit Volunteer, I have spent a lot of time thinking and learning about social justice issues, spirituality, and the importance of service. For me the distinction between charity and social justice is clear. Talking with Alfred (pictured at left), I realized that the distinction between the two is not necessarily as apparent to others.

Alfred started coming to the TTL to use the drop-in lab in September. He had very little access and exposure to computers prior to that. Coming from South Sudan, where computers are not as integrated into everyday life and practice, Alfred had not received computer training  nor had he had many opportunities to practice using them. At first, he did not consider enrolling in the classes. He only came to the TTL to read the news so that he could, “know how the world is going about.”

In November, Alfred took our Basic Computer Skills Course (BCS).  He was planning to enroll in college, yet after coming to the TTL, he realized that it would be difficult without computer skills so he decided to take our BCS class. Later, he took our Intermediate Computer Skills Course (ICS). Through these courses,  Alfred learned  how to use email, write in Microsoft Word, and do basic functions in Excel. Alfred says that he has learned a lot. “I may not be 100% but for the first time [it] is enough. I needed the experience.”

In January, Alfred started classes at Heald College. He is on track to get an associates degree as a Paralegal. When I spoke to him, Alfred told me how happy he was to have found the TTL. There were other places he could have gone, but Alfred says he came here because he liked the community of people who work and come here. “Everyone is nice,” he said. When he comes, Alfred feels he can talk to the front desk staff. He likes them. He also often comes looking for me, to tell me about his classes, and to hear about mine.

Alfred attributes the welcoming atmosphere to the mission and values of the St. Anthony Foundation and San Francisco Network Ministries (SFNM), the two non-profits that partner to run the TTL. He says it is because we are a charity. I do not think he is entirely wrong in this but I also think there is more to it than that. There is a distinction between working for charity and working for social justice. Charity does not enter into the realm of morality. When you give a donation (monetary, time, or otherwise) out of charity, it can be a one time thing. Justice does not come into the equation. Social Justice, on the other hand, is about forcing a cultural shift. It is about changing laws, perceptions, and attitudes and preserving human rights and dignity. At St. Anthony’s and SFNM, our mission and our guiding principles are based in social justice.  

The mission of the TTL is to provide residents of the Tenderloin and other nonprofits with important technology and vocational skills that increase opportunities for employment, access to essential community resources, and connections with family and friends. Our guests, visit us for our services, but we like to think they leave with a lot more than that. We share our knowledge and our time, but we also share a little bit of ourselves. We welcome everyone who comes in our doors. We know the names of our regulars. We talk with them, and help them when we can. We do not do these things for charity. We do them because everyone deserves a place to come, because everyone deserves to be called by name, to be greeted in the mornings, and helped in times of need.

The fact that Alfred sees us as a charity doesn’t matter. As an organization, we see the importance of social justice. Even if people are not overtly aware of this fact it is something we are consciously doing in our work, and that in and of itself makes all the difference.

On a recent  afternoon staff, volunteers and guests of the Tenderloin Tech Lab (TTL), a partnership between San Francisco Network Ministries and St. Anthony Foundation, gathered for their Fourth Annual Holiday Party. My friend Marilyn and I reminisced about the fifteen years we have known each other. When we first met she was temping in St. Anthony’s Free Clothing Program.  Marilyn now works part time at a senior center, sometimes eats in our Dining Room and uses the TTL for computer and internet access.  Recently we have seen a 23% increase in enrollments for the TTL’s computer classes and a 30% increase in drop-in lab use.  Everyone enjoyed sandwiches, potato salad, pretzel sticks, grapes and holiday cookies. Hot coffee was especially appreciated! Entertainment included clips from old holiday shows, everything from Charlie Brown to I Love Lucy, and karaoke.  A raffle generated much excitement with prizes like flash drives and head phones. All received Hunger Bowl t-shirts and caps, and beautiful polo shirts. Old friendships were renewed and joy was in the air. It was a wonderful celebration of the season! For more information about the Tenderloin Tech Lab take a look at their website.

Gail Priestley is Director of Social Services Programs at St. Anthony’s.

In Photo from left: Gail and Marilyn Chan

One of the popular images during the holiday season is that of “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner” known as Ebenezer Scrooge from the classic holiday novel A Christmas Carol.  Are you familiar with the cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness? 

