Gilead Employees Support Women in Need During Women’s History Month

April 24, 2023

On March 16, St. Anthony’s led a volunteer project for 33 Gilead employees at the company’s headquarters in Foster City to create 1,000 menstrual hygiene kits for women in need. The kits, which contain pads, tampons, sanitary wipes, new underwear, and an uplifting handwritten note, will be distributed to women served by St. Anthony’s.

Many of the women who will receive the kits are experiencing homelessness and are even unsheltered. On any given night in San Francisco, over 1,300 women are unsheltered, according to the SF Department of Homelessness & Supportive Housing’s 2022 Point In Time Count Report. These women face many challenges and barriers to accessing basic hygiene products and services.

The project’s focus was selected to tie into Women’s History Month, a celebration of the contributions and achievements of women throughout history and today. Many of the employees who volunteered at the event are involved with Women at Gilead, an Employee Resource Group (ERG) which aims to foster a culture of inclusion, empowerment, and professional development for women at Gilead.

“We are so thankful for Gilead’s generosity and compassion,” said Veronica Surrette-Fahey, Volunteer Engagement Manager at St. Anthony’s. “These kits will make a huge difference for the women we serve, who often struggle to meet their basic needs. We are honored to work with Gilead to help our neighbors in need.”

Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades. The Gilead Foundation, a 501c3 organization that strives to achieve health prosperity for all, supported St. Anthony’s with a 2022 grant investing in St. Anthony’s impact in addressing social determinants of health for San Franciscans.