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.

The summer months were a fun time for volunteers around here.  We met new interns, hosted amazing corporate groups, and had very moving experiences with our immersions.  But it’s that time of the year again – back to school!  What does that mean at St. Anthony’s?  It means that nearly every weekday from now until the end of April, we will be hosting high school groups from around the Bay Area.  We actually work with about 20 schools that have committed to making service and justice education at St. Anthony’s a vital component of their curriculum. 

Students spend a full day with us, first learning about the demographics of our dynamic neighborhood and the challenges our guests may be facing.  We let the students know that Fr. Alfred founded the Dining Room, wanting to serve more than just a meal.  We remind them that over 60 years later their main goal for the day is to continue to show our guests the dignity and respect Fr. Alfred set out to share decades ago.  Their day continues with volunteering in our Dining Room and Free Clothing Program, and with agencies we partner with – Salvation Army Meals That Heal and Adult Day Health programs in the neighborhood.  Each student returns to St. Anthony’s to wait in line for lunch, just as our guests do.  I am often told that lunch is the highlight of the day for our students; not just because the food is delicious – but because the conversation with guests is rich and beautiful.  Following lunch we come back together to hear from a gentleman going through our recovery program.  It is a wonderful exchange of healing – for the Father Alfred Center resident, he is given the opportunity to share his story with a group that is eager to listen with care.  And the students are able to learn firsthand how addiction truly affects the individual and the community – all just by being told the truth in a non-preachy, non-classroom like way.  It is real in a way that is not often experienced by 16 year olds.  After such a full day, we are sure to provide space for reflection.  This is the time of the day I love the most.  It is the moment when I am able to see how just one short day in this special place can really affect a young person, and can even change their life. 

Our school groups do more than just volunteer at St. Anthony’s.  We may be a key piece of their curriculum, but they are an essential part of our community.  Our guests look forward to all our volunteers, but it seems these energetic and friendly students are favorites in the Dining Room.  Perhaps they are a sign of hope.  Maybe their joy is contagious.  Or it could be that they are a reminder of a time that is nostalgic for all of us – that back to school time, when new books and stories about the summer are all you needed to find yourself smiling. 

Junipero Serra High School of San Mateo is our first school group of the year.  They kick things off on Wednesday and you can be sure our guests will be excited that we’re Back To School!

Celina Gomes Sutton is the Group and Internship Volunteer Coordinator at St. Anthony’s.  She and her colleagues in the social ACTion program lead these school groups through their day of justice education, service and reflection.

Christmas Curbside Donation Drive Starts Next Weekend:

Saturday, December 17th – Saturday, December 24th!

St. Anthony’s 24^th Annual Christmas Curbside Donation Drive begins on Saturday, December 17^th. St. Anthony Foundation staff and volunteers, wearing easily identifiable red jackets, will take delivery of food, clothing, and monetary donations at curbside, so donors won’t even have to leave their cars! Donated items are distributed free of charge to San Francisco’s most needy residents.

Your donation of NEW SOCKS, clean and ready-to-wear clothing, canned and dried foods are all much needed and appreciated! And if you’ve been working on hand knit scarves as holiday gifts to our guests, bring them in!

WHEN: December 17th-24th, 2011 – Weekends from 9-3 & Weekdays from 8-6

WHERE: St. Anthony Foundation - 105 Golden Gate @ Jones

NEEDED ITEMS:

Clothing
We need all kinds of clothing for men, women, and children – our most critical needs are for the following items:

Socks, Shoes
Underwear
Winter coats
Jackets
Hats

Monetary Donations

St. Anthony’s is happy to accept cash or checks for donation during Curbside and is prepared to issue receipts onsite for tax purposes.

ITEMS WE CANNOT ACCEPT:

Empty clothes hangers
Knick knacks
Used toys
Children’s car seats
Furniture
Medical equipment
Dirty, stained or torn items
Books and magazines
Exercise/sports equipment
Housewares
Computers, electronics

If you have any questions about donations, please call us at (415) 241-2600.

And in case you’d like to volunteer and join us for the holidays, call the St. Anthony Holiday Line at 415-592-2829. We look forward to seeing you!