During the holidays at St. Anthony’s we experience something quite different from that “Bah, humbug.”  Here we experience the great joy and generosity that so many people want to share with others, especially with those that are in need. 

One of the most financially wise ways to give to St. Anthony’s at the holidays is through the transfer of stocks.  Especially at the end of the year, people like you may want to consider how stocks, bonds or any other securities can be transferred as gifts to St. Anthony’s.

Making a gift of securities is simple and offers you valuable financial benefits like:

• You can donate appreciated stocks, bonds or mutual funds
• The total value of the stock upon transfer is tax-deductible
• And there is no obligation to pay any capital gains taxes on the appreciation of your stock

But beyond the gift, you are helping our guests and clients transform their lives, just as Ebenezer Scrooge evolved into a changed character. 

For more information about how you can change lives by transferring securities, please contact St. Anthony Foundation at 415.592.2858 or via email.

If you are not sure you want to give a gift of stock? Please consider making a one-time-gift to St. Anthony Foundation this holiday season!

Nancy Vital is a service-learning student in the Erasmus Program at the University of San Francisco.  Service-learning students spend a semester at St. Anthony’s doing service, learning about social issues and connecting their experience with their course work.

Before I began my work at St. Anthony’s Foundation, I did not know what to expect. Not being from the Bay Area, I had only heard negative comments about the Tenderloin, and had only limited experience in the area myself. Additionally, I did not have any previous experience working or volunteering at a full service foundation such as St. Anthony’s, so I came to this work site with an open mind.

Although I virtually had no expectations at the outset, I was blown away by the values, standards, and complete treatment of everyone who walks through St. Anthony’s doors. I was able to experience working in the technology lab, assisting in computer classes, sorting through items and working in the store in the clothing department, and serving meals in the dining room. Many organizations focus solely on one aspect of assistance to the homeless, such as providing a meal. However, I was most impressed by St. Anthony’s efforts to provide progress towards a person’s overall stability by serving the multiple and varied needs associated with being homeless.

I have been enjoying my work in the Tenderloin Technology Lab, Free Clothing Program, and Dining Room, but it is the little things that make the Foundation exceptional. While working the front table at the Dining Room, St. Anthony’s provides a system where guests can “check” their items, so they do not need to carry them around while enjoying their meal. While I was working at the front, multiple guests told me how thankful they are that the foundation offered a system like this, which enabled them to have a period where they were not lugging their heavy items around. Additionally I was amazed to see that St. Anthony’s also gives birthday bags to guests on their birthdays, and was delighted to see the looks of excited anticipation on the guest’s faces when they told us it was their birthday. These heartfelt human extra efforts help people so much, in addition to the basic food, clothes, tech assistance and other services provided.

Del Seymour, longtime resident of the Tenderloin and Tenderloin Technology Lab (TTL) guest, is raising money to continue giving walking tours of the Tenderloin.  The TTL, a partnership between San Francisco Network Ministries and the St. Anthony Foundation, is a free computer lab in the Tenderloin that offers computer classes, one-on-one tutoring, and open access.  Del Seymour recently visited us to work on his Indiegogo site.  Seymour has been offering walking tours of the Tenderloin for the past 3 years and now is looking to raise money to apply for 501(c)3 nonprofit status, which will allow him to obtain government grants as his tours have been classified as a walking art project by  the San Francisco Arts Commission.  Through this crowd-sourcing site, Seymour  hopes to raise enough money for the application as well as supplies to improve his tours.  All of us at the TTL are excited for Del and want to help him keep the walk alive.

Megan Trotter is the manager of the Tenderloin Technology Lab.

photo credit: Carly Schwartz

Meet Rudy.  I just did, as he walked into the Tenderloin Technology Lab, a partnership between San Francisco Network Ministries and the St. Anthony Foundation,  along with around 40 other people this  past Saturday, September 22.  It was our quarterly Tech Fair.  During this special Saturday event, we work with ReliaTech to offer free computer repair and special computer courses.  Rudy was here for the computer repair.  As I talked to him about what brought him here this Saturday, I realized that there is a great connectedness between the service providers and that he had quite a journey to end up at our Tech Fair.

