NEWS FROM Project Open Hand

Winter 2017 Issue No. 109 Save the date | Taste of the city 2017 Monday, May 15 | Bespoke, Westfield Centre openhand.org/events

Traveling Cowboy: Tony’s story by Tara Blake Marketing Communications Officer

Having traveled the nation for years, Tony considers Tony changes the subject and with little doubt in his himself a cowboy. While going place to voice, he blurts, “I’m pretty sure I became diabetic over place in his many travels, he saw an advertisement. sodas! I would drink a 6 pack a day, easily. When it was They were hiring for a tow truck driver and the ad hot out and I was driving a tow truck all day; I would had the promising words “WILL TRAIN” sketched drink them the entire day.” underneath. After two weeks on the field, Tony had decided on a job for the rest of his life. Project Open Hand originally created a meal plan specifically for diabetics in 2007 and it’s still a diet “I loved it, I got to go out and help people every day. It option today. Approximately 12% of wellness clients was a fun job.” True to his word, Tony drove the truck served have a diabetes diagnosis. for 22 years. Tony sits in silence for Over time, he began noticing problems with his vision. minutes, and moves He seemed constantly thirsty. Something wasn’t right. his gaze up to the ceiling, as if a “I got checked out and they said, ‘Oh god, how do you new focal point feel? Your sugar level is so high we can’t even read it.’ will help spark It was over 700.” memories “The doctor asked me in awe, ‘Why aren’t you in a to flood diabetic coma?’ I assumed it was because of my drug back into addiction. At that time in my life, I hit rock bottom his mind. It because of drugs and I couldn’t go any further down.” worked.

Tony has since been clean and sober for three years, Homeless but has no trouble recalling his past life, openly and broke, admitting to being addicted to a variety of drugs for Tony told over 30 years. himself there was no better time “I guess you would have called me a functional addict; than in that moment an everyday user. I was never that addict you see on to change, so he did. He the street. I knew how to take care of myself; I slept, I adds, “I was so tired. I began ate, I drank water. And my philosophy was to never let my sobriety and just kept sleeping most of the time. anyone come along with me on that journey.” Tony’s Eventually my energy level came back.” voice gets stronger, and it’s obvious he has a sense of pride in that statement. continued on page 6 MARK’S LETTER SERVING CLIENTS WITH CREATIVITY AND DETERMINATION

openhand.org Creativity and determination go a long ways toward finding a solution. 730 Polk Street San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 447-2300 I grew up hearing this from my dad, a Texas peace officer, every time I faced a 1921 San Pablo Avenue challenge and considered backing away. “Well son,” he says, now retired, but still Oakland, CA 94612 reminding me of it to this day, “just put your mind to it and get to gettin.'” (510) 622-0221

In the last 60 days, Project Open Hand has been getting going by launching two Project Open Hand’s mission is to nourish and engage our community by providing meals new programs to address the lack of nutritious food. with love to the sick and the elderly. MealTimes is published quarterly for the During Christmas week, we partnered with the San Francisco Department of friends and clients of Project Open Hand. Aging and Adult Services to open a community dining room on site at Project EDITOR: Tara Blake, Marketing Communications Officer Open Hand. Every single day of the year, we serve a delicious hot lunch in our FOUNDER: Ruth Brinker beautiful, light-filled dining room on the corner of Polk and Willow. The first of its kind in the City serving the critically ill, our program hit capacity just 30 days BOARD OF DIRECTORS in. We’ve been able to create a warm, welcoming space for our clients to gather, CHAIR: Carmela Krantz, San Francisco laugh, and learn about nutrition and eat a healthy meal that meets their medical VICE-CHAIR: Jay Stowsky, Haas School of conditions. Business, UC, Berkeley

SECRETARY: Linda Glick, San Francisco Then just three

CHAIR OF FINANCE COMMITTEE: weeks later, our Timothy Barabe, San Francisco first Project Open Diana Adachi, Accenture Hand “pop up” van Shabbir Anik, San Francisco arrived. Following

