Day 25: Personalism & Volunteerism

A few themes came up again and again this month as we listened to stories from our volunteers. Community, Personalism, home—we kept hearing these words. For people familiar with the culture of St. Anthony’s Dining Room this is no surprise. These feelings are palpable here. People come to St. Anthony’s not just to eat or to serve—they come here to have a personal connection with others. The difference between our guests and our volunteers is paper thin when seen in this light. Other common experiences surfaced. We heard countless stories about people going above and beyond to show their care for one another—staff making house calls to check on sick volunteers, handwritten birthday cards, surprise parties. And in those stories we often heard the name Marie.

Marie O’Connor came to St. Anthony’s in year 2000 as an outreach coordinator for the Madonna residence. In that role she worked primarily with isolated elders living in SRO’s (single room occupancies) in the Tenderloin. She took on her current role as a volunteer coordinator in 2005. When we asked her about her experience at St. Anthony’s she noted that people have asked her all along if she finds her work depressing. She noted that, yes, the conditions that people are experiencing are depressing, but paradoxically the people that you meet here are wonderful and inspiring. She added that she doesn’t know how she would deal with the conditions of inequality in our city without being here at St. Anthony’s. There is just so much joy here.

When asked about particularly heartwarming memories, Marie recounted the recent remembrance service that was held in the Dining Room after the passing of a longtime volunteer. The room was packed. She learned that, like herself, many of his fellow volunteers had visited him in the hospital. It was amazing to witness how much of a community St. Anthony’s really is for people. Marie also noted that many volunteers who have required hours keep coming back to volunteer long after they’ve completed their time. They find that they enjoy the act of serving and return again and again.

Marie embodies the spirit of Personalism that St. Anthony’s strives for. And it is this spirit that keeps our volunteers coming back to St. Anthony’s for years—even decades on end. Our community doesn’t exist without role models like Marie leading by example. Thank you, Marie, from all of us at St. Anthony’s!

Photo: Marie dressed up for our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event.