I’ve always thought it peculiar how the simplest item can take on meaning beyond its practical use. A diamond ring can represent decades of commitment or a worn stuffed teddy bear can remind one of those precious years of adolescence. But this story revolves around a simple white pair of sneakers, and what they meant to a woman by the name of Mary Helen Douglas.

Mary hails from the town of Petaluma, a land known for its picturesque river, quaint architecture, butter and eggs parade, and famed World’s Ugliest Dog competition. Her parents suffered from addictive illness for the majority of their lives, and thus growing up Mary lacked supervision and support that a parental figure provides for a child. She would often have to find her own food, cook her own meals, and find her way around the town. So at the fledgling age of nineteen, Mary left for San Francisco. There she found a man who supported her, and she had high hopes for a future filled with change and prosperity. Although as she would discover, her plan would not become a reality.

Unable to find work, her bank account eventually dwindled into the red. Along with her husband, she eventually ended up on the streets, living periodically in and out of shelters. At the time they both found escape and numbed themselves through the use of drugs and alcohol. They went on like this for some time. Then, in the winter of 2005, all she loved slipped away from her. In a single week, her husband passed away from heart failure and all of her belongings were stolen at a shelter she was residing at for the week. In addition to all this, she was utterly broke, not even possessing a pair of shoes on her feet to warm her in the customary San Francisco misty cold.

Mary continued to find escape through substances, to numb the gaping holes in her life. She recalled that one night, the drugs had a terrible suicidal effect on her. During a bad trip, she had attempted to throw herself off of a seven story balcony. The sole reason she survived was through a friend’s intervention, yanking her back as she scrambled to throw herself over the side of the railing. This scared her beyond words, for not once had she ever even possessed a suicidal thought. She realized the drugs were changing her, morphing her into a stranger even to herself. She was taken to a doctor, and as he peered at her test results with dismal scrutiny, Mary was convinced of one fact: she would not be alive much longer living like this.

Observing Mary’s current predicament, a friend had told her of a program that could help: St. Anthony’s Free Clothing Program. She was skeptical having been to other assistance programs before, but decided to go anyways, her cold bare feet driving her to walk faster to Mission and 8th. When she entered the Free Clothing Program’s building, she was greeted by a man named Marcellus. His first question was a simple one, “What is your name?” She had participated in many other programs before and gone through information gathering processes almost identical to this one. Although this time she said it was different. Marcellus had locked his gaze with hers, and when he asked what her name was she felt as though he really cared. She was not just another number or random recipient of free goods. She said that even to this day he has never failed to greet her by her name. She was given all the clothing she needed: shirts, sweaters, pants, and socks. But the article of clothing that struck her the most was the pair of sneakers. When she fastened the laces, for the first time in a very long while, she felt her frigid toes started to relax. Walking no longer was a painful task, and strolling down the sidewalk in the shade of the high rises she was humbled by the comfort she had not felt in such a long while. She felt as though something about the program was changing her, if only just a bit. This measly pair of shoes gave her faith that all was not really lost, and for the first time in a very long time, she had hope.

While waiting outside of the Free Clothing Program building one day, a man approached some of the ladies waiting alongside her. He was acting outlandishly, yelling gibberish at some of the women without a discernable cause. She knew that the man was under the influence of drugs. And all of a sudden she saw her future–the drugs and the crazy behaviour that would ensue. This was not the future she wanted at all, and in that moment she found her strength again. She approached the man and in a way that only Mary Helen Douglas could, lectured him, calmed him down, and he eventually apologized to all the women.

Right then she knew that she had to change; that her life was not lost. She was referred to a couple rehabilitation centers by the staff and her road to recovery began. Looking back, those sneakers, given to warm her feet on those chilly nights, incited a change that would end up saving Mary’s life. So perhaps the next time you peer down at your feet, you can remember Mary and how something as simple as an old pair of shoes can mean salvation for another.

Tyler Merkel is a Communications & Outreach intern at St. Anthony Foundation

St. Anthony Foundation, our Board of Trustees and our Board of Directors are pleased to announce the appointment of Barry J. Stenger as our Executive Director. In St. Anthony’s 63 year history of serving the poor and low income of San Francisco, Barry is the seventh person to lead the organization.

