St. Anthony’s Celebrates National Volunteering Month

April is National Volunteering Month and here at St. Anthony’s we’re celebrating by shining a spotlight on our wonderful army of volunteers. Whether helping serve food to needy San Franciscans in our dining room or teaching computer skills to those looking for work, volunteers are at the heart of everything that happens here – and they have been since 1950.

Each day this month you’ll learn about one of our volunteers who will tell us #WhyIServe. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter @StAnthonySF to find out more!

The proportion of women using St. Anthony’s services is increasing. A recent survey found that more than 25% of guests in our dining room are women (up from only 12% in 2011).

So on International Women’s Day this year our volunteers made a special effort to make sure all of our women guests felt appreciated and cared for.

Our Free Clothing Program hosted a women-only event for those in need — providing essential clothing items, such as jackets, shirts and underwear. Guests were able to browse and pick out clothing pieces that worked for their body types. Volunteer “personal shoppers” were available to help find specific sizes and styles, making the experience similar to shopping in a store.

Volunteers decorated the clothing program office to look like a cozy boutique by hanging up hand-crafted artwork and streamers throughout. Many of our guests, volunteers, and staff wore red to show their support for women’s rights.

Professional makeup artists volunteered their time to share grooming and makeup tips with guests which are crucial for boosting their confidence and self-esteem.

Many San Franciscans lack easy access to fresh, clean clothes, and this prevent people from staying warm, keeping clean and feeling confident. Being able to rely on St. Anthony’s for clothing when needed is a huge help to women, men and children in need.

We can only provide these services with the support of our wonderful volunteers. If you’d like to volunteer at an event like this why not follow us on Twitter @StAnthonySF to learn when the next one is happening?

St. Anthony’s guests received a special treat on Valentine’s Day this year after volunteers old and new came together to celebrate our community and create a little Valentine’s magic. We find out more on Day 16 of National Volunteering Month.

60 Volunteers, working in teams, spent the morning assembling two thousand “hug and kiss” gift bags, each of which has a personal note, a warm, hand-knit scarf (as the hug), chocolate (as the kiss), and a ribbon to tie it all together.

The gifts were personally given to each dining room guests as a small way of raising spirits and helping all of our neighbors feel valued and engaged with life in the City. “The event was special because it brought together the whole community,” said organizer Dolores Gould, “and it truly made it a special Valentine’s Day for our guests.”

Christmas Day last year started before dawn for a particularly hardy group of volunteers. Wanting to make Christmas a more special and more personal experience for our guests, they lovingly assembled individual gift bags for distribution in the dining room later that day. Each gift bag also included a warm, hand-knit scarf or hat.

Knowing that our volunteers will go the extra mile for our guests – and put themselves to real inconvenience – makes us feel humbled and proud. Their special effort made all the difference to our guests at Christmas and throughout the year and we’re glad to thank them on Day 13 of National Volunteering Month! To learn about fun volunteer opportunities like this why not follow us on Twitter @StAnthonySF?

Day 12 of National Volunteering Month, we meet Daniel and learn about his special story. Daniel Andrade first volunteered at St. Anthony’s with a group of co-workers in 2012. He returned as an individual volunteer in August of 2014 upon deciding he wanted a career change — to become a social worker. In addition to applying to schools, he applied to be a skilled volunteer with our Social Work Center. St. Anthony’s has been fortunate to have Dan volunteer two days a week at the Social Work Center’s Information Desk in the Dining Room. As an Information Desk volunteer, Dan interacts directly with Dining Room Guests during meal service, offering resource materials and referral information for services beyond food such as shelter, health care, Veteran affairs, and substance abuse recovery.

When Dan started in August 2014, St. Anthony’s was still using the temporary Dining Room at 150 Golden Gate. He says the biggest change he’s seen at the Information Desk since the new Dining Room opened at 121 Golden Gate is the much-improved quality of the experience for the guests. Due to space limitations in the temporary Dining Room, the Information Desk was located in the lobby where guests would file by as they came in to eat. “People were hungry!” Dan says, and the first priority for folks in line was to get inside the Dining Room to eat, not to stop and talk about other needs. The exit from the temporary Dining Room bypassed the lobby altogether. “Now that we’re actually inside the Dining Room, the guests come to us after they’ve eaten and are much more relaxed and interested in connecting to additional support resources. “Location! Location! Location!” he explains. Placement of services does make a difference.

“Personalism”— one of St. Anthony’s core values – is something Dan sees in action from the Information Desk. “There’s such a great diversity of people in the Dining Room, and we treat each person with dignity and respect.” Dan responds to our guests with this personalism; his calm, mellow manner and great sense of humor encourages people to feel comfortable asking for help. He feels the most satisfaction when he can help a non-native English speaker. His ability to speak some Spanish really helps facilitate “opening the door to so much more.”