Turkey Bowl

Two days prior to Thanksgiving, pro bowlers, sports celebrities and the community gathered together at Serra Bowl in Daly City to volunteer their time and skills as they bowled strikes for turkeys at the eleventh annual Turkey Bowl. This event raises money to buy turkeys to benefit the St. Anthony Dining Room as well as the North Peninsula Food Pantry & Dining Center of Daly City. Rex Golobic and his family – the owners of Serra Bowl – created this event to help feed the hungry over the holidays.  It has been successful since its very beginning and over 1,000 turkeys are contributed every year to help those in need.

Nancy Pelosi visits the Dining Room

On the day before Thanksgiving, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and her grandchildren graciously volunteered in our Dining Room. She has been donating her time to St. Anthony’s for many years and we are very thankful for her support. After serving, Pelosi reflected that “On Thanksgiving, we come together with family and friends to honor a spirit of gratitude: offering thanks for the blessings in our lives; giving back to the less fortunate in our communities.” Congresswoman Pelosi and her family captured the spirit of giving that we at St. Anthony’s cherish so much.

Turkey Carve

Later that day, recently re-elected Mayor Edwin Lee, Police Chief Greg Suhr, and Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White joined St. Anthony Chefs to put the final touches on our 61^st Thanksgiving Day meal.  The Mayor, Chiefs, and uniformed members of the San Francisco Police and Fire Departments carved the last of 4,800 pounds of turkey and added the final garnish of whipped cream to our 4,000 pumpkin pies.

Thanksgiving Day

On Thanksgiving Day and all other days, St. Anthony’s opens its doors to any and all San Franciscans.  Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, joined over a hundred volunteers and thousands of guests to serve and enjoy a delicious meal prepared for 4,000.  As St. Anthony’s prepares to serve a growing number of needy residents, Executive Director Shari Roeseler commented, “These are difficult times.  At St. Anthony’s we see increasing numbers of people seeking services from all of our programs. The dining room alone saw a 15% jump in the number of guests in October.  Despite the challenges people of San Francisco are facing, I also see hope on a daily basis as donors, volunteers, and guests come together to celebrate the holiday season.” The Dining Room was full of hope and holiday cheer on Thanksgiving Day, as guests ate all the food off their plates, had second helpings of pumpkin pie, took more food home for leftovers, and walked out of St. Anthony’s with full stomachs and smiling faces.

With 4,800 pounds of turkey, 1,250 pounds of mashed potatoes, 1,250 pounds of yams, 1,000 pounds of stuffing, 4,000 individual pumpkin pies and more, this may have been one of the biggest thanksgiving meals you’ve ever seen!

St. Anthony’s 24th Curbside Holiday Donation Drive kicks off on Saturday, November 19th. St. Anthony Foundation staff and volunteers, wearing easily identifiable red jackets, will take delivery of food, clothing, and monetary donations at curbside, so donors won’t even have to leave their cars! Donated items are distributed free of charge to San Francisco’s most needy residents.

Your donation of turkeys, clean and gently worn clothing, canned and dried foods are all much needed and appreciated!

WHEN:
November 19th-24th AND December 17th-24th

• Weekdays from 8-6
• Weekends from 9-3

WHERE:
St. Anthony Foundation
105 Golden Gate @ Jones

NEEDED ITEMS:

Clothing
We need all kinds of clothing for men, women, and children – our most critical needs are for the following items:

Socks, Shoes
Underwear
Winter coats
Jackets
Hats

Monetary Donations
St. Anthony’s is happy to accept cash or checks for donation during Curbside and is prepared to issue receipts onsite for tax purposes.

Other
We also need these items:

Shopping bags – with handles
Blankets, comforters, sleeping bags
Luggage, bags, backpacks
Toiletries – new only, please
Towels, washcloths
Stuffed animals – good condition only
Children’s toys – new only, please
Strollers – in good condition
Canes – not crutches, walkers, wheelchairs

Items We Cannot Accept
Empty clothes hangers
Knick knacks
Used toys
Children’s car seats
Furniture
Medical equipment
Dirty, stained or torn items
Books and magazines
Exercise/sports equipment
Housewares
Computers, electronics

If you have any questions about donations, please call us at (415) 241-2600.

