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Calling All Animal Lovers! St. Anthony Foundation’s Beloved Blessing of the Animals is Back on the Golden Gate Greenway
MEDIA ALERT
Media Contact:
Sally Haims | Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
(415) 254-5884 | SHaims@stanthonysf.org
In celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anthony’s 74th anniversary, the annual event welcomes furry friends to be blessed by a Franciscan Friar
WHAT: St. Anthony Foundation is hosting its annual Blessing of the Animals event on Friday, October 4 from 11 am – 1 pm outside of St. Boniface Church along the Golden Gate Greenway, the 100 block of Golden Gate Avenue. The public is invited to bring their pets – whether four-legged, scaled, or winged – for a special benediction from a Franciscan Friar. Photos of pets and stuffed animals are gladly welcome, and no signups are needed; all essential services for pets will be walk-up.
WHO: St. Anthony’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Larry Kwan, St. Anthony’s team members, volunteers, Franciscan Friars, San Francisco residents and members of the community, animals from all walks of life.
WHEN: Friday, October 4, 2023, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: St. Boniface Church, 133 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102
WHY: The event honors St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, who lived in the 12th century. Blessing of the Animals has become a San Francisco tradition and allows people to celebrate their animal loved ones.
“We look forward to honoring San Francisco’s namesake on his feast day, St. Francis of Assisi who preached about the beauty of all God’s creatures, whether furry, scaled, or winged,” said St. Anthony’s CEO Dr. Larry Kwan. “We’re grateful to our private donors whose support makes this festive day possible for our beloved pets.”
Essential services for pets will be provided throughout the event, and partners include: San Francisco Animal Care & Control, Full Belly Bus, St. Boniface Church, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, California Academy of Sciences, and National Parks Service. ACC will be offering vaccinations, microchipping, information and resources, and freebies; Full Belly Bus will be giving away free cat and dog food and leashes/harnesses; free craft activity and squeaky toys for pets.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sally Haims, 415-254-5884
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Run of Show
- Service tables featuring free essential services for pets: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
- De Marillac Academy Children’s Choir performs in front of St. Boniface 11:00 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
- Blessing of the animals by Franciscan friars: 11:15a.m.-11:20a.m. (Wu Yee Children’s tots will bring stuffies and DMA children will bring photos of their pets.)
About St. Anthony Foundation
Located in the heart of the Tenderloin, St. Anthony Foundation is one of the largest, primarily privately funded whole-person care providers in San Francisco and a place of great love. We offer essential services, health care, and employment informed by our Franciscan values and evidence-based best practices for people experiencing homelessness, poverty, or addiction. Our goal is to build trust over time with individuals and to give each person the tools and opportunity to sustainably exit homelessness. We offer a welcoming healing community, a pathway to stability, and a model for broader change.
