Leading with Strength and Vision: Two Generations of Lasting Impact 

April 30, 2025

A walk-around style of leadership. That’s how Fr. John Hardin describes his time as Executive Director of St. Anthony’s from 2002-2009.  

Like founder Fr. Alfred Boedekker, he worked best on the move, part CEO, part coach, an idealist and a pragmatist always in service to help those struggling with homelessness, substance use and poverty.      

Though years apart, the two Franciscans both embraced a very personal way of leading; observing, listening and developing new ideas that at first might seem extreme.  

Like starting a dining room for hungry men and women in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. For free.  

Fr. Alfred opened the dining room in 1950, refurbishing an old auto garage next door to the St. Boniface Church where he was pastor. His idea was to bring in all the tables, chairs and volunteers he could find to offer a nutritious lunch with no strings attached. No charge. Nothing to sign. No lectures. Just a warm meal in a friendly place named after St. Anthony. 

But where to find the food?  

The solution became St. Anthony’s Farm, a working operation that provided food for the dining room as well as jobs, housing and recovery on 65 acres in Petaluma. The property included the main residence along with a working dairy and cattle ranch, greenhouse and even an egg production facility.  

That legacy of turning problems into solutions became a hallmark of St. Anthony’s—and an inspiration to later leaders like Fr. Hardin who, during his executive tenure, would walk the halls and streets of St. Anthony’s imagining how more could be done if there was a way to do it.   

By the time Fr. Hardin assumed his E.D. role, the dining room and other services were well-established. But new challenges arose daily, including the lack of space. Undaunted, and with the spirit of Fr. Alfred behind him, Fr. Hardin and a cadre of visionary donors pushed for the two new buildings that today house most of St. Anthony’s services including the dining room, a medical clinic, tech lab classrooms, free clothing program and a hygiene hub, all of which see thousands of guests every month. 

Looking back, Fr. Hardin remembers being humbled by his role as only the second friar to lead the organization that so many depend on. “I knew I had big sandals to fill,” he says softly.  “But like Fr. Alfred, I knew I didn’t walk alone.” The mission of St. Anthony’s would not be possible without the donors and partners who make the work possible. In fact, funding for the many programs that are a model for impact comes primarily from individual donors.  

This autonomy enables service designers to innovate to better accommodate evolving guest needs. 

In its 75-year history, St. Anthony’s has been a beacon of light during the city’s most difficult times, feeding war veterans in the 50s, refugees in the 60s, supporting AIDS patients, navigating the recession, the fentanyl crisis and a pandemic, all while providing vital services and hope to those struggling with addiction and homelessness.  

Like his Franciscan predecessor, Fr. Hardin has always believed in walking alongside guests on their journey to stability, adapting as necessary. “The central issue is trust–show me don’t tell me,” he says, an approach that allows guests the dignity of choice, accessing St. Anthony’s programs at their own pace, in their own time.  

He and Fr. Alfred grew closer in the founder’s declining years, providing support and comfort as a caregiver and confrere. Fr. Alfred would talk about his spiritual life which he saw as a partnership…a kind of divine friendship that provided love, guidance and a wellspring of ideas and possibilities. “He was profoundly spiritual—and practical,” says Fr. Hardin. When asked how he managed to accomplish all he did, Fr. Al summed it up simply: ‘You visualize, organize, deputize and supervise.”  

Today, that legacy continues. Beyond the dining room, new plans are underway for a public greenway on the same block—a safe, traffic-free hub for outdoor play, special events, and a place to pause and rest. 

As St. Anthony’s looks toward the future, initiatives like the Golden Gate Greenway are not just projects—they’re promises. Promises to create more spaces of connection, healing and renewal. They carry forward the same bold compassion that led Fr. Alfred to open a dining room with no strings attached, and inspired Fr. Hardin to keep moving, listening, and responding to the needs around him. In the spirit of these two leaders—and the staff, guests, volunteers, and donors who walk the journey every day—the mission continues. Not as a finished story, but as a living one. And as it unfolds, there’s room for all of us to walk alongside. 

The mission moves forward—with you. Volunteer, donate, or learn how you can walk alongside St. Anthony’s today.