And in case you’d like to volunteer and join us for the holidays, call the St. Anthony Holiday Line at 415-592-2829. We look forward to seeing you this holiday season!

This summer I had the privilege of (interning) at St. Anthony’s, a non profit organization that helps underserved people of Francisco. Their mission is to feed, heal, shelter, clothe, lift the spirits of those in need, and create a society in which all people flourish. During my internship at St. Anthony’s I was able to work in many different areas o service. My first experience was in the Dining Room. I was terrified of the setting because I had never been in the Tenderloin area, so I did not know what to expect. Very soon, I found that it was a joy to work there. There is just something about giving a meal to someone who really needs it, but the best reward for me was simply a smile and a “thank you.”

I really loved that the Dining Room at St. Anthony’s was actually called a “dining room,” instead of a soup kitchen. Just the name made it feel like it was a family setting, somewhere you could come home and feel safe, like a home with your own family. And, as time progressed, I felt like I had joined the St. Anthony Family because each time I can to volunteer there was always someone calling out my name. I never knew how much it meant to me that someone knew my name until I started working there. I felt loved because someone actually took the time out of their day to learn my name and remember my face.

Working at St. Anthony’s taught me so much about life. It helped me break down the barrier of my fear of homeless people. I learned that when you are on the outside looking in, you can sometimes be so quick to judge, but when you are inside, taking on the emotions of others, you can identify with them and become more understanding. At first, I thought this internship would feel just like community service, but I feel that I have walked away with so much more than that. Now I fully understand the causes and effects of homelessness, I can really look at all people with respect and not judge them.

I received this the other day from one of our Thanksgiving volunteers:

“As a single U.C. retiree, without family, in planning how I would spend my Thanksgiving today, I had three options:

(1) I could hole up in my apartment, watch television all day, eating left-overs, and feeling very, very sorry for myself; or,

(2) I could have a 7-course dinner at inflated prices in some hotel
dining room, turned off by such an over- abundance of food with so much hunger in the Bay Area; or,

(3) I could take Bart over to San Francisco and head for St. Anthony’s Dining Room, helping serve hundreds of homeless, jobless people, who are so thankful for this generous holiday dinner served in a warm, caring and happy atmosphere, where they’re made to feel like a welcome guest.

I’ve been a volunteer at St. Anthony’s Dining Room for several years and feel richly rewarded for my slight contribution to their wonderful program.”

We give thanks for our amazing volunteers!

“Town Halls”: quite the buzz these days! Far from some of the more raucous Town Hall meetings across our Nation this past August, the 8th Annual Town Hall for St. Anthony Foundation volunteers has been a pleasure to host! For 5 days each year, we convene our volunteers – the people “who really are the face of St. Anthony’s to our guests and clients” (Cissie Bonini, staff). The purpose of the Town Hall is two-fold: to share Foundation updates and Advocacy efforts with those who so generously give of their time and presence, day in and day out, as volunteers. This year’s theme: “Disaster Preparedness”, ranged from discussion of St. Anthony’s disaster response plans, to our own individual preparations for at least 3 days without basic City services (in the event of a large scale disaster). I’ve been very impressed by the number of people who are actually prepared, including a number of volunteers who have been trained as “NERTs” (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team)! For the rest of us, and for anyone who’d like the opportunity to review, staff have arranged for 2 free courses in personal preparedness for our volunteers. These courses will be facilitated by SF CARD (Community Agencies Responding to Disaster).