Barry has over twenty years of nonprofit management experience. He has been St. Anthony’s Director of Development for the past eight years. He holds a Ph.D. in social ethics from the University of Chicago, taught at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and Santa Clara University, and has contributed to the work of the Franciscans on the west coast in a variety of capacities.

When asked what he’s excited about in assuming these responsibilities, Barry said that he believes “St . Anthony’s is poised to enter a new and dynamic phase of its service to the community: we’re building a new Dining Room; we’re reaching out to new generations of San Franciscans who want to be involved in our work; and we’re focusing on new metrics to measure the life-changing outcomes for the guests we serve.”

Meet Marcellus. He is an intelligent, personable and rather funny young man, and he’s looking for a job. Marcellus called us at 9:30 in the morning because he had a job interview at Loew’s at 12:30 and desperately needed a new suit. He had tried everywhere he could think of with no success. Finally he googled ‘free clothing’ and found us. We told him to get over here as fast as he could. Luckily, he was already on the way.

Last month, the Free Clothing Program partnered with A Miner Miracle, so we are now able to offer our male guests brand new job interview clothing. For those of you who are not familiar with A Miner Miracle, it is a San Francisco based non-profit that has been providing professional clothing and image counseling to low-income men, women and young adults seeking employment since 1995. It is the creation of Kathy Miner and has been responsible for assisting more than 13,000 individuals in their quest to re-enter the workforce. Unfortunately, the men’s program was forced to close its doors last year. The work Ms. Miner and A Miner Miracle had done is integral to the stability of the men and women they served, which included many of the residents of St. Anthony’s drug and alcohol recovery program, Father Alfred Center. So we here at the Free Clothing Program are very proud to carry on Kathy Miner’s legacy.

When I met Marcellus for the first time this morning, he was wearing a sport coat, jeans and sneakers, and I’m guessing he had spent the morning and the night before wondering how he would explain such a thing to a perspective employer. When I took him to see the clothes, he looked at me and said, with a smile on his face, “I had a feeling about this morning.”

It took about a half an hour to find him the perfect jacket. Then a brand new pair of shoes, new pants, new shirts and a black tie. The only sticking point was the belt. We literally only had one men’s belt in stock and it was a size too small. A Miner Miracle is provided a limited supply of new clothing by some very generous corporate donors; however, there are still some things, like belts and dress socks, which we rely solely on individual donations to provide. So Marcellus had to make the best with the belt we had.

Belt issues aside, Marcellus looked like a different man by the time he emerged in his new clothes. Bubbling with enthusiasm, that same big smile on his face, he left the Free Clothing Program with ‘Good lucks’ and handshakes from the entire staff. I made him promise to let us know what happened later and told him that once he got the job, he should come back for some career clothing. With a profuse amount of thank yous, Marcellus walked away, confident and capable and happy.

Thank you to Kathy Miner and A Miner Miracle for making this possible. And thank you to whoever donated a size 38 reversible black and brown leather belt. It certainly went to good use. Please keep them coming!

Ah, ah, ah, ah, staying alive, staying alive…

A life saving song that was suggested we sing if we ever need to do  CPR.  Why?  The beat to this classic 70’s Bee Gees song is just about the perfect tempo to do chest compressions while performing this life-saving  technique.

Over 55 % of St. Anthony’ staff is certified for CPR and 1^st Aid.  Almost everyday we experience health emergencies in our service programs at the Foundation – seizures, heart problems, overdose, reaction to medication, fainting,  etc.  Because of the professional  trainings we receive our staff know how to recognize and react to these emergencies, so that  while we are waiting for EMT to arrive we can respond appropriately to the emergency at hand.