Lisa S. DeCarlo, Wells Fargo API Gateway the core tenet of

Linda Harrison, social work, we’ll Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) be driving into the Selwa Hussain, Pandora most under-served Brendon Kearney, Vanguard Properties neighborhoods

Ann Kennedy, PwC and meeting our clients where they Kristofer Konietzko, Salesforce are by bringing our Patricia King, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company complete program, Aneesh Krishna, McKinsey & Co. meals, groceries and Leslie Lerude, Kokua Hospitality dietitians, to the Gary Loeb, San Francisco communities of the Patrick McGovern, Gilead Sciences Inc. Mission, Visitacion Matt Shiraki, McKesson Corporation Valley, Bayview, and

LEADERSHIP TEAM Hunter's Point. Clients who have difficulty engaging outside their neighborhoods due to stigma or transportation will now have access to the complete POH model Mark Ryle, LCSW, Chief Executive Officer right in their own backyards. Teresa Ballete, VP, Finance and Controller

Amira Barger, MBA, CVA, CFRE, We have always been creative and determined at Project Open Hand and now VP, Development and Communications we’re doing even more to ensure barrier-free access to our important services. Adrian Barrow, Executive Chef We can become the bridge that brings folks into care through our meals with love. Maggie Joanidis, Director of IT And during these anxious times, our continued efforts will bring stability and Kim Madsen, MEd, RD, Director of Nutrition Services hope. John M. McArdle, Director of Development

Andy Prochaska, VP, Human Resources

Sean Rosas, Director, Volunteer Services

Delfin Vigil, Mark Ryle, LCSW Director of Communications CEO, Project Open Hand

2 STAFF spotlight VICKIE GUISTI aving spent 28 years on staff to date, Vickie Giusti His deeply embedded in the mission of Project Open Hand. Born in Richmond, she left the Bay Area to attend high school in Davis, but found herself “dying to come back" once she graduated in 1971.

During the early years of Project Open Hand, Vickie met with founder Ruth Brinker and friends to discuss expanding Ruth’s vision to the East Bay, where Vickie still works as client caseworker. At the time, her friends were dying of AIDS nearly every day and she felt angry about it, but was determined to do something.

“Ruth wanted to feed everyone in the world, so the process didn’t take long to expand to the East Bay. She was ready to do anything, she didn’t care. I mean, we were cooking out of kitchens! She didn’t necessarily know about finances and everything else there is to starting an organization, Ruth just wanted to feed people. So, we began as volunteers, and our first day serving in the East Bay was coincidentally the day of the 1989 earthquake.”

Today, Vickie is bringing her extraordinary determination to our meals with love and was recently honored with a Community Service Award from the Office of AIDS Administration in Oakland for her incredible achievements in empowering those living with HIV/AIDS.

Vickie speaks of Project Open Hand founder fondly, saying, "Ruth would come up with an idea, and Vickie showing off her hard earned Community Service Award just beat on that idea until it got done. She was so from the Office of AIDS Administration in Oakland. tenacious." Vickie has carried that torch well for our team, and has proven to be just as relentless in her

work to better the lives of our clients every day.

`

EN H OP AN CT D JE

O R P 1991: ` 2017: the Archives

From HISTORY

` In 1991, the Oakland Tribune wrote about Eva Norman, a San Francisco resident who would bake and decorate birthday cakes for Project Open Hand clients. Today, we're still distributing birthday cupcakes Feliks (who just turned 80!) poses with his wife, to all of our clients, like Felix and Lyudmila, after picking up his birthday cupcake Lyudmila Elbert (pictured right). from our Grocery Center 3 up drinks at the now long-gone Oil Can Harry’s bar on the corner of Larkin and Ellis took the not-yet- entirely-out-of-the-closet Tom Nolan by the hand. With cigarette ash dripping from a gray-whiskered five-o-clock-shadow, the unnamed queen said to Tom, “Honey, don’t ever accept anything less than what you truly want.”