Rudy initially started his voyage into the 21st century and computer technology when he enrolled at San Francisco City College.  As a student in their Medical Assistant program he quickly realized that he needed to overcome his technology phobia (50% of his courses are computer based).  As he struggled with his fear of technology and the cost of computer technology in particular he reached out to his social worker at Tom Waddell Health Center.  From his social worker, Rudy was referred to the Santa Rosa Computer Recycling Center.  With this referral, Rudy was able to secure a free computer.  This allowed Rudy to continue to work on his goal to overcome his phobia and become comfortable with computers, but after 2 months of use, Rudy’s new computer crashed.  Scrambling to figure out how to repair his computer, Rudy contacted many computer repair shops only to realize the price of repair was out of his reach.  This only reinforced Rudy’s fear of technology and the price of technology in particular.  Fortunately, while accessing services at the San Francisco Public Library Rudy saw a flyer for the Tenderloin Technology Lab’s Tech Fair.  He immediately signed up and was able to access our service of free computer repair.

As we talked, I asked Rudy why he thought computer technology was important, and he explained that he needed the skills to apply for jobs online as the likelihood of finding a job through face to face interaction is rapidly decreasing.  Due to this fact and as other services move online, Rudy said that he feels very fortunate to have entered the 21st century.  As a service provider, I felt comforted to know that with many organizations offering many different programs, we are able to work in conjunction to allow people like Rudy to utilize an array of services.

Megan Trotter is the manager of the Tenderloin Technology Lab

3 years ago San Francisco Network Ministries and the St. Anthony Foundation collaborated to create the Tenderloin Technology Lab. Utilizing the resources that both organizations were using at their respective computer labs, San Francisco Network Ministries and the St. Anthony Foundation were able to lay the groundwork for the Tenderloin Technology Lab as it is today. After many changes and upgrades, the Tenderloin Technology Lab is glad to serve around 100 people a day, operate 35 computers, offer daily computer classes, and have a bustling drop-in lab. This year the Tech Lab decided to ring in their anniversary with a Halloween themed party. Awards were given to best DJ, best party caterer, and the guests who have been with the Tech Lab from the beginning. A great time was had by all and we look forward to many more years.

The Tech Lab is excited about our upcoming Tech Fair on August 27th.  On this 4th Saturday in August from 10am to 2pm the Tech Lab will be offering free computer repair thanks to Reliatech.  In addition to the computer repair, classes will be offered on “Raising Kids in the Digital Age” (10:00am), “Internet Safety and Security” (11:00am), and “What to Look for When Purchasing a Computer” (12:00pm).  Please register for these classes or for computer repair by calling the front desk at (415) 592-2766.  We look forward to a fun and productive day.  Hope to see you all there.

Have you ever tried to explain why a website crashed to someone who is terrified of touching a computer?  Or maybe you want to know how Facebook and Twitter emerged as the tipping points in toppling the regime of the former President of Egypt?  If you ever ask yourself these questions or wonder how social media (like Facebook and Twitter) can change our world, you might have found some answers at St. Anthonyís symposium, Social Change 3.0:  Transforming the world one click at a time.

Roughly 140 people, representing a diverse group of nonprofits, businesses, and venture capitalists, convened at The Hub on Mission Street last Tuesday to be regaled by stories, facts, and anecdotes from experts in social media who use these tools every day to create positive change in our world.

Our panelists shared myriad examples of ways we are changing the world every day: Jake Levitas, Research Director at the Gray Area Foundation, opened the evening with a sharp perspective on how social media can influence our democratic process. “Our current model of democracy is thousands of years in the making. Today we’re in a modality of instant change.”

Megan Trotter, Manager of the Tenderloin Technology Lab, highlighted the importance of digital inclusion within the arc of innovation. “Technology is important, but equally important is the human contact needed to help people learn how to use it.” (more…)

Every year, the Tech Lab has the honor of supporting a Jesuit Volunteer.  ”Jesuit Volunteers are called to the mission of serving the poor directly. They work for and with people who are homeless, unemployed, refugees, people with AIDS, the elderly, street youth, abused women and children, the mentally ill and the developmentally disabled” (JVC).  For the past year, the Tech Lab has been honored to have Jesuit Volunteer, Julie Arcaro, work with us.

Julie has been a vital asset to the Tech Lab.  Through her work teaching classes, preparing class schedules, coordinating volunteers, and providing support wherever needed; Julie has played a major role in the day to day functioning of the Tech Lab.  Her humor, light personality, and work ethic will be missed in the Tech Lab.  Please take the time to wish Julie the best of luck as she moves on from the Tech Lab in the following month.