What comes to mind when you think of an Eagle Scout? I think of wilderness camping and daring feats of strength…Imagine my surprise when Joshua Nascimento, a young high school student contacted me about fulfilling his Eagle Scout project at St. Anthony’s! Talk about daring feats of strength…and I don’t mean scaling the walls of our building. I mean the courage and compassion of responding to the needs of the impoverished—and helping to break down the walls of misunderstanding, or even simply of “not knowing” that some more fortunate members of society are held within.

Joshua, well on his way to earning the highest ranking possible in Boy Scouts, learned more about the deeper experience of poverty that many of our guests and clients are keenly familiar with. He chose to help meet some of the most basic needs that many of our guests encounter day in and day out—access to basic hygiene products. Lacking the resources to buy these item (soap, shampoo, lotion, etc. ) many folks—housed and not, go without. The consequences of not having these simple basics can aggravate health problems and can certainly contribute to increased isolation. Thanks to Joshua and his fellow troop members, his campaign to collect these items and more (combs, toothbrushes and paste, and even snacks …) resulted in enough materials to fill more than 100 handmade tote-bags chock full of these supplies and more, topped off with a hand written greeting card. Joshua’s troop assembled these together, having fun while learning the deeper issues and reality. Joshua’s project makes a positive difference now for those receiving the tote bags. His Eagle Scout project also makes a difference going forward for those who understanding of daring feats of strength has been deepened by young Joshua’s vision.

Our guests will be receiving these wonderful “care packages”, as Joshua calls them—and they are truly that. Joshua and his Mom pulled up to deliver all these gifts on a cold and rainy Tuesday, 2/20. They’d also packed the car with boxes of food donations that were given to Joshua from private vendors and businesses in support of his project. It doesn’t take “eagle eyes” to see that Joshua’s kind nature has been nurtured by caring parents. I met with Joshua and his Mom and Dad at the beginning of this project and it was clear from the start that this family could see that some of the most severe challenges in today’s world are found in our own cities and neighborhoods. Rather than turning away, they responded with real support to those in need. I had asked Joshua to share a few words about his experience with his Eagle Scout project, and this is what he had to say:

“I first learned of the charitable work of St. Anthony’s a couple of years ago when I had the opportunity to serve meals in the Dining Room as part of a school service learning project. This participation led to subsequent volunteer visits during which I gained further understanding of the plight of some of St. Anthony’s guests. Humbled by my first-hand experience of St. Anthony’s mission of service and compassion, I aspired to find a way to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than me. I put my dream into action in the form of care packages, continuing a unique St. Anthony’s tradition of personalized hospitality. Containing basic daily necessities of socks and personal hygiene items, as well as candy and an individualized birthday card, these care packages will be presented to the guests of St. Anthony’s on their birthdays. I hope that this small act of kindness will brighten their day and show appreciation for their inherent value and dignity as children of God.

I am really grateful for St. Anthony’s support in allowing me to give this gift of service. I would also be remiss if I did not acknowledge the support of the many who contributed to this undertaking. They include the scouts, parents, and adult leaders of Troop 12, the dental office of Dr. Bruce Newman, and the many vendors from the Travis Air Force Base Commissary and Base Exchange. Without their kind and generous support, my service project would remain just a dream.”

Eagle Scout indeed! … “Raising (others) up on Eagle’s Wings” to borrow from a beautiful song. Thank you, Joshua!

As we see year after year at St. Anthony’s, the abundance of gifts from people in the Bay Area is truly awe inspiring. If you’re a return donor to curbside, you’ll notice many changes this year as we are operating out of our temporary Dining Room at 150 Golden Gate Avenue. In addition to the new location for drop-off donations, we are asking for a specific list of essential items for our guests.

Please bring donations of food, hygiene items, new socks, and hand-knit scarves and hats specifically during the Curbside Donation Drives. Please help us to fill this critical need by focusing on donations of these items for 2012. All other donations are accepted throughout the year, Monday-Friday from 8am-4:15pm at our Free Clothing Program at 8th and Mission.

