Our 3rd annual Scarving Artists drive kicked off with flying colors on October 2nd. Mae Lotito, sister of the late Fr. Floyd Lotito, drove from Southern California to San Francisco in a car loaded with 400 hand knit hats for senior citizens who eat in St. Anthony’s Dining Room. The caps, knit with care by Mae and her cousin Anna Lorenz, are a perfect gift for our guests throughout the foggy and rainy San Francisco winter. Thank you, Mae, for honoring the memory of Fr. Floyd with this act of generosity.

If this story inspires you, we invite you to join our Scarving Artists drive. Whether you knit, crochet, or know someone who does, please help us by donating hats and scarves to low-income and homeless guests who eat at St. Anthony’s. We need scarves in dark or neutral colors for men as well as hats for men, women, and children. Our goal is to collect 3,000 scarves and 2,000 hats as gifts for our guests on Christmas Day.

For information on how you can be a Scarving Artist, click here.

We challenged you to raise $50,000 in 50 days to match the Francis K. and Charles D. Field Foundation Challenge Grant!

You met that challenge and almost doubled it, coming through to raise $92,320.50 in donations for The New St. Anthony’s Dining Room!

Early in the summer, St. Anthony Foundation partnered with the Field Foundation – a civic minded community foundation committed to providing funding to several organizations that help low-income people as well as to education and the arts. The Field Foundation pledged to double your gifts up to $50,000 if you could match them.

An enormous “Thank You” to everyone who stepped up to meet the challenge.  We are one step closer to reaching our total goal of raising $22 million for the Dining Room! Thank you from everyone at St. Anthony’s.

If you have not joined us in this landmark project, we still need your help to raise the remaining funds.  We plan to finish this campaign in the next few months. Meanwhile, construction will begin on the New St. Anthony’s Dining Room.  Click here to DONATE NOW and feed the future of San Francisco.

The Free Clothing Program announces its 1^st Annual Back to School Day, Thursday, August 23^rd.

The number of homeless and low-income families continues to rise. In 2010, there were 334,131 homeless children in California according to the National Center on Family Homelessness, but due to a change in the way the statistics are compiled, that number could actually be much higher. In 2009, California had close to 500,000 homeless children.

We here at the Clothing Program have seen the results of this disturbing trend as well. From 2010-2011, 3,999 families were in need of clothing services. From 2011-2012, that number rose 60% to an incredible 6,378 families.

In order to meet the increasing need, FCP is announcing its 1^st Annual Back to School Day on Thursday, August 23^rd. We will be giving away 2 sets of clothing for each child, along with 1 set for each parent. Events like these are only possible because of the generosity of our donors, and we need your help!

Backpacks, lunch boxes, pens and pencils, paper and protractors. Whatever you may have that you think will help, please, please donate. It is not only filling the needs of our guests, but of the entire community. Because the cycle of poverty begins anew with every generation of children born into it, and the only way to end it is to ensure that every child is safe and housed and has the same opportunities to succeed as every other child in America.

Donations can be made at the Free Clothing Program, 101 8^th Street (at Mission), Monday – Friday from 8:00am – 4:00pm. Pick-up can be arranged for donations of 5 bags or more by calling Morgan Moore at (415) 592-2826.

I’ve only been the manager of the Free Clothing Program (FCP) for a couple of months now, and since this is my first attempt at a blog, I figured there was no better way of relating what we do than to describe a typical day here, or my typical day here. And though it’s only been two months, I’m already smiling at the word ‘typical,’ because each new day seems to also bring a new definition to that word.

One day it might be helping Donovan who is recovering from surgery and who has been pushing himself along in his wheelchair with only socks on his feet; or Pastor Doris, who I met in Union Square and who eats in the Dining Room every day but hasn’t been to the Clothing Program in a number of years because she had a bad experience the last time she came, but who I was able to convince to come back, and now is a new regular; or Travis who has been wearing size 15 shoes on his size 16 feet, and even after we miraculously found him two pairs of shoes in his size, was still in tremendous pain due to the urgent need for surgery on his right foot, but, with the help of Susan at the Social Work Center, was able to procure emergency funds to at least get him a good pair of Timberlands that fit properly until he is able to have the surgery he so desperately needs; or David who always needs a blanket because people are always stealing his blanket.

