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Dear friends,
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, City Hope has been highlighting the work of the wonderful women who make up our team. While I look forward to a day when there’s no longer a need for Women’s History Month, a day when not only our contributions to the world but our very presence is valued, embraced, and recognized year round, for now the month of March provides space to look ahead and not only envision it, but plan for that future. Reflecting on my own leadership journey, one lesson that stands out to me is how liberating it’s been to find and use my voice. This has been difficult given that our society (i.e. our schools, faith communities, and workplaces) routinely assesses leadership ability by its proximity to male characteristics. Often as women, and especially as women of color, we’ve been instructed to shape-shift, to make our voices smaller and take up less space. And yet this makes belonging - and genuine leadership - impossible. It is for this reason that my favorite City Hope value is ‘Listening Well’. Listening cultivates belonging. It says, “I am committed to seeing you, to hearing you and believing you, to learning from you. I will make room so you can be who you are.” When I think of Women’s History Month I think less of the past and more about how we can get to that place of belonging for all women, in all spaces. The most rewarding part of my current role as Co-Director of City Hope is being in a position to create that space of belonging, especially for those whose voices have historically been minimized. For me this looks like investing in their professional development, providing opportunities to cultivate their voice and leadership, and intentionally creating more equitable work policies and structures. What can you do in your spaces - big or small - to create belonging for women, for women of color, for queer and trans women? And if those words describe you, what do you need in order to feel like you belong? What does it look like to unapologetically voice those needs? If COVID has reinforced anything for me, it’s that life is incredibly precious. Not just in a general sense but in the specifics. Your everyday life matters; you deserve to live it in a space of belonging. Now is the time to find your voice and your space. Now is our time as a society to make space for women to truly belong, everywhere. This Women’s History Month let’s look ahead together. Today is the day we can start shaping a future of belonging. Peace and grace, Pastor Sally Co-Director, City Hope
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Friends,
It has been a week since we witnessed the violent insurrection on Capitol Hall. In that time we have learned more about the coordination and calculation of the terrorist attack. We learned of the lives lost and damage done. When we look beyond the star spangled facade we find the truth. Our democracy is under attack by fascist racists fueled by white supremacy. And sadly this is nothing new. This is America and we need to do something about it. We know we need justice. We know we need system-wide change. On a day like last Wednesday it was hard to know what I personally could do to enact any kind of change. Then, I headed to City Hope. That night, I gathered with a team of volunteers to serve a hot meal to our friends on the street. On such a disturbing day I was especially grateful for the opportunity to do good. As we gathered, we prayed and gave thanks for having more than enough food to serve, for our physical ability to serve, and we asked that God’s love be expressed through our words and actions. City Hope is a place where we come together to prioritize the needs of the marginalized. It is a community of compassion that welcomes all of our neighbors, no matter what they are going through. It is a community where people who have often been left behind by our society know their voices will be heard and their presence will be celebrated. One of my favorite roles at City Hope is to walk the line and serve our neighbors a rich cup of coffee or a hot cup of tea. In those moments, I see the hope and joy in their eyes and I am reminded that we are called to a greater purpose. We are called to love and serve our neighbor. This is our act of resistance. Together we can do so much good. Thank you for joining us in this goodness and thank you for supporting City Hope. Peace, Paul Co-Director of City Hope Articles
Websites
Reading List (adapted in part from Michelle Alexander’s article America, This is Your Chance)
As we settle into month 5 (!) of COVID-19 response, City Hope is continuing to build relationships and meet the basic needs of our most marginalized neighbors. Even though we can’t gather indoors, the points of connection we provide at City Hope are critical to the social and emotional health of our guests. City Hope guest Thomas Coy emphasized, “It’s not only the meal, the meal is important, but it’s meeting our friends two to three times a week that matters to us.”
The data on COVID-19 is both encouraging and deeply disappointing. The good news is that COVID-related infections and deaths among the homeless in San Francisco have been low - only 5% of documented cases and 1 of the 50 deaths according to City data. Unfortunately, inequities persist as Black, Latinx and Indigenous people - who are underrepresented in San Francisco but overrepresented in those experiencing homelessness and/or working low wage, essential jobs - continue to be disproportionately impacted by COVID. The added stress of COVID-19 has also led to increased deaths among those struggling with addiction. "Homeless deaths due to overdose and addiction have increased from 3-4per week to 8-10 per week since mid-March,” says Dr. Barry Zevin, MD, Medical Director, Street Medicine and Shelter Health for SF Department of Public Health. He believes the current increase in deaths are a direct result of decreases in intake to and closures of shelters, drop-in centers, and clinics due to their risks of spreading the coronavirus. “It’s hard to social distance out here. People don’t give you the respect of 6 feet. I got people standing over my shoulder with no mask on.” - Franklin Porteor, City Hope guest Last week I had the opportunity to attend an online meeting with Jeff Kositsky, Director of HSOC (Healthy Streets Operation Center) on COVID-19's impact on our unhoused neighbors and the city’s response in the Tenderloin in particular. While the low COVID-19 infection rates among those experiencing homelessness are attributed to the relative safety of living outdoors, stopping the spread also requires maintaining 6 feet of spacing. Alleys are being cleared of tents and people are being relocated to the city’s alternative housing sites (approximately 3,000 units). At City Hope we are keeping a close eye on the official data and a close listening ear to our community so we can continue to provide accurate information, implement best practices, and offer our guests the best City Hope experience possible. “The hardest part is keeping our hands washed, keeping a mask on, just staying safe, and keeping sane.” - Ruthie Torrey, City Hope guest City Hope is committed to keeping our neighbors, volunteers, and staff safe. Aside from the additional sanitization, enforcing mask use, and reconfiguring our space for volunteer distancing, we are handing out PPE to guests and implementing new temperature monitoring prior to admitting staff or volunteers into the building. While we are unsure what the fall and winter will look like for City Hope we are staying informed and thinking creatively about ways we can provide a safe - and just - community for our unhoused neighbors. Regardless of what else 2020 hurtles at us, we appreciate your ongoing support and partnership! Peace, Pastor Sally Data Sources San Francisco 2019 Data National 2019 Data SF Homeless Count & Survey Report - 2019 City Hope Friends,