That’s when Tom Nolan knew he had reached his final destination.

“I was gay. I was in San Francisco. I was home.”

Tom spent the following several years dedicating himself to public service. He was one the first openly gay elected officials in the country, and first gay president on a board of supervisors in (San Mateo County), advocating tirelessly for issues ranging from transportation to the environment to TOM NOLAN: gay rights. In 1994, he received an invitation to interview for Volunteer Service Award the position of executive director of Project Open t was sometime in 1955, in the quaint little railroad Hand. There were among 80+ candidates competing Itown of Waverly, New York, when a ten-year-old for the position, but Nolan’s reputation as a gay Tom Nolan heard a passenger train whistle blowing pioneer and proven track record for social and by – signaling an inner-hunch that he was destined legislative change stood out. for far-off places. “Tom Nolan has a demonstrated commitment to “I remember peeking through the dining car windows AIDS, and a unique talent for bringing people of passing by each night, thinking, ‘I wonder where diverse backgrounds together,” said then chair-elect they’re going? Well, I wanna go somewhere, too,” of the Project Open Hand Board Dr. Molly Cooke, recalls the now 71-year-old Nolan with his soft- when the news was announced. “Tom is just the spoken-meets-stoic presence. “I didn’t care where. I ticket for the next phase of our service to the Bay just wanted to go.” Area.”