So I suppose the only thing typical about a typical day is the exhilarating, heart-wrenching, jaw-dropping experience that each new one will bring.

However, ‘typical’ is the word I’ve chosen, so we’ll go with it (it’s my first blog after all). In a typical year, we provide free clothing and basic amenities to approximately 40,000 men, women and children. Along with our set schedules of men’s, family’s and women’s services, we also assist guests who have emergency needs, like Donovan, Travis and David. The need is great, but thanks to the tremendous efforts of the community through volunteering and donations, we are able to meet it as best we can.

Stay tuned for more updates from the FCP.

Allan Shapiro is the manager of St. Anthony’s Free Clothing Program.

Philanthropy on Foot.  Give socks today!

For those on the street, feet matter. Here’s something you can do to show you care.

When you donate new socks to St. Anthony’s, you can help make life healthier and pain-free for homeless and low income folks in San Francisco.

Access to shoes and socks is often limited for homeless men and women living in shelters and on the street.

Blisters and infections are common conditions that can lead to more severe health issues.  Wet feet,  ill-fitting shoes, constant standing and diseases like diabetes take their toll.

The best way to prevent such conditions is to keep feet clean and dry—very difficult if you spend your days outside.

Here’s how you can help:

GET IT

We need 5,000 pairs of socks this year.
We’re asking all of San Francisco to get new socks to those who need them most.

Short on time? DONATE HERE and we’ll buy the socks.

Donate men’s socks, especially white athletic or outdoor socks. Socks need to be new.
Get a team together or you can donate individually.

SHARE IT

On our Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest

Share a sock story, a photo, or ask the Sock Diva a question on our Socks in the City Tumblr.

Take photos and video along the way and send them via email or Facebook as an invitation to friends, family, and coworkers to participate in the drive.

PLAY IT

Host a sock party
Have a competition
Sock bomb a colleague’s office
Organize a “sock mob”

BRING IT

Socks may be mailed or dropped off to:

Sock Diva @ St. Anthony Foundation
150 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco CA 94102
8:30-4:30 Mon. – Fri.

For questions, large donations, or to arrange to have a donation barrel delivered, e-mail us.

Now is the time for you to help usher in the next era of the St. Anthony Dining Room with a new building that will serve more people and change more lives.

St. Anthony’s Dining Room provides 40% of all free meals served in San Francisco.  It is the only free food program in the city open 365 days a year.  Help us build a new Dining Room that will serve hope and hearty meals to untold millions.

For the next 50 days, double your impact and join in this landmark project.  Just CLICK HERE to donate now and feed the future.

Are you looking for an alternative way to celebrate that anniversary with that special someone in your life?  Are you tired of receiving birthday gifts from Aunt Lola that you may not want or need? If so, you might consider asking your friends and family to make a donation to St. Anthony Foundation – and save them a trip to the mall!

That is just what brother and sister, Geremy and Genine decided to do!  Years ago, Geremy and Genine came to volunteer with their Justice Education class from St. Ignatius College Preparatory.  After their positive volunteer experience and Genine’s subsequent internship, St. Anthony Foundation quickly became one of their favorite local organizations.

This year as Geremy and Genine put on their graduation caps and gowns, they are encouraging invitees to their graduation celebration to consider making a gift in their honor to St. Anthony’s New Dining Room campaign. By sharing these gifts, Geremy and Genine are helping others reclaim their sense of dignity and respect.

For more information on how you too can celebrate your special day and give back to the community, please contact Jaime Kim at (415) 592-2707 or jkim@stanthonysf.org.

Congratulations Geremy and Genine, Class of 2012!

Craig Newmark has generously offered to match every new “like” of our Facebook Page with a $1 donation to St. Anthony’s.

Just click here, click “like,” and you’ve helped feed 2 warm meals to hungry San Franciscans. Already like our page? Tell a friend and help us meet our $5000 goal. It’s the easiest two meals you’ll ever cook!

In giving, we receive:  help others keep warm this winter by dropping off gently-worn coats or visiting our website to donate today.