FAQ | St. Anthony's

Many of our guests, volunteers, donors, and neighbors have questions about St. Anthony’s and related topics such as homelessness generally and the Tenderloin district where we are located. Below, please find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

General FAQs

What are the St. Anthony’s core values and mission statement?
How do I get to St. Anthony’s?
Is the Tenderloin safe?
Where can I learn more about poverty and homelessness in San Francisco?
Do you help with IDs or Birth Certificates?
Who can I speak to for your drug rehab?
Can I make an appointment to see a doctor?
What is St. Anthony’s Tax ID number?
Can St. Anthony’s help me with Estate Planning?

Volunteer

What measures has St. Anthony’s implemented to mitigate COVID-19 and protect staff and volunteers?
Is there an age requirement for volunteering at St. Anthony’s?
Do I have to attend an orientation to volunteer?
I receive services at St. Anthony’s. How can I give back?
What should I bring/wear when volunteering?
What if I/we’ve signed up and can no longer make it/our numbers have changed?
How do I get in contact with the volunteer team on the weekend?
Do you offer holiday volunteering opportunities?
Are there opportunities for volunteers with mobility issues?
What if I need to complete required hours (court-mandated or school requirement)?
Can I update my contact information and view the number of hours I’ve completed?
I’m having problems signing up online, what should I do?

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Advocacy

What is Advocacy at St. Anthony’s?
What are some of the important issues that you advocate for?
How do I support your Advocacy Program?
Is there a way to keep in contact with what’s going on with St. Anthony’s Advocacy?
What can I do right now to engage with the Tenderloin community?
How do I contact an elected official in San Francisco?Back to top

Dining Room

What times and types of volunteer opportunities do you have?
Do I need to stay for the whole volunteer shift?
Do you have any shorter volunteer shifts?
What types of tasks will I be doing as a volunteer?
Can you accommodate volunteers with disabilities?
Can I use my phone when I volunteer?
What should I wear to volunteer?
Will lunch be provided to volunteers?Back to top

Drug and Alcohol Recovery (Father Alfred Center)

What are the qualifications of eligibility for admission?
How do I apply for treatment?
How long is the program?
Do I have to be in the work therapy program to be in the program?
What other types of resources do you offer?Back to top

Medical Clinic

Who can access the Medical Clinic?
Do I need insurance to access the Medical Clinic?
What languages are spoken at the Medical Clinic?
Is the Medical Clinic covered under Healthy San Francisco?
Can I get a school/sports physical for my child at the Medical Clinic?Back to top

Free Clothing Program

Who does the Free Clothing Program serve?
How often can someone receive clothing from the Free Clothing Program?
Do you sell the clothing that is donated to you?
Do you launder your clothes before distributing them to guests?
How can I help the Free Clothing Program?
Can I organize a clothing drive for St. Anthony’s on my own?
Do you pick up clothing donations?
What clothing items are the most critically needed?Back to top

Resource Center

Can St. Anthony’s help me get housing?
Who can access the supplemental food pantry?
Can St. Anthony’s help me get a California ID?
Can St. Anthony’s help me with rental assistance?
Does St. Anthony’s provide payee services?
San Francisco is confusing, can you help me find and connect with the right services for me?Back to top

Tenderloin Tech Lab

Where is the Tenderloin Tech Lab located?
Can I access the Tenderloin Tech Lab without ID?
What days is the Tenderloin Tech Lab open?
What hours are you open?
How can I access your services?
Do you offer classes?
What other services do you offer?
What is the cost to use the services of the Tenderloin Tech Lab?
Who can use the Tenderloin Tech Lab?Back to top

General FAQs

What are St. Anthony’s core values and mission statement?
St. Anthony’s mission is to feed, heal, shelter, clothe, lift the spirits of those in need, and create a society in which all persons flourish. This mission is guided by five values: healing, community, personalism, justice, and gratitude.

How do I get to St. Anthony’s?
St. Anthony’s is located at 150 Golden Gate Avenue, just two blocks from Market Street in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. The Civic Center BART station is two blocks away, with multiple MUNI buses that stop at Market and 6th Street. We are also a short walk from several Northern MUNI lines, such as the 21 and 38. While we encourage taking public transportation to visit St. Anthony’s, there are several parking lots within three blocks of 150 Golden Gate if you drive a car.

Is the Tenderloin district safe?
Our Client Safety Services team ensures volunteers, guests, staff, visitors, and passing residents feel safe and welcomed on our block. They maintain safety in and around St. Anthony’s programs, focusing on compassion, trauma-informed care, and relationship-building.