And off he went – packing his ambition within the During his tenure as executive director of Project values of justice, fairness and kindness instilled Open Hand, Tom Nolan expanded services beyond by his railroad mechanic father and schoolteacher HIV to help those battling critical illnesses such as mother. breast cancer and diabetes; orchestrated the launch of our senior meals program and led the way in a There were many memorable stops in the stations successful campaign to purchase the Project Open of Tom Nolan’s life – including a foundation of Hand building at 730 Polk Street. fighting for civil rights, political activism, sit-ins, anti-war protests and even exploration of theology “Project Open Hand saved me,” recalls Nolan, who as a graduate student at Duke University. This in his 40s at the time, knew more about death was followed by the start than most folks did in their 70s. He had seen San of a budding political Francisco change from a party town to ground zero career as chairman of the AIDS epidemic. of the Democratic Committee in “At one point it looked to me like everybody I knew Virginia. was going to die. I can’t tell you how many funerals I had been to or spoken at. I would adjourn meetings On Halloween at the board of supervisors in memory of someone of 1976, shortly who had died.” after his three- year marriage “Tom was one of the most amazingly compassionate fell apart, Nolan persons I’ve ever known,” said Project Open Hand visited San Distribution Manager Scott Yowell, who worked with Francisco. That’s Nolan for five years. Yowell recently presented the where an aging “Tom Nolan Volunteer Service Award,” at a special drag queen-bartender tribute in the Project Open Hand kitchen. The award serving named in Tom’s honor will be presented each April to those who have dedicated one year or more of Tom with founder Ruth Brinker, 1997 service in helping serve meals with love. 4 CONNECT WITH US Plate Clubs openhand.org Every gift makes a difference. In each issue of MealTimes, we give special acknowledgement to our supporters who have reached a total of $1,000 or more during the previous quarter (Ocotber 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016) . Your generosity enables us to provide nourishing food to so many of our neighbors. If you have questions about this list, please contact John McArdle, Director of Development, at [email protected] or (415) 447-2413. DIAMOND PLATE CLUB Paul Asente & Ron Jenks Albert Polk David Dibley Anne & Jeffrey Katz $100,000+ Carrie & Kelly Barlow Stephen Rico Lee Doan Judy & Steven Kazan Giant Race Fundraisers Lorraine M. Bosche San Francisco Health Plan Fatma Lale Doluca David Michael Kelly Gilead Sciences, Inc. Elizabeth Cartwright Renee & Philip Seay & Tunc Doluca Ann L. Kennedy Kaiser Permanente National & Alan Casserly Michael L. Shannon Marie & Peter Dorsey James F. King Community Benefit Fund Charles See Foundation Jay Stowsky & David Kerr Debra Dunn Tracy Kirkham & Randy Komisar of the East Bay Community Community Thrift Store Leslie Strauss Tong & Brian Kobilka Foundation Martha Ehrenfeld Sharon Dickson & Jeff Gray Thomas L. Tarnowski, MD Thomas L. Kocon Estate of C. Searle Whitney Kristy Ensunsa The Morrison & Foerster Ancella & Thomas Toldrian Stuart A. Kogod Foundation Christopher Ferguson Margaret & Stephen Wilcox Margaret Kopeck PLATINUM PLATE CLUB Mrs. Donald G. Fisher & Kevin Leichner Michelle Winner Michael and Ina Korek $50,000 - $99,999 David Giltinan Paul Feuerwerker James M. Zaorski Foundation Trust AIDS Walk San Francisco Frances Hellman Carol & Howard Fine Kurt W. Krebs Foundation & Warren Breslau Fund CHINA PLATE CLUB Richard Fiory Katherine Koelschriken Marcia & John Goldman Betty Jensen Samuel Fleischmann $1,000 - $2,499 & John Kriken Neil MacPhail * Macy*s, Inc. J. Stephen Fletcher, Carl F. Anonymous (12) Miho Kubota David May II - Dee May 1982 Croft & Delwin H. Rimbey The A&P Lesbian Fund Kam C. Kwan & Siu Lo GOLD PLATE CLUB Charitable Trust Curt Parker Lang Foundation $25,000 - $49,999 Gail McIntyre Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Acquisto & Jerry Francone Sherri & Corey Leal Anonymous (2) Carmen McReynolds Alice Phelan Sullivan Judith Frankel Corporation Diane Lee Estate of James S. DeLoach Cynthia Mia Mitchel Nick Franklin Paul A. Allen Jeff Leider The Richard Grand Charles Roberts, in memory Joyce Freedman Claire & Kendall Allphin Zahavah Levine Foundation of Gail Roberts Phyllis K. Friedman The Altman 2011 Charitable Elisabeth Rellstab Levy Hellmann Family Fund Alykhan Motani Janie & Donald Friend & Thomas Renau Lead Annuity Trust Mary & Eric Lindquist James C. Hormel Michelle Furnanz Anne & Martin Roher Patricia V. Angell David G. Lindsey & Michael P. Nguyen Richard Fuselier SCAN Health Plan The Angora Ridge Marcia Rodgers George H. Sandy Foundation Foundation Thomas J. Fuss Veronique & Peter Siggins & Garrett Loube Jane Baker Francis P. Garcia Lee & Perry Smith Fund Robert Joseph Louie Fund SILVER PLATE CLUB Barbary Insurance Lynn M. Garney * ValueAct Capital Theani C. Louskos $10,000 - $24,999 Brokerage Kelly Gaynor * Suzanne Waterman Jane Lurie Anonymous (3) Audrey Barris Linda Gilchrist Gina Wellmaker Diane & Leslie Lynch Bank of America Charitable & Randall Barkan Jacqueline Smith Paula Maionchi Foundation Marilyn Wolper Richard Beard & Gary Glass Lena Malik Adrian & Daniel Blumberg Christopher Beckmann John Glass Jean Marcucci Joan Braddi CRYSTAL PLATE CLUB Les Behrens * Linda S. Glick * Jess Marino Bright Funds Foundation $2,500 - $4,999 Kathy & Mark Bergman * Nicola & Gary Gordon Christine Marshall Maria Cardamone Anonymous (3) Robert Bernheim Linnea & Grier Graff Susan & Steven Masters & Gordon Matthews Boston Properties Gino Bertuccio Kathy Knopoff Todd McElhatton Margaret Sheehan David L. Buchman Roger L. Black & Richard Green & Bruce Colman Ellen & Harold McElhinny Terrie Campbell Lynda Bowlin Paul Grippardi Crescent Porter Hale & James Henderson & Ronald Hochsprung Carol & Joseph Grundfest Kenneth McMillian Foundation James Covey Brenda's French Soul Food Jeanne Gulner Leslie & John McQuown Dana & Robert Emery Annette & Richard Delaney Yvette Assia-Breslauer & Kenneth Rees * Gail Yee Meave Lisa Erdos & Wayne DeJong & Robert Meave Connie Ellerbach & George Breslauer Katherine & John Halliday Gap Foundation Sally Sexton & Hal Meggison Lisa Ells Donna & Ralph Briskin John Bruce Halvorson William G. Gilmore Paul Mehoudar Margaret & John Engelhart James Budke David Harbison Foundation David J. Mellor Bill Wall & Wes Erickson Elsie & Jeffrey Burke John Harrington Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Patricia Fund Nancy Carolyn E. Butler Henry H. Harteveldt & Lawrence Fitzgerald & Benjamin Mendoza Terri Hearsh Beth Carlsen Cynthia & James Hayashi Catherine Fleischner Russell H. Miller David Jacobs Denis Carrade Monica & Stan Hayes Charla Gabert & Kirk A. Pessner Karin & David Chamberlain Lori Schechter George F. Jewett Foundation & David Frane Janine & Jon Miller Paula Champagne & William Hebert Susan G. Komen San Ronald Gregoire Kathleen Miller Francisco Bay Area & David Watson Susan K. Hoerger & Bryan Freedman Monaco Family Charitable Judy Chang Fredric Holub Nicole Lederer Fremont Bank Foundation Fund & Lawrence Orr Dr. Helen Chen Barbara & Bissell Howell Laurel Wroton Gilbert Paulina & Peter Monaco Wilda & Lowell Northrop, III Caroline Mitchel Michael R. Hulton, MD & Anthony C. Gilbert John V. Moore Jane & Richard Peattie & Mark Chesebro Gayl Huston & Ralph Pais Heather Hanly Craig Mortensen Salesforce.org Susan & Ronald Choy Joseph A. Iacocca & Dan Purcell Mark Moser Silicon Valley Community Anita Clemetson Mr. & Mrs. Harold Isbell Estate of Sylvester James Paul C. Mugnier Foundation Christine Pulito-Colbert Julian Jaffe David Johnson * Thomas F. Murphy Jeff Sirmon & Tim Colbert Butler Rondeno Ruth Ann & John Kennedy * Randy Nelson Onnolee & Orlin Trapp Community Stands & Don Jerabek Lee Family Foundation Shasta & Gregory Nelson Wells Fargo Community Marsha Condon Ola Johnson Marie & Barry Lipman John Nielsen Support Campaign Jason Conyard Barbara Jones Sandra & John McGonigle Patrick O'Connor Susan W. Cooper Bart Jones & Alber Saleh McKesson Foundation Garrick O. Ohlsson BRONZE PLATE CLUB Priscilla Myrick Rodney Jordan Rachel & David Metz Jim Ojeda $5,000 - $9,999 & Thomas Cutillo K. Arakelian Foundation Estate of John Howard Milde Carolyn & Damian Parker * Anonymous (7) Frank A. Darabont Nancy S. Kami Alan Morcos Louise Pascetta Martha Angove Robert Decker The Kaplan Family & Carl Kaufman Benjamin C. Newsom Bimal Patel 5 PLATE CLUB China Plate Club, continued from page 5 Francesca T. Peck Maria Sacher-Mastrangelos Richard Spaete, PhD Gary P. Van Dyk Felicity Wohltman Lynn & John Peterson, Jr. & Dallas Sacher Stanford Stevenson James T. Wandrey Connie Wong PG&E Corporation Robert W. Sass Duane Wakeham Scott Ward Ellie Wood Eleanor Yee Foundation Irmgard & Richard Sutherland James L. Warren Tachina Rudman-Young & & Ulrich Schmid-Maybach R&S Erection of San Stuart J. Sweetser * Al Weaser Peter Young Francisco, Inc. Monica Judy Taylor Weatherspoon Charitable Sharron Zakus & Richard Schoenberger Sierra Leadership LLC Ashley I. Tewell Foundation Howard L. Zee Linda M. Skare Weslie Rau & Dennis Snapp Kalée & Theron Tock Maria & Peter Wenner Elaine & Reginald Zelnik Gail Skoff William Robinson Lynn M. Tolin Robert T. Weston * Denise & Joseph Ziony David Slattengren Maurine Rosano Irina & Oleg Tomashevsky James S. Whitehead, PhD Matthew Zito W. Byron Smith, MD Roman G. Rubio Timothy Treadway Diane B. Wilsey * Designates members of The Ron Smithson, Jr. Kathleen Ruegsegger Laura Westley & Craig Tyle Janne Wissel Supper Club, Project Open Brian P. Smyth Hand’s monthly giving