These past couple of weeks have been particularly hard. Trauma has been heaped on top of trauma as we’ve once again borne witness to death, injustice and immeasurable pain. Many of us feel angry, overwhelmed, and discouraged. We wonder how to respond and what ‘doing better’ looks like. As a biracial Black woman whose life is intrinsically wrapped up in all that is happening and whose human dignity is part of what is up for debate in this country, I personally wrestle with the tension between lament and hope, wondering when - if ever - change might come. The results of these systemic injustices that have for generations disenfranchised Black and Brown people are evident to us at City Hope. These hard times have a face on the streets of the Tenderloin, in the eyes of our guests, and in the recurring oppression that tinges so many of their stories. At City Hope, we don’t turn away from these realities. We can’t turn away because truly loving our neighbor means seeking to fully see our neighbor and to fully see the world we all live in for what it is. To those who are hurting right now, we at City Hope see you and we are hurting with you. We will continue to work to address the hard stuff - the pain born of injustice - right in front of us. While City Hope meets basic needs with hot meals, groceries, and, in these COVID-19 times, masks, our organization has always existed to meet the fundamental human need for community and belonging. We all need a place where we are seen, heard, and believed. Going forward we will bring you deeper into the City Hope journey. Watch this space for continued stories ‘from the field’ - the stories of our guests, in their own words - as well as resources and personal reflections on justice, equity and the intertwined systemic issues that so deeply impact us. We invite you to learn and understand alongside us, and are grateful to be in this together with you. Peace, Pastor Sally Co-Director, City Hope Through these cold and rainy weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what it means to have a home. A place where we are welcome, where we find protection, provision, peace. A place among our people, where we are known, loved and respected.It’s something that each of us needs and deserves. It’s balm at the end of a difficult day; the moment we can exhale and fully relax.
The reality for many of our neighbors is that they never get those precious moments to unwind, to feel at peace in a place of their own. In San Francisco there are an estimated 7,500 people without housing. Only about 3,100 of that population find any kind of shelter by the time night falls. We simply do not have enough housing or shelter for all of the people living on our streets, and we may not for some time. This is a complex problem and it’s not one that we’re going to solve overnight. But at City Hope we are determined to make an impact in people’s lives, even while they wait on housing. We’re working hard to provide as many elements of home as we possibly can for our neighbors on our streets. For 25 men and women this is an actual home. The City Hope House is a two-year sober living environment where people grow in their recovery, job development, and prepare for their next opportunity. For hundreds of others, this is the City Hope Community Center - a living room for those without living space. It is the dignity of bathrooms and hot showers, basic human necessities like a toothbrush or socks. It is a healthy home-cooked meal, prepared and served to you by those who know and love you. It’s a place where we have fun, a place to laugh even when you’re struggling. We play games, watch movies, and even sing to each other. Most importantly, City Hope is a community where strangers become trusted friends. A place where your friends become your family. It is a place that believes everyone deserves to belong and to be loved. Working to provide home for the homeless is hard work but when we work with creativity and courage, wisdom and compassion; when we keep faithfully serving our neighbor and placing our faith in them - we will see lives transformed, we will see our city transformed. When you partner with City Hope, you are part of this unique work – restoring dignity and humanity to our neighbors so often ignored. Thank you for your support, for your partnership in bringing home to the homeless each and every day. Peace, Paul Thursday, March 22 | 5:30 - 7 PM | City Hope Community Center | 45 Olive St Snacks and drinks provided Join us as we launch City Hope's new learning workshops! Each workshop is designed to help you better understand a particular issue, with practical tools for meaningful engagement. Current and future volunteers are strongly encouraged to attend - all are welcome. City Hope's first workshop “Addiction 101: Understanding Addiction at City Hope and in the City”. Tyrone Kelly will be teaching about the basics of addiction and practical ways to interact with people experiencing addiction at City Hope and around the City. Join us at 5:30pm - snacks and drinks provided! Upcoming Workshops
We will host a second workshop in the spring, focusing on the transgender community. Check back here for registration! I love San Francisco and after 12 years of living here and raising my family here, I can easily say that every inch feels like home. Yet there is a painful paradox to this city - it is both extremely rich and poor. This can be uncomfortable to talk about and difficult to face.
 It has been an exciting and busy start to the new year for City Hope. I am happy to say that our new two-year transitional sober living house is now fully occupied with 26 residents. The residents are amazing and inspiring people who are now leading and expanding our programming at the community center. The City Hope House and City Hope Community Center are working hand in glove to serve our most vulnerable homeless neighbors and build a stronger healthier community in the Tenderloin.
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City Hope Community Center:
45 Olive Street San Francisco, CA 94109 |
Mailing Address:
City Hope San Francisco P.O Box 640959 San Francisco, CA 94164 |
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