Where can I learn more about poverty and homelessness in San Francisco?
Please visit our Student Resources page.

Do you help with IDs or Birth Certificates?
Yes. Please contact the Social Work Center at 415-592-2855.

Who can I speak to for your drug rehab?
Please contact the Father Alfred Addiction Recovery Center at 415-592-2831.

Can I make an appointment to see a doctor?
Yes. Please contact the Medical Clinic at 415-241-8320.

What is St. Anthony’s Tax ID?
St. Anthony’s Tax ID is 94-1513140.

Can St. Anthony’s help me with estate planning?
Effective estate planning usually takes time, effort and a good attorney. In the end your plan will allow your family to avoid the delay, dissension, and expense that often occurs when a loved one dies without a Will. Once you have taken care of your family’s needs, please consider a thoughtful bequest to St. Anthony’s. For more information, click here.Back to top

Volunteering FAQs

What measures has St. Anthony’s implemented to mitigate COVID-19 and protect staff and volunteers? St. Anthony’s requires that all volunteers coming onsite be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Volunteers in roles that require interfacing with guests are required to wear a facemask.

Is there an age requirement for volunteering at St. Anthony’s?
Our minimum age requirement is 13 in the Dining Room, 14 in the Free Clothing Program, and 16 in the Tenderloin Technology Lab. Volunteers under 15 years old must be accompanied by an adult. To sign up a volunteer younger than 15 for a shift, please email volunteer@stanthonysf.org.

Do I have to attend an orientation to volunteer?
Volunteers planning on attending 5+ shifts must attend an orientation. These currently take place monthly on Zoom. However, you may volunteer before you’ve attended orientation. To see when the next orientation is and to sign up, visit our shift calendar.

I receive services at St. Anthony’s. How can I give back?
Guests who receive our services may volunteer in the Dining Room, Farmers Market, Tenderloin Technology Lab, and Free Clothing Program. Please note that guests who are actively receiving clothing service may not volunteer in the Free Clothing Program.

What should I bring/wear to volunteer?
We recommend that you wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes that cover the tops of your feet, and clothing suitable for an active work environment. Please also wear a face covering. Volunteers are welcome to eat the meal served in the Dining Room (vegetarian options are available).

What if I/we’ve signed up and can no longer make it/our numbers have changed?
We plan very carefully for each volunteer who has committed to work with us and each volunteer is essential to successfully serving our guests. Please let us know in prior to your shift if you need to cancel. Individual volunteers can cancel their shifts and manage their schedule via their personal volunteer dashboard volunteer dashboard or by emailing us at volunteer@stanthonysf.org. Group leaders should inform our Group Volunteer Coordinator of headcount changes at groupvolunteer@stanthonysf.org.

How do I get in contact with the volunteer team on the weekend?
Please call the Dining Room at (415) 592-2748, Free Clothing Program at (415) 592-2803 or the Tenderloin Tech Lab at(415) 592-2766.

Do you offer holiday volunteer opportunities?
We offer a variety of special volunteer opportunities for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, and International Women’s Day, but we need volunteers every day of the year.

Are there opportunities for volunteers with mobility issues?
We welcome volunteers of all abilities at St. Anthony’s. We offer seated volunteer positions in all of our programs, and our buildings are all handicap-accessible. Please reach out with any questions or concerns to our volunteer service team at 415-592-2726 or volunteer@stanthonysf.org.

What if I need to complete required volunteer hours (court-mandated or school requirement)?
All volunteers are welcome to serve at St. Anthony’s, as long as you adhere to policies laid out in our volunteer handbook and attend a volunteer orientation. If you are doing required service please inform our individual Volunteer Coordinator at 415-592-2726 or volunteer@stanthonysf.org of the organization requiring the hours and the number of hours to be completed.

Can I update my volunteer profile and/or view the number of hours I’ve completed?
Yes. Access your volunteer dashboard, where you can do things like view your schedule and number of volunteering hours completed, cancel a shift, and update your personal information.

I’m having problems signing up online, what should I do?

Try clearing your web browser’s cache:

Google Chrome

Click the three dots menu > More Tools > Clear Browsing Data.
You can also press Ctrl+Shift+Delete to open this screen on Windows, or press Command+Shift+Delete on a Mac.
To delete your entire browsing history, select from “the beginning of time” in the box at the top of the screen and check the “browsing history” option.
You can also choose to clear other private data from here, including your download history, cookies, and browser cache.

Internet Explorer

In Internet Explorer, select the Tools button, point to Safety, and then select Delete browsing history.
Choose the types of data or files you want to remove from your PC, and then select Delete.