TONY’S STORY Continued from page 1 Tony has a crackle in his voice and his unsteady a fixed income, he sometimes finds himself having tone suggests pain so palpable it can make anyone to choose between doctor visits and medication, or ache just hearing of it. “I’m happier than I’ve ever food. been now, and I didn’t think it was possible before.” He fixates his eyes out the window of Project “It is because of Project Open Hand that I can get Open Hand’s third story conference room—eyes to my doctor appointments because I can afford that have been holding swelling tears for minutes transportation now,” he adds. “If it came to seeing until they finally drop. He apologizes and shrugs the doctor or eating, I wouldn’t be seeing the unexpectedly. doctor. I don’t have to choose between the two now because of Project Open Hand.” Sobriety quickly changed Tony’s health. He continued to work on rebuilding his life and found Tony wraps up the conversation by commenting community by volunteering at Glide Memorial on Project Open Hand’s tagline: meals with love. Church, and shortly after, becoming a client at It reminds him of his mother. Originally from Project Open Hand. Central America, Tony’s mother loved to cook and everyone used to go to their house to eat. He looks “There was a time when I couldn’t read these down as he mentions that she passed away from words.” He picks up a Kleenex box sitting on the leukemia. table and points to the fine print on it. “There was so much sugar in my blood, everything was “She’d be tickled pink to see where I’m at in my life foggy. My A1C was 17 at one point, and now it’s 6.7. now,” he says recuperating with a quick comment. Project Open Hand helped with that.” “She’d say, ‘It’s about time!’”