2012 Curbside Dates:
Saturday, November 17th – Thursday, November 22nd
Weekends: 9am-3pm; Weekdays: 8am-5pm

Saturday, December 22nd – Monday, December 24th
All days: 9am-3pm

Stay tuned as we announce details on activities, entertainment, and spreading holiday cheer to our guests through musical performances, gift bag giveaways and tree decorating. And thank you to the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and Nothing but Treble for joining St. Anthony’s on December 22nd and 23rd to bring holiday music to our guests.

Morgan Moore here! I am the new Volunteer and Processing Coordinator for the Free Clothing Program here at SAF and I am honored to dedicate my first blog post to the amazing St. Anthony Stitchers!  Last Friday, I had the privilege to sit in on one of their monthly motivational meetings. For those of you that do not know The Stitchers they are a group of people that have provided SAF with home sewn clothing, knits and crocheted items, and other personal clothing donations for twenty seven years.  They meet once a month to showcase their finished projects, pick up new supplies, and to support and motivate each other to continue doing this impactful work.

I sat down with long time member Dorothy Molumby to find out more about what motivates her to keep on stitchin’:

M: How long have you been A Stitcher?

D: Eight years now

M: What was your initial draw to this kind of selfless work?

D: My mother. She raised 12 children and instilled in us the importance of making time to give to others. No matter how busy our lives get, it is important to make a point to give as much as we can. Every little bit counts. It was my mother’s legacy to do something for someone else and I carry that out every day.

The Stitchers generously help clothe a large portion of our guests each month. All of their materials are donated or purchased through fundraising efforts. They are currently in need of new storage spaces in the Pacifica area as well as new Stitchers! Dorothy made it clear that you do not have to knit or sew to be involved! Please contact me at (415) 592-2826 if you have materials, storage space, or are interested in becoming a Stitcher. On behalf of SAF I want to thank The Stitchers for their tireless efforts to help keep our guests warm and fashionable month after month.

Learn all about this wonderful organization on their website.

In photo: Dorothy Molumby of the Stitchers and the Free Clothing Program’s Siphai Phommavongsay.

My name is Andrew Nauer, and this summer I’ll be working as St. Anthony’s Communications and Outreach Intern.

Volunteerism and working toward social justice were somewhat foreign to me before coming to St. Anthony’s. I remember visiting the old Dining Room my sophomore year of high school at De la Salle for the immersion program.  I served food to the guests, conversed with some of the surrounding community, washed dishes, and then I suddenly was on my way home. I had only gotten a taste of the St. Anthony’s experience and what their foundation is all about. I have come to understand that this place goes beyond the free meal to an individual in need, and that’s what inspired me to take this internship.

I began volunteering several months ago when my mom had been offered a position at St. Anthony’s. My desire to help the Tenderloin district and the San Francisco community as a whole led me here. I am very interested in experiencing all that the St. Anthony Foundation has to offer in order to better understand what area of the social justice field I want to pursue a career in.

My personal goals for this internship include gaining a stronger understanding of the causes and effects of the poverty issues that the Tenderloin experiences, and exploring the different possibilities for future career in the social justice field. Furthermore, I plan on doing my best to help people on the outside understand what goes on at St. Anthony’s through Facebook, Twitter, and other popular foms of social media. I am very excited for all that St. Anthony’s has to offer the community and I look forward to begin sharing that with others.

It wouldn’t be Tuesday in the Dining Room without Phyllis and her colorful “tats” helping to serve our guests.

“We have a friend in common”, she told me.

“Really? Who is that?” I asked. Then she showed me the scroll with the name St. Francis inscribed on it along with a flock of beautiful birds tattooed on her arm.

“I’m a good Jewish woman but I love the saints and he’s my favorite.” Mine too, I said.

“Some of my friends think I’m crazy for having tattoos. And for serving in the Dining Room, for that matter. But they both make me happy.” She smiled.

Phyllis has the edge on me; she can compare her tats with our guests’ , many of whom have a colorful variety of their own. But me, I don’t have any tats to show off….yet.

On Memorial Day, we take a day off to remember those who have served and sacrificed. Wouldn’t it be fitting to make it a day on and serve guests in our Dining Room, many of whom are veterans themselves.