Safari

Open Safari and click: History > Clear History. You can quickly delete all of your browsing history using this method.
Use the pop-up menu to select the range of history you want to delete.
Click Clear History to confirm.

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Advocacy FAQs

What is Advocacy at St. Anthony’s?
St. Anthony’s Advocacy Program seeks to listen to the voices of those we serve and provide community-focused and locally driven programming, education, and engagement that includes our guests, volunteers, donors, staff, and the public at large, as well as policy influencers e.g., the media, community leaders, the business community, thought leaders, political advisors, and other advocacy organizations.

What is an important issue that you are working on right now?
St. Anthony’s is a member of the Our City Our Home Coalition, a diverse collection of organizations advocating in support of populations experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. As you may know, in November, San Franciscans made a bold and compassionate statement by passing Prop C. We believe that the solution to homelessness is simple – housing. Rapid re-housing is an intervention designed to quickly connect people to housing and services. And we believe that funding these solutions is in all of our interests

How can I support your Advocacy Program?
Our program, like everything at St. Anthony’s, is funded entirely by donations. Donate here!

Is there a way to stay updated about the activities of St. Anthony’s Advocacy?
Yes, you can sign up for our advocacy email newsletter here.

What can I do right now to engage with the Tenderloin community?

How do I contact an elected official in San Francisco?
Find your San Francisco District Supervisor’s contact info here.Back to top

Dining Room FAQs

What times and types of volunteer opportunities do you have?

Currently we’re only offering Dining Room shifts from 9:30am-1:45pm daily.

Do I need to stay for the entire volunteer shift?
We expect volunteers to complete the entire shift. If you need to leave early, please let a Volunteer Coordinator know first thing in the morning. It is important that volunteers arrive by 9:30am in order for meal service to start on time.

Do you have any shorter volunteer shifts?
Currently we’re only offering Dining Room shifts from 9:30am-1:45pm daily.

What types of tasks will I be doing as a volunteer?
The Dining Room is almost entirely volunteer-driven. Therefore, there are a broad variety of tasks for volunteers to do. Generally volunteers will be assigned to a few different jobs throughout the shift, both in the Dining Room and in the Kitchen.

Can you accommodate volunteers with disabilities?
There are a broad range of volunteer tasks, and we can usually accommodate volunteers with disabilities. Please check in with a Volunteer Coordinator if you have any questions or special needs.

Can I use my phone while volunteering?
We encourage volunteers to stay off their phones, in order to be more present with our guests. We understand if you need to keep your phone on you, but please take any calls in the lobby or break area. Due to concerns for our guest’s privacy, no photos of our guests are allowed.

What should I wear to volunteer?
We recommend that you wear comfortable, close-toed shoes that cover the tops of your feet, and clothing suitable for an active work environment. DO NOT WEAR shorts, short skirts, open-toed shoes, or tank tops. Feel free to bring your own hat for working in the kitchen. If you do not bring a hat, we will provide a hairnet for working in the kitchen.

Will lunch be provided?
All volunteers will receive a 15-20 minute lunch break. Food is provided.Back to top

Drug and Alcohol Recovery (Father Alfred Center) FAQs

What are the eligibility qualifications to receive addiction recovery treatment at the Father Alfred Center?
Substance abuse disorder, homeless, no income, male.

How do I apply for treatment?
Please speak to the Intake Office at (415) 592-2831.

How long is the program?
One year.

Do I have to be in the work therapy program to be in the program?
The work therapy component of treatment is an essential part of the treatment process and is required for continuance.

What other types of resources do you offer?
Medical and behavioral health treatment, job training, tech lab services, individual and group counseling, and spiritual services.Back to top

Medical Clinic FAQs

Who can access St. Anthony’s Medical Clinic?
Anyone that needs primary medical care. We do not turn anyone away.

Do I need insurance to access the Medical Clinic?
St. Anthony’s is a Community Clinical Services (CCS) Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). As an FQHC we are able to provide services to qualified individuals and their families by offering a sliding-fee discount designed to make our care more affordable to patients who are income eligible (below 200% of the poverty level). The discount is for all of our medical, pediatric and behavioral health services.

What languages are spoken at the Medical Clinic?
We have staff members that speak Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Hindi. We also use an over-the-phone interpretation usage line for Thai, Arabic, and Nepali.

Is St. Anthony’s Medical Clinic covered under Healthy San Francisco?
Healthy San Francisco is not an insurance plan, but can help with covering the cost for their medical visit and medications. For more information about Healthy San Francisco, click here.