Tony’s blood pressure is now nearly perfect and he Tony smirks, and concludes, “but she knows.” is more consistent with his medications. Living on

Recipe CHICKEN EGGPLANT PROVENçAL Serves 6 FROM OUR KITCHEN TO directions YOURS ingredients 1. Heat a heavy skillet over medium flame. Add oil, leeks, 2 tbsp. fresh parsley mushrooms, red pepper and garlic. Sauté until leeks leaves, chopped are softened. 1 1/3 tsp. olive oil 2. Stir in oregano, parsley and eggplant. Add tomato 1 3/4 c. fresh eggplant, 3/4 c.fresh leeks, sliced cubed 1/4” paste, and stir until vegetables are coated. into 1/2” pieces 4. Stir in water and wine (or stock). Heat evenly. ¼ c. canned tomato 1 1/2 c.fresh mushrooms, paste 5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place chicken in sliced skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side. ¼ c. water 1/2 c.fresh red peppers, 6. Remove chicken from skillet, diced into 1/2” cubes 1/2 c. red wine place into baking dish and (substitute chicken top with sauce. 2 tbsp. fresh garlic, stock, if desired) minced 7. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, 6 boneless, skinless bake for 15 minutes. 1/2 tsp. dried oregano chicken breasts, 4 oz. each

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