About every two years our staff gets professional training from a fabulous instructor–Louise Natoli, CMA, RCT–who has been training us for over 12 years.  Every time she visits the Foundation she tells me that she is admires the work we do serving the very poor and  needy in the Tenderloin, and that that is why she likes coming to St. Anthony’s.  When we call on Louise she laboriously and lovingly drags the CPR dummies, booklets, lap top and monitor, bandages,  gauze,  practice AED’s out of her car,  to the Foundation  and sets up  the classroom in whatever conference room or office space we have available.  She is always accommodating and flexible with setting up trainings and making quick changes to the schedule  because she understands  the urgent matters that can happen in an instant for staff . During a break on her last training visit I told her that almost everyday we use the skills that she has taught us and we probably have helped to save  a life here and there.  She smiled and nodded yes as we both listened to the sound of a siren heading down Golden Gate Ave.

Believe it or not, there are women in our own community who do not have access to feminine hygiene products.

Take a moment. Consider what your life would be like without hygiene products?  Unimaginable, right? Poverty has turned what should be considered as a right for women—access to feminine hygiene products—into a privilege available only to those who can afford it.

Luckily, with your help, we can change that. Now is the time to help our fellow women who don’t have access to critical hygiene items and give to the St. Anthony’s Feminine Hygiene Drive.

When:

Drop off your donation on March 8^th , International Women’s Day, anytime from 3:00-5:00 and meet the other members of this generous community.

What: sanitary napkins and tampons

Where: Can’t make the March 8th drop off? Deliver or mail any time to St. Anthony Foundation, Attn: St. Anthony Women, 150 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco CA 94102

How: Next time you are buying for yourself, pick up a package for a woman who doesn’t have them.  Get together with your friends, classmates, co-workers. Join the conversation on Twitter (#TsanitaryTsunami) or share the message on Facebook and let’s take care of business.

How lucky is the staff at SAF to have a Fitness  Room, located on the 5th floor of 150 Golden Gate, where we can take care of our wellness not only physically but mentally, in order for us to take care of our guests. As I pass by this  room I see staff in there for various reasons:  wanting to get and stay healthy,  training for a marathon, stretching , yoga,  releasing tension or getting inspiration. Whatever the reason it’s all in good health. 

In photo: Lisa and Taylor in the fitness room.

Guest blogger Maura Hurley is a St. Anthony’s volunteer.

The sky was cloudy, but the day was joyous on Golden Gate Avenue as San Francisco notables and a host of other visitors and guests celebrated the groundbreaking of the long-awaited new building on Jones Street that will house a larger St. Anthony’s Dining Room and 90 units of affordable housing for low-income senior citizens.

Among the dignitaries: Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Ed Lee, Police Chief Greg Suhr, Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White and S.F. Giants mascot Lou Seal.

The a cappella Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir entertained the crowd with a rousing rendition of “God is Great.” And Tammy Nelson from the cast of “Beach Blanket Babylon.” dressed in her pizza delivery outfit, sang “San Francisco” (open up your Golden Gate) as the crowd cheered.

The groundbreaking itself–at the bottom of the construction site — featured dignitaries wielding gold-colored shovels and an interfaith blessing.

Three representatives of the Sikh community in Fremont took BART to the City to attend the event. Balbir Sull, Avtar Kaur and Nirmal Singh Chemma said that their community has been donating new blankets to St. Anthony’s for 16 years.

Stephen Russell, a prep chef at St. Anthony’s, was there, too. “It’s a good feeling to be part of something that a lot of people will make use of,” he said.

Jill Lonergan, marketing manager at Nibbi Construction, the company constructing the new building, said that when she heard the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir would be performing she decided to come. But then said she would have come anyway to be part of the event.

Sergio Nibbi, whose father started the construction company and whose sons now run it, said that his relationship with St. Anthony’s goes back many years. “When you wanted to make a donation, you made it to them. It was automatic when I was growing up,” he said.  Today, he added, “St. Anthony’s gets a special rate but we get it back many times over in blessings.”

Rochelle Fort, a social worker at the nearby Mercy family housing apartments, said that she was excited about the new building and thought that some of the seniors in her building would want to move there. “There just isn’t enough housing now for seniors” she said.

Robert Harrell (pictured left), who has kept St. Anthony’s guests, visitors and employees safe for nine years as a staff member of Client Safety Services, summed up the day. “We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. Now let the show begin.”