Can I get a school/sports physical for my child at the Medical Clinic?
Yes.Back to top

Clothing Program FAQs

Who does the Free Clothing Program serve?
We serve nearly 10,000 low-income individuals and families every year with warm clothes, interview apparel or workwear, and children’s clothing. Anyone can sign up for our service. We request identification, but don’t require it.

How often can someone receive clothing from the Free Clothing Program?
Our guests can sign-up to access our program once every twenty-eight days.

Do you sell the clothing that is donated to you?
All donated clothing that meets our quality standards is distributed to our guests free of charge.

Do you launder your clothes before distributing them to guests?
No. Due to the scale of the program and volume of clothing donations we receive, we do not have the resources to launder our donations. We ask that clothes be freshly laundered and in good condition at the time of donation.

How can I help the Free Clothing Program?
You can sign up to volunteer. Volunteers help us sort, quality-check, and hang clothing, as well as assist our guests as they “shop” in our boutique-like space. You can donate clean, new or like-new clothing to us. See the Free Clothing Program webpage for more information on donating clothes, including items we accept and do not accept.

Can I organize a clothing drive for St. Anthony’s on my own?
Yes. More than one hundred businesses, schools, churches, and other community groups host clothing drives for us every year. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are not able to offer barrel service. We are still able to offer up to one pick up of donations from donation drives within San Francisco. To get started and learn more, email us at clothing@stanthonysf.org.

Do you pick up donations?
We provide donation pick-up for large-scale donation drives held by companies, schools, churches, or other community groups. We do not provide donation pick-up for individual households.

What clothing items are the most critically needed?
Underwear and socks; men’s jackets, shoes, and jeans; and children’s clothes, especially 2T-5T.Back to top

Resource Center FAQs

Can you help me get into housing?
Unfortunately, our city as a whole is severely lacking in housing resources and we do not have any of our own. We can assist you with information on Access Points and referrals to agencies that provide direct access to housing. We can also assist you in signing up for open waitlists, although one should be aware the wait it often quite lengthy. If you are accepted into housing we CAN help you with you security deposit if you meet certain criteria.

Who can access our supplemental food pantry?
Families with children under 18, pregnant women, seniors, and adults with medical conditions requiring a special diet can access our pantry monthly (every 2 weeks for pregnant women) if they live in a specific area, which is boundaried by Van Ness and Mason and Geary and Market and also includes the other side of Market up to Folsom between 6th and 9th.

Can St. Anthony’s help me get a California ID?
We hope so! You’ll need to bring verification of benefits in order to qualify and if you’ve had a CA ID in the past five years, you will need the ID number, otherwise, you will need your passport or birth certificate.

Can you help me with Rental Assistance?
We do drop in screening for Rental Assistance every Tuesday at 1:30pm. Bring a copy of back rent or security deposit owed, as well as proof of ability to pay rent ongoing. Appointments for screening start at 2:30pm and eligible applicants will be given appointments for later that week.

Does St. Anthony’s provide payee services?
We provide payee services to individuals who social security has mandated have assistance in managing their money. We do not charge a fee for this service. We do make monthly budget with our clients and work to make sure basic needs, like food, clothing, and shelter, are met.

This city is confusing, can you help me find and connect with the right services for me?
Yes. Make an appointment with one of our social workers—while we do not provide ongoing case management, we can help link you to people who do.Back to top

Tenderloin Tech Lab FAQs

Where is the Tenderloin Tech Lab located?
The Tenderloin Techlab is located at 150 Golden Gate Avenue, 3rd floor.

Can I access the Tech Lab without ID?
We do not require any form of identification to access the Tech Lab.

What days is the Tech Lab open?
The Tech Lab is open every day of the week!

What hours is the Tech Lab open?

Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 8:30am – 4:00pm
Tues: 8:30am – 1:00pm

How can I access the services of the Tech Lab?
To access the services of the Tech Lab, attend a short orientation once. Mon, Wed, Fri at 9am or Tues, Thurs, Fri at 1:30pm.

Do you have any classes at the Tech Lab?
Yes, every month the Tech Lab offers Basic Computer Skills class and Intermediate Computer Skills class. Classes are 3 weeks long, 4 days a week.

What other services does the Tech Lab offer?
The Tech Lab offers a range of services, including drop-in computer and telephone access, 1-on-1 tutoring, printing, copying, scanning, faxing, mobile phone charging, bathrooms, and Wi-Fi.

What is the cost to use the services of the Tech Lab?
There is no cost to use the services of the Tech Lab.

How old do I need to be to use the Tech Lab?
Anyone over the age of 18 can use the Tech Lab.Back to top

Still have questions? Contact us.