Memorial Day is the busiest day of the year in the Dining Room. Last year we served a total of 5,445 meals! Katie Slack, a Dining Room staff member, reminds us that “Mondays and days near the end of the month are always our busiest. Add other service closures for the holiday on top of that and you have the recipe for a truly dizzying lunchtime rush!”

We need volunteers on Memorial Day to help us serve our guests and make sure everyone enjoys the holiday. On the menu will be hot dogs and potato salad – a traditional summer kick-off meal! If you are available between 9:15 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. on Monday, May 28th and want to join us in service and celebration, please phone Celina Sutton at 415-592-2728 or email csutton@stanthonysf.org Individuals and groups are welcome – so bring your friends, family, church, club or team!

A delegation of 21 members from Gyeonggi Province, South Korea’s Muhandolbom Welfare Center visited St. Anthony Foundation on May 15th. St. Anthony’s Executive Director Shari Roeseler welcomed the group and answered questions before the delegation took an in-depth tour of the facilities and met with staff.

Joo Yeon Jee, Deputy Director and her group wanted to learn more about St. Anthony’s systems and supportive programs. She said that “the social welfare programs and management of the St. Anthony Foundation have been an inspiration to us,” and she “strongly believe[s] that St. Anthony Foundation is the right place for us to get some advice about social welfare fund raising and how to manage systems and programs.”  The group would like “to improve [their] operation and the quality of [their] service to make a better place for society.”

Gyeonggi Province in South Korea includes 27 cities and is the most populous province in Korea. The Muhandolbom Welfare Center was established in 2008 to support low-income families in crisis.

As a guest to the Dining Room during our senior service hour, Eldina Tronco is regularly served meals by our team of volunteers.  Little did we know she is also quite the volunteer herself. When Eldina came to the Dining Room for a meal of Hungarian Goulash on Thursday, she brought along a certificate congratulating her on 3,254 hours of volunteer service at Laguna Honda Hospital, a city-owned long-term care and rehabilitation hospital serving seniors and adults with disabilities.

Eldina volunteered in the hospice care department at Laguna Honda, providing companionship to patients and helping to organize medical records for the staff.  Still driven to give back, she is transitioning away from helping strangers to focus on caring for her ailing brother.  Thank you for your service, Eldina—you’re an inspiration to us all!

A standing ovation from  guests and volunteers marked the final meal served from St. Anthony’s original Dining Room last Wednesday, February 1^st.   The San Francisco community rose to the occasion to mark this historic event.  Guests shared stories of life-saving moments they had experienced within these walls.  Volunteers described relationships they had formed in the Dining Room that allowed them to rediscover their faith in making the world a better place.

Mayor Ed Lee recognized St. Anthony’s as a pillar of hope and compassion in San Francisco, and Larry Baer, the President of the Giants, punctuated the significance of the day by stating, “People say that 3^rd and King [home of the San Francisco Giants at AT & T Park] is the most important intersection in San Francisco. I’ve got to say Jones and Golden Gate is the most important intersection in the city of San Francisco.”

For nearly 62 years, the words of our Founder Fr. Alfred Boeddeker have graced people as they enter St. Anthony’s original Dining Room:  “I see God as one act:  Loving like the sun always shining.”  These words, no less important today as they were on October 4^th, 1950, shone through the smiles and tears of all of us who insure The Miracle on Jones Street continues.

SAMC patient navigator assists a patient with breast health information

The St. Anthony Medical Clinic Breast Health Program ensures access to potentially life-saving preventive and diagnostic services for uninsured, low-income and homeless women. Although only in its pilot year, by providing screening for so many women who lack other resources, we feel we have already been successful.

It is fundamental to our approach that each of our patients not only get the screenings they need, but that they also feel comfortable and experience a minimum of anxiety while going through the process. To this end we work to create a welcoming environment with multilingual patient navigators who help guide patients through the initial intake form, and by providing a nutritious breakfast for patients to enjoy while they wait.

Recently, Faten, one of our patient navigators and outreach coordinators, interviewed our patient Hakima about her experience having a mammogram at Avon last week.