March 2015 New Dining Room: Campaign Report (left): October 4, 2014 – Grand Opening and First Meal Mayor Ed Lee and Barry Stenger, St. Anthony’s Thanks to in San Francisco grew to 74 million Executive Director, celebrate the opening of the New missing meals. According to the San Dining Room. Francisco Food Security Task Force, 1 in 4 residents of San Francisco, including (right): The new St.Anthony’s Dining Room. , seniors and families with children, suffer you from “food insecurity,” meaning their we opened the door access to adequate food is limited by a social setting. Clients receive personal lack of money and other resources. social services on the spot during their to so much more! meal. The Dining Room also doubles as a The beautiful new St. Anthony’s job-training program for men in recovery facility, which you so generously helped from addiction. Thanks to your abundant generosity, to build, addresses this disparity by St. Anthony’s opened the doors to the increasing seating capacity for low- One volunteer, returning to St. New Dining Room at 121 Golden Gate income residents, doubling the space for Anthony’s for the first time since the Avenue on October 4, 2014 – the Feast of children and their families, and enabling move, said, “I love the way St. Anthony’s St. Francis, and 64 years to the day after us to cook, freeze, and store large food builds community among the guests, Fr. Alfred Boeddeker served the first meal donations for longer periods of time. volunteers, and staff. And I really love in 1950. The event was commemorated serving the bread. Everyone is so thankful by speeches from Congresswoman Nancy In addition to being a core source of and friendly.” Pelosi, Mayor Ed Lee, Executive Director nutrition for thousands of low-income Barry Stenger, St. Anthony’s guest and San Franciscans, St. Anthony’s Dining The same volunteer noticed some Tenderloin Walking Tours host, Del Room is a place of social inclusion. In the differences since last volunteering in Seymour, and celebrated by jazz singer Dining Room, people are given space to 2000. “I see more women guests and Paula West and performers from the long be social. Particularly vulnerable people, more young people than before,” she running show, “Beach Blanket Babylon.” like low-income seniors and individuals commented. with physical and mental disabilities, are In 2012, the unmet need for food able to live safer and healthier lives in this continued on page 3 St. Anthony Foundation Campaign Report 1 Letter from the Executive Director continued from page 1 Dear Friend of St. Anthony’s, Because of the generosity of The new green building donors like you, St. Anthony’s allows St. Anthony’s to serve On Saturday, October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis, St The third phrase that Fr. Alfred was fond of was “the Social Work Center began hundreds, and eventually Anthony Foundation took a bold step into the future. We Miracle on Jones Street.” When we look at this new operations on the second thousands more, through a “opened the doors to so much more.” More meals, more building we are transported back to that moment six floor of the new building in more flexible physical layout help, more hope. decades ago when Fr. Alfred first used those words. November 2014. In early and up-to-date equipment. It The beauty of this new space may inspire the language This is not groundless hope. We stand solidly on 64 of the miraculous. But what inspired Fr. Alfred to call February 2015, St. Anthony’s has been LEED certified Silver years of history. In fact, the line of people on Golden Gate it a miracle was not the beauty of the space; it was Free Clothing Program also (Leadership in Energy and Avenue waiting to walk in the door goes back more than the generosity of our donors. Everyone who gives of moved onto the second floor, Environmental Design). 100 years. The Franciscan friars have remained true to their time or treasure or talent is part of that miracle. from its space at Mission their founder, St. Francis, the patron of this city, and have This is an extraordinary moment in the history of this and 8th Streets. Thanks to St. Anthony’s, long known for seen in those who are poor, brothers and sisters sharing organization and an extraordinary moment in the history you, this will now bring three serving thousands of hot meals this journey toward the community for which we have all of this city. For a nonprofit that is, like most nonprofits, crucial programs under one to low-income people every day been created. It was that vision that inspired Fr. Alfred used to making do with what we can pull together, this is roof, making it so much easier of the year, also helps 12,000 Boeddeker back in 1950 to think about a building. He was extraordinary. We had a Dining Room built to be an auto for seniors and people with of the poorest people in San serving sandwiches out the back door of the friary and body shop, a clinic that used to be a restaurant, a kitchen disabilities to use multiple Francisco find housing or avoid knew his call was to do more than fill empty stomachs. He pieced together from hand-me-downs and cast-offs. It’s services. You are helping to eviction, access benefits, use thought that those men and women should sit around a extraordinary to have a kitchen built to be a kitchen, a table and catch a glimpse of themselves as brothers and Dining Room built to be a dining room. stabilize their situations and computers, and search for jobs. sisters created in God’s image. prevent them from falling out of February 2012 - Last meal in the original Dining Room This is also an extraordinary moment for our city. care. We are so grateful to you. St. Anthony’s volunteer Dorothy serves the last meal in our original We stand also on the foundation of trust and You’ve heard of a battle going on in our city, particularly Dining Room. confidence that supporters like you have placed in here in the Tenderloin. Some say it’s a battle over real St. Anthony’s. Your gifts and your offerings are poured estate. Others say it’s a battle over housing. Some say it’s into the very structure of the new building and are part of about jobs. It’s a political battle; it’s an economic battle. every meal shared, every step taken toward a better life. It’s probably all of these things. But I believe it’s a battle Impact on Guests, St. Anthony’s On October 4th, as we stood again on holy ground and for the heart of this city. celebrated the great accomplishment of creating the and the Community new Dining Room, I was reminded of several sayings By raising up this building, we are saying that there is a We have long discussed the approached. We fed them dinner associated with our founder, Fr. Alfred Boeddeker. place in the City of St. Francis for those who are poor. fact that the new building would and breakfast and gave a new pair The first is what he heard when struggling to This beautiful Dining Room, these affordable housing be the cornerstone of a citywide of socks to each person. You made understand what he was being called to do. He held a units, this new clothing program and social work center plan for disaster preparedness. this possible! conversation with St. Anthony. The statue of St. Anthony are clear statements that yes, there’s a place in this city In the event of a disaster, St. shows him giving a loaf of bread, and Fr. Alfred asked for those who have more than they need, but there is also Anthony’s will assume the role of Another positive impact is that himself, “Why don’t I do that?” He was doubtful and a place for those who are in need. a communications and assistance guests have more room at each pleaded with the Saint, “What should I do?” And the center for the neighborhood table and considerably more answer he got from St.Anthony was, “You do it, and I’ll If there’s a battle going on, then this building is our flag and the city in general. The new walking space in the aisles for help.” in the ground. It tells those who may be wavering that yes, building and Dining Room will both guests and volunteers. This we are a great city. We’re not a suburban enclave, we’re be equipped with the resources reduces the tension that can And that’s the way it has been ever since. We do what not a ghetto, we’re not a gated community; we’re a truly needs to be done, according to our best understanding. diverse city with room for all. This place is a symbol of a to administer a food and water accumulate in the Dining Room And others come forward to complete the task: donors city with a big heart, a city with a vision. It’s a vision that distribution program for San when the weather is extreme or and volunteers, politicians and activists, vendors and matches that of our patron, St. Francis. Francisco and to treat or refer other stressors increase. staff and pro bono experts. people with emergency medical As we celebrate the opening of this space, we celebrate needs.