We’re also taking the opportunity of the Town Halls to thank our volunteers for the daily way they alleviate the life crises of so many of our guests and clients-with a smile, a kind word, a tray of nutritious food… As our Deputy Executive Director and Acting Director, Linda Pasquinucci has been telling our volunteers each day of these meetings, “We can count the hours you give so generously, but there’s really no way to measure the real IMPACT you have on the lives of those you serve” (paraphrase). This IMPACT is what can transform harsh and challenging circumstances into healing moments— moments when we can know absolutely, that some one really does care, that even a smile or a kind hello can make a real difference. Whether it’s a major disaster, such as an earthquake or simply an “ordinary” day of struggle just to get by, St. Anthony’s is looked as the place to go for support. We’ve had a new acronym applied to us: “DRO”, meaning – “Disaster Resilient Organization”, and as such, we’re part of San Francisco’s planning for capable and prepared response in the event of a major disaster. Our volunteers are a crucial ingredient in these plans, just as they are to the ongoing efforts of St. Anthony Foundation to address the consequences of poverty in real lives, day in and day out.

In order for these meetings to take place, we’ve needed to arrange for groups of people to cover volunteering in the Dining Room–where our regular volunteers would typically be during the hours of the Town Hall. This year, we’ve had the wonderful support of corporate groups (such as Wells Fargo and Chevron) who’ve signed up to volunteer with us through another annual event known as the Week of Caring. Organized by United Way and the Volunteer Center of San Francisco and San Mateo Counties, employees of corporations choose from a number of participating agencies to volunteer for the day. Hats off to the many who elected to participate in this event; not only did they make a difference themselves through service, they made it possible for our volunteers “to turn over the reigns” for the couple of hours each day, and attend the Town Halls.

This is one of those times when a person can feel that there’s really no “disaster” that together, we cannot meet with skill and TLC. May safety prevail and may the safety NET be strengthened measurably, so that the impact of those who care about our brothers and sisters who’ve fallen through the bigger and bigger gaps in the net, can be fully reflected and realized in a “society in which all persons flourish”. (St. Anthony Foundation Mission Statement excerpt).

A few years back, I saw a greeting card that said “ What the world really needs is a good LISTENING to!” I don’t know who coined this evocative turn of a well know phrase, but I haven’t forgotten its message. During our Volunteer Orientations we typically cite the words attributed to Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel often; use words only when necessary”. The relationship between these quotations is one that I see and treasure daily here at St. Anthony’s. A volunteer, delivering a lunch tray with a smile to a waiting and hungry guest in the Dining Room is a core example of this relationship. Conversely, many of our volunteers say that it is our guests who initiate smiles and kindly jokes…lifting the spirits of the volunteers and the staff!

Looking a little deeper into the notions of “actions speaking” and “attentive listening”, it’s clear that much of the healing that goes on here at St. Anthony’s is rooted in these ways serving one another. Recently, in the reflection period following the Dining Room experience, one of our young volunteers shared that he hadn’t really “connected” with the fellow he sat next to on his break, because the man hadn’t wanted to talk. But we talked about that, about the willingness to simply be present, to sit there and not force conversation on someone, of accepting a person for who they are in that moment, of making room for a person to feel accepted.

On the other hand, words can be healing too! I was serving in the Dining Room one day last week, when I noticed one of our guests wearing a button. I voiced the words “I am loved”; “Yeah!” he grinned. “I found it on the street and I put it on right away!” His smile & joy were wonderfully contagious, and I caught a good case of it from him.

With the sad news of Senator Ted Kennedy’s death, and the extensive media coverage of his legacy, I’m struck by how much of his dedication to service, of a family commitment to “giving back” is very, very resonant with the ways of the St. Anthony Foundation family. I got a call recently from one of the Seniors who eats regularly in the Dining Room. “Can I volunteer? I want to give something back.” And now, this person is volunteering as well. Does that mean everyone should? No, not at all– there are myriad ways that we can support one another’s well being. Our volunteers are always voicing how they feel so appreciated by guests and by staff. It’s not so much a back & forth as it is a circle of giving and receiving; of actions and of listening. And in these times of so much uncertainty and struggle, thank goodness we can count on the basic generosity of caring for one another. If I ever get discouraged, and I do, all I need to do is to watch and listen to our guests and volunteers for a moment or two, to revive my faith in “our better angels”.

“Volunteering at St. Anthonys is like recharging. When you are here you are making a difference, and you really feel it.”

Subscribe to the St. Anthony Foundation YouTube Channel and watch more first hand the stories from St. Anthony’s guests and clients.