A Look Ahead in 2025: A Letter from St. Anthony's CEO

February 13, 2025

Dear Friends,

I was recently in our clinic caring for guests during our ‘drop-in’ hours at 150 Golden Gate reflecting on the meaning of our work these last 75 years. Starting with Father Alfred in 1950, the organization has been involved with a variety of ventures ranging from
our flagship services in the dining room established in 1950

to our clinic established in 1956
to our thrvift shop established in 1960 which evolved into our free clothing program
to our Men’s residence established in 1951 which ultimately became our Father Alfred Recovery Program.

This legacy of service started with St. Francis 800 years ago caring for lepers in Assisi where the guests at that time were isolated and ignored because of their illness.

As I cared for the guests in our clinic with Sister Eva, a spiritual care provider partnering with me on this day as part of a ‘co-visit’ model, integrating spiritual care in a traditional primary care model, I asked myself:

How do all these activities connect? What are the roots of our calling? What will we be doing 75 years from now?

My clinic day was particularly busy, with guests without insurance and access to other clinics dropping in for various unexpected, urgent issues. One guest told Sister Eva and me about his inability to sleep for the last 5 days. In response, I asked all my clinical questions about his ‘sleep hygiene’. What time did he go to bed? Did he have a lot of screen time before sleeping? What were the stressors in his life? He merely answered that he needed a ‘solution’ to his sleep problem, possibly a medication.

As the interview progressed, he became increasingly anxious. He abruptly stood up in the middle of the interview, eyes moist. Sister Eva walked over and lovingly embraced him. He collapsed in Sister Eva’s arms, and his story of suffering flowed from him. He described a father who had been alcoholic, a mother who was abused by his father, and a son he and his wife had recently lost. The presence of a spiritual care guide in our traditional clinical setting broke down walls and enabled us to understand and serve him more deeply.

Arthur Kleinman, a Harvard psychiatrist, and anthropologist, describes in his book, The Soul of Care, that caring is“about sharing and witnessing the lived experience of pain and suffering.” In the last 2 years as CMO and now as CEO, I have learned that it takes a team with different backgrounds, expertise, and life experiences to build the trust required to provide the depth of care our guests need, care that serves the whole person.

Our call to care is rooted in an 800-year mission starting from St Francis and lepers in Assisi. In the last 75 years, St. Anthony Foundation has been blessed to bring this mission to the Tenderloin in San Francisco, starting with a simple meal and love.

Today, we are caring for our guests with dining services, free clothing, showers, primary care, addiction care, behavioral health services, tech lab access, and work force development. Where will we be 75 years from now?

We don’t know where the journey will take us, but the complexity of needs in modern society still boils down to care. The need to care for others will never end. We care so that our guests can begin their healing journey. And in the caring, we, the caregivers, are blessed.

That is where St. Anthony’s will be in 75 years – accompanying our guests in their pain and suffering, with dignity and respect as we have always done. Come join us in this Anniversary Year, and be blessed.

Best and blessings,