News

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer in their communities, and the Bay Area Jewish community is hosting a number of events to honor his legacy through faith, social justice and service.

With the help of volunteers, the Glide Foundation prepared and served over 3,000 meals both on-site and throughout the city on Thanksgiving. This year marked the organization’s 60th annual Thanksgiving distribution.

St. Anthony Foundation has been a pillar of San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood for over 70 years, and provides a plethora of services in pursuit of their goal to serve as a gateway to stability. But the dining room is regarded as the heart of the organization. We spoke with CEO Nils Behnke about the organization’s deep-seeded values of dignity and respect, the importance of treating every individual they serve as a guest, and the role that food plays in building relationships.

Get to know the garden experts that make our parks beautiful Jason Martinez and Pat Quinn are gardeners and horticulturists for the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department. They met when they were both working at the SF Botanical Garden, and have each been with Rec & Parks for over 20 years. We asked them […]

In partnership with Zelenska’s national mental health initiative, IsraAid is sending teams of Israeli trauma specialists to Ukraine for several weeks at a time. Read the full story on eJewish Philanthropy.

Responding to a dire lack of basic water access for people experiencing homelessness, St. Anthony’s has opened a Hygiene Hub, where guests can shower, use the restroom, and do their laundry in a safe, calm environment. Housed in St. Anthony’s building on 150 Golden Gate Avenue, the new facility promises to be a game-changer, providing 20,000 showers and 10,000 laundered loads annually.

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank celebrated the groundbreaking of an expansion to its San Francisco warehouse, which will add an additional 32,000 square feet of space to respond to skyrocketing need and expand fresh produce offerings. Watch on ABC7:

After a complete renovation, the new Lisa & Douglas Goldman Tennis Center in Golden Gate Park is open and bustling with activity, with state of the art public courts to practice and play. It is also home to the Koret Tennis & Learning Center, which provides academic support, mentorship, and tennis instruction for middle schoolers from underserved neighborhoods in San Francisco.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented surge in the need for food assistance in San Francisco and Marin. With unemployment still record high, more people than ever need access to healthy food. The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is now serving more than 56,000 households each week, nearly double the number helped before the pandemic. With community support, the Food Bank is able to continue to provide access to nutritious food that is essential to keeping our community healthy.

Alameda County Community Food Bank has been at the forefront of local hunger relief efforts for 35 years. Before COVID-19, 1 in 5 County residents was experiencing or at risk of hunger. The need has now doubled, with the hardest impact on working families with children and seniors. Food distribution has increased by 50% in response: they will provide more than 50 million pounds this year through a network of 300 non-profit agency partners, schools, contactless drive-through distributions, and home-delivery.

Since 1970, Meals on Wheels San Francisco has provided homebound seniors with what they need to live independent and dignified lives—nutritious meals prepared and delivered to their homes, professional social work services including wellness and safety checks, and a friendly visitor. Now in its 50th year, the nonprofit has opened a new industrial kitchen and distribution facility after the previous one reached its meal-making capacity limits at 8,000 meals daily. The new kitchen, located in The Sangiacomo Flynn Building, will accommodate the production of up to 30,000 nutritious meals daily.

GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Through its free meals program, integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community, GLIDE empowers individuals, families and children to achieve stability and thrive. GLIDE is on the forefront of addressing society’s most pressing issues, including poverty, housing and homelessness, and racial and social justice.