Dan learns from the social workers too; they are his informal mentors. He’s especially impressed by the way the social workers empower the guests to do their part to make something happen. Dan’s been learning that if you feel you must be able to resolve each person’s needs and challenges, not only is it impossible, but “…if you try, you’ll burn out!” He is experiencing that you can encourage people to do their part and take the next step. Soon guests are working with the Dining Room and Info Desk staff to make strides toward a better quality of life. The healing partnership between our guests and social workers forwards St. Anthony’s Mission of creating a society where all persons may flourish.

If you’re interested in becoming a skilled volunteer, learn about available positions here.

On Day 11, we celebrate Adelina – a longtime St. Anthony’s volunteer. Adelina is among the dedicated group of volunteers who has served in all three versions of St. Anthony’s Dining Room: the original at 45 Jones, the temporary at 150 Golden Gate, and the eagerly awaited new Dining Room at 121 Golden Gate.

Adelina served in the original Dining Room when she was on sabbatical: “I had the time, and I wanted to give back. Serving meals to the guests allowed me to do that successfully. I loved it!” Returning to full time work in school administration demanded most of Adelina’s time, but when she was asked what she would do when she retired, her response was “I know exactly what I want to do!”

She retired on October 1, 2013. Two days later, she resumed volunteering in the temporary Dining Room. “It was like a time warp: I felt like I just stepped right back in! I wondered if I’d see anyone I knew from the old Monday crew. Right away, Barbara (the Dining Room Volunteer Coordinator) and Rosemarie (a continuing volunteer for over 15 years) remembered me.”

Adelina also recognized a guest, and she remembered the feeling, “that positivity that everyone shares — the guests, the staff, the volunteers”. “I love the way St. Anthony’s builds community among the guests, volunteers, and staff,” Adelina said. “And I really love serving the bread! Everyone is so thankful and friendly. And I really love listening to the guys from the recovery program who work in the Dining Room. I love listening to them and seeing how they are getting their lives back together.”

Adelina has definitely noticed changes since her initial engagement in 2000. “I see more women guests and more young people than before.” One thing she does not expect to change as she continues to serve our guests in the New Dining Room is the sense of healing community. “One of the guests just told me: ‘looks like you’ve got that smile coming from inside you!’”

On Day 10 of National Volunteering Month we discover the dedication of our volunteers and their determination to continue looking after our guests even when obstacles appear in their path. Here Jessie Brierley recounts a story illustrating this commitment.

It was early on a Wednesday morning when I received a call from Mary about her mother, Teresa, one of our long-time volunteers in the Dining Room. Mary usually drives Teresa to
her volunteer shifts, but couldn’t that day. She explained that her mother, who is in her 80s, values her weekly volunteer shift so much that she refuses to miss it, even if her ride isn’t available. “My mom feels a strong obligation to the people she serves at St. Anthony’s,” Mary explained. “She loves serving the guests in the Dining Room because she knows that they need her, and being there to serve them is a big part of what keeps her going.” I couldn’t help but think how right Teresa is. The service provided to our guests, the way that makes our volunteers feel, all embodies the power of human connection; the heart of what St. Anthony’s is all about.

When Mary called to tell her mother that
 she would have to miss her shift, Teresa
was adamant that she would find a way to get to St. Anthony’s, even if it meant taking public transit. “My mom is too frail to take Muni by herself, and if I don’t find her a
ride, she will try to take a bus despite what I say.” Mary was calling with the hope that she would find another volunteer that lives in the same neighborhood as Teresa, who could accompany her home. “I know this is a lot to ask, but could you help me find Josephine? She volunteers with my mom and lives nearby. I will pay for an Uber to pick them up once their shift ends.”

I was touched by Mary’s concern and dedication to her mother’s wishes. I could tell how much it meant to both of them for Teresa to be at her volunteer shift. Josephine was more than willing to help. “I know Teresa wouldn’t miss a shift for anything,” she told me. Later that day Mary called me to let me know both Teresa and Josephine had made it home safely. She thanked me for taking the time to help and told me how impressed she was with St. Anthony’s staff for being so dedicated to their volunteers.

This experience was a reminder that
 St. Anthony’s is more than an organization. It’s a family. The guests, volunteers, donors, and staff are all vital in making sure the table gets set. As we work together, love and support are not only given, they are also received. I am blessed to be a part of it.

If you’d like to know more about volunteering at St. Anthony’s visit take a look at our webpage for more information.

On Day 9 of National Volunteering Month we get the chance to see a video of a whole range of St. Anthony’s volunteers telling us “Why I Serve”.

