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Data Grounded in Dignity
Since our founding by Father Alfred Boeddeker in 1950, St. Anthony Foundation has served more than 49 million meals. Poverty, homelessness, and food insecurity remain urgent challenges in our community, and understanding the people we serve is essential to meeting those needs.
In keeping with our founder’s values, we do not routinely track personal data from our Dining Room guests. Instead, we conduct periodic, voluntary surveys of guests across our programs (including the Dining Room, Free Clothing Program, Tech Lab, Hygiene Hub, and Medical Clinic) to better understand who we serve and how their needs are evolving over time. This survey was conducted in May 2025, following a previous evaluation in May 2022.
We use the term “guest” out of deep respect. Every person who walks through our doors is welcomed into our community without judgment.
Key Findings
- There is an increased demand for meals – Daily meal counts are approaching levels seen during the COVID-19 public emergency.
- The Dining Room served an average of 2,161 meals per day across breakfast and lunch in FY25, up from 1,629 in FY22.
- Projections for FY26 indicate the total number of meals will match or exceed those historical emergency highs.
- The Dining Room is a gateway to broader support – Over half of the people who come to the Dining Room connect with at least one additional program at St. Anthony’s, making the space a vital entry point for holistic care.
- 55% of Dining Room guests utilize at least one additional service St. Anthony’s provides, turning a single meal into a broader connection.
- Going deeper, 34% of our community connects with two or more additional services, reflecting a widespread need for multi-layered support.
- Reaching the neighbors who need us most – The Dining Room is a vital point of connection for our most vulnerable community members, demonstrating we are successfully reaching people who have the greatest need.
- 55% of guests are experiencing homelessness, up from 47% in 2022.
- Chronic homelessness has nearly doubled among the people we serve, rising from 16% to 29%.
- Nearly 30% of our guests are currently living unsheltered.
- Demographic Trends: Serving a Younger Community – The long-term trend toward an aging population has reversed, led by our now expanded breakfast services.
- Guests under the age of 50 have increased from 37% to 48%, now nearly half of our community.
- 68% of the guests we serve at breakfast are experiencing homelessness, confirming that morning hours are meeting a critical need for people living on the street.
- 67% of the guests we see under the age of 30 are currently experiencing homelessness.
- A Dependable Part of Weekly Life – The Dining Room serves as a regular, trusted resource for a broad cross-section of the Tenderloin.
- 45% of guests are housed, demonstrating that the need for meal services extends well beyond the unsheltered population.
- Unemployment has increased from 31% to 38% among the people turning to us, confirming that our services are successfully reaching and attracting those with the greatest economic need.
- 85% of guests visit multiple times per week, highlighting how consistently our community counts of this space for nutritional support and daily connection.
- Good Food, Respect, and Safety Remain Constant – Across all data points, the most consistent finding is that guests return because they enjoy the meals and feel respected, safe, and welcomed.
- 87% of guests agree that the food tastes good, and 76% appreciate the variety of the meals provided.
- 84% report feeling respected.
- 86% feel safe while visiting our space.
- 85% visit multiple times per week, reflecting an ongoing trust in the environment we provide.