St. Anthony’s Inaugural Leading the Way Community Awards Celebration Raises Much-Needed Funds  

St. Anthony’s, committed to providing pathways to stability for thousands of San Franciscans in need, raised much-needed funds at its inaugural Leading the Way Community Awards Celebration. 

The event held at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco on November 3 was attended by more than 200 supporters who came to celebrate an exceptional group of people and organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area who are role models through their outstanding commitment to community service, advocacy, leadership and philanthropy. The festive evening which was presented with the San Francisco Business Times included a cocktail hour and dinner while the program was moderated by Heather Holmes of KTVU. 

“It has been my privilege to see firsthand the life changing impacts of your work, both as your Representative and as a volunteer. My family treasures the many Thanksgiving holidays we have spent serving meals in St Anthony’s Dining Room—a tradition proudly embraced by three generations of Pelosis.” —Speaker Nancy Pelosi 

St. Anthony’s has served those most in need in San Francisco since 1950 from their home in the Tenderloin. The organization invites people to change their lives, not just their guests, but also their volunteers, donors, and team members. 

The night recognized honorees including the San Francisco Giants, Joey Toboni of the Affordability Project, and the Golden Gate Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc. “We greatly appreciate these leaders whose visionary work and service exemplify St. Anthony’s mission to create a society in which everyone flourishes,” said Nils Behnke, CEO, St. Anthony’s.  

Also speaking at the event was Joe Klocek, a current employee of St. Anthony’s and former guest of the organization’s Father Alfred Center who noted that “you might not always see the connection between your donation and a guest’s success but let me tell you from my own personal experience, there is a direct line between a donation and a life saved.”  

“Renewal only happens after a storm,” Klocek told attendees. “Renewal is an action. Renewal is putting into place a structure that creates a place for continued hope. The 12 steps of recovery, the Franciscan values and my experience working at the Foundation give me an opportunity to practice renewal every day. Those meaningful engagements between St. Anthony’s employees and guests are everything.” 

Thank you, KTVU, and Heather Holmes for being a wonderful host and for interviewing St. Anthony’s CEO Nils Behnke about our work and the event benefiting our guests.

CONGRATS TO OUR LEADING THE WAY HONOREES:
LEADING THE WAY | The San Francisco Giants baseball team is deeply committed to identifying, developing, supporting and raising awareness for people, issues and programs that are important to the team’s fans and local communities.

EMERGING LEADER | Joey Toboni created the Affordability Project, a nonprofit that is building affordable housing for teachers, health care workers, and other local middle-class workers. He also serves on multiple nonprofit boards and as a mentor through Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

COMMUNITY PARTNER | The Golden Gate Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc., chartered in 2018, has quickly grown into a force for empowering young women through community service, leadership and cultural connections.

If you purchased a premium token or raised the paddle during our fund-a-need, we will be charging your credit card within the next week unless you specified otherwise. Thank you again for all your support and generosity! Together we can make the Bay Area a better place for everyone!

Thank you to our sponsors!

The Affordability Project • AppDynamics • BiRite Foodservice Distributors • BNY Mellon • Danford Fisher Hannig Foundation • Dolby Laboratories • Rhanda and Tim Dunn • Trish and Joe Emhof • Gordon Clifford Properties • HKIT Architects • Hoenigman Family Foundation • Maureen and Kevin Kosewic • Catherine E. Garzio and Martin A. Mattes • Mithun • Maija Muncy • Nibbi Brothers General Contractors • The O’Shea Foundation • Order of Friars Minor Province of Saint Barbara • Gerry and Jim Sangiacomo • Sapere Wines • Jean and William Terheyden • Mary and Joe Toboni • Trillium Asset Management • Elizabeth and Greg Vaughan • Diane Wilsey