And on of our guests, Jesus, speaks movingly about what volunteers have done for him and what they mean to him. If you’d like to support guests like Jesus as they move toward stability in their lives why not visit us to find out more?

On Day 8 of National Volunteering Month we look back to Christmas Day when we hosted the entire Indiana Hoosiers football team for a whole day of volunteering.

Christmas Day is one of the busiest days of the year in our Dining Room, so we need plenty of hands on deck to make sure all of the dinners are served, all of the hot chocolate is poured, and all of our guests feel welcomed. Fortunately, our friends at Foster Farms (who sponsor the Foster Farms Bowl) always arrange for one of the bowl teams to volunteer each Christmas.

This year we welcomed the Hoosiers. Not only did they get the job done, they did so with a great ‘personal touch’ which was appreciated by everyone spending Christmas with us.

If your sports team would like a venue to volunteer, and you want to follow in the footsteps of some great college teams, why not check out what St. Anthony’s has to offer?

At St. Anthony’s we are both surprised and encouraged by the creativity of our volunteers. On Day 7 of National Volunteering Month we highlight a wonderful team of knitters.

Each year, as part of a global “knit-work”, we receive thousands of hand-knit scarves from all over the world. Each scarf we receive is a powerful symbol of love and a source of comfort to someone in need. These scarves remind our guests that someone out there cares.

One group, the Karing Knitters, has been knitting hats and scarves for St. Anthony’s for six years. Their last delivery included 138 hats and 83 scarves. Their good work stretches well beyond St. Anthony’s—they also knit for hospitals, homeless shelters, and youth homes.

Human connection is at the heart of St. Anthony’s. It is this principle that guides our work—but connection doesn’t just happen in person. Our volunteers show us that connection and care are interwoven—and can sometimes come in the form of a warm, hand-knit gift sent with love from afar.

If you’d like to join this worldwide project you can find more information here.

Day 6 of National Volunteering Month gives us the chance to celebrate volunteers who come to us in workplace groups. Our corporate partners tell us that volunteering at St. Anthony’s is easy to arrange and very rewarding for participants. In this video we follow our friends at Silicon Valley bank as they spend a day helping out homeless and low income San Franciscans. Find out more by visiting this page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JYkBu5BP1g

We speak with our volunteer Priya about the rewards of working with St. Anthony’s guests on Day 5 of National Volunteering Month.

Priya, a dedicated volunteer in our Dining Room, is also a professional economist. When she arrived in the US in the spring of 2014 she was shocked by the poverty and inequity she witnessed in San Francisco: “You can’t NOT see it!” Within two months of her arrival, Priya began volunteering at St. Anthony’s. In addition to the Dining Room, she’s also volunteered in our Free Clothing Program, at our annual Curbside Donation Drives, and most recently—in our Emergency Winter Shelter.

While speaking with Executive Director, Barry Stenger, Priya says she was struck by something he said. She recalls it as “We don’t give people dignity…. Dignity is intrinsic, but because of the challenges so many of our guests have been through, the sense of their own dignity can be deeply buried. What we do is try to restore an appreciation of their intrinsic dignity.”

“Hope served daily” is the recognition of the dignity of our guests—something that happens each day Priya volunteers. “Really, it’s just the simple things—smiling, knowing and saying someone’s name, really listening to someone, remembering something they said and following up on that the next time you see them.” She too is served hope daily by “their indomitable spirit! When I ask someone how they are the answer is nearly always, ‘I’m blessed!’ and the guests themselves serve hope in the way they see to each other’s needs. ‘I’ll save you a seat.’ ‘This person needs a tray.’” Priya suggests that the guests of

St. Anthony’s often “seem to be closer to their own spirits. We live in such a distracted society that takes us away from who we really are.”

From the clarity of her perspective, Priya adds that heralding this authenticity of spirit is “no excuse for the lack of a safety net.” The reciprocal economy of “hope served daily” encourages everyone involved, witnessed in the volunteers’ delight and concern for one another. “The other volunteers just gave me a baby shower. You walk in and you see community, hopefulness in the way everyone treats each other: the guests, the staff, and the volunteers.’’ The hope experienced at St. Anthony’s goes with our volunteers when they finish their shift, and they share it with others in the wider community.

Priya is a vibrant example of sharing that hope both within and beyond the Tenderloin; whether she’s inviting others into the larger picture or immediately helping someone who’s come in from the rain, she is both receiving and giving hope.

If you would like to follow in Priya’s footsteps and try volunteering at St. Anthony’s please visit this page or call us on 415-592-2748.

We switch to video on Day 4 of National Volunteering Month. In this short clip, Social Work Center volunteer Melanie shares what it means to be able to help those in need in the City of St. Francis. Melanie is a friendly face in our dining room to whom guests know they can turn for help and information. If you’d like to find out more about volunteering at St. Anthony’s visit these pages.

On Day 3 of National Volunteering Month, we highlight the special role played by Jesuit volunteers in St. Anthony’s work with those in need.

Maria is a Jesuit who has spent a year working in our Tech Lab through a program that matches those with a desire to serve with organizations that help underprivileged people.

She is the eighth Jesuit volunteer to work at St. Anthony’s. It’s hard to exaggerate the profound impact technology training can have on people’s lives. Maria’s time at St. Anthony’s is testament to this.

“A guest visited us to take our basic computer skills class,” says Maria. “During his orientation he told me that he had been in prison for 20 years, and he needed to learn how to use a computer because technology has changed so much while he was incarcerated.

“He could have gotten frustrated or discouraged by all the years he missed, but he kept working and asking questions in those classes.

“He had a huge smile on his face the whole time he was working and, whenever I saw him, he’d excitedly tell me about something new he had learned. He was astounded at what you can do on the computer. His warmth and enthusiasm really inspired me.”

Many guests start the beginner class with no computer experience but they make quick progress.

“Just the other day, a fairly new guest to the lab stopped by the front desk and said, ‘I can’t even begin to express to you how thankful I am that this lab exists and how much it’s changing my life.’ That made my day!”

Would you be able to teach basic computer skills in our Tech Lab? Why not visit www.St.AnthonySF.org/Volunteer or call 415-592-2794.

If you would like to know more about volunteering opportunities in our Tech Lab please visit www.StAnthonySF.org/Volunteer or call 415-592-2794.

One in three guests at St. Anthony’s are aged 60+. One of the ways we respond to this is our weekly ‘brown bag’ grocery giveaway for needy seniors. Day 2 of our National Volunteering Month celebration sees us check in with a fabulous group of Filipino volunteers that makes it all happen…

Rosita has been volunteering at St. Anthony’s for almost 16 years. She arrived in San Francisco with her husband in 1994 – beneficiaries of a special program that gave preferred immigration status to Filipino veterans who had served in the U.S. military abroad.

She remembers that St. Boniface – the church next door to St. Anthony’s – became home to an increasing number of catholic Filipino immigrants. And, both because of the proximity and the shared faith, it was only natural, she says, for Filipinos to begin volunteering in the old Dining Room.

Right from the start, she says, she was made welcome: “I liked volunteering here very much because I met a lot of nice people.”

There is also a great relationship with guests “who remember me and call me ‘Rosita!’”

Her task each week is to prepare for the hundreds of seniors who visit us to receive groceries. The vast majority of our senior guests – some 73% – tell us that the food they buy doesn’t last ‘til the end of the month and that they don’t have the money to get more.

The ‘brown bag’ program allows some of our most vulnerable guests to access much-needed food in a consistent and reliable way.

So each week, every week, the team assembles just as the Dining Room closes down for the afternoon. Bags are opened and set out, food donations are assembled and the team gets to work filling each bag in turn with a selection of fresh and packaged goods for seniors.

Only an hour later the bags are filled and the doors open to hundreds of neighborhood seniors

Rosita works with her friend Aurora who, at a spritely 76 years young, is enjoying an active retirement and helps out several times a month after being asked to give volunteering a try.

They work as a team, she explains, to welcome and write down the names of guests who come to collect their bags of groceries. Before guests arrive, the team also works to fill the bags with care.

“I call it the Dream Team,” she says of her colleagues. “Everyone welcomes you and if you’re sweeping, they’re mopping – and you never hear complaining!”

Even though Rosita says that the number of Filipinos she sees has started to reduce as the average age of the community increases, they remain right at the heart of our support for our most vulnerable senior guests.

We always welcome new volunteers! If you, or anyone you know, would like to serve the community we invite you to visit our web page or call 415-592-2726.

Day 1 of our National Volunteering Month celebration features a volunteer from a school with a close relationship with St. Anthony’s.

Seventeen year old James Thompson is happy to give back to his community by volunteering in our Dining Room – thanks to a special link between his school and St. Anthony’s.

James worked as part of a team of graduates from DeMarillac Academy – the middle school across the street from St. Anthony’s in the Tenderloin that has been a partner for many years.

During a quick break from serving food, James explained that supporting the community is at the heart of the Academy’s ethos. “The school motto is ‘Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve,’” he says, “and, after you graduate, you come back and help out at places like St. Anthony’s.”

“People are very welcoming and nice,” he says of the Dining Room, “and there’s a sense of community here.”

“Because we are so close to St. Anthony’s in the Tenderloin we share events where we help out our homeless neighbors.”

Are you interested in finding our more about volunteering at St. Anthony’s? We have information about volunteering as an individual, or as part of a school or workplace group.