St. Anthony's celebrates anniversary in new facility
The St. Anthony Foundation will celebrate its 58th anniversary with the dedication and opening of a new social services center at 150 Golden Gate Ave. in San Francisco on Oct. 3, the day before the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi which is the official founding date of the well - known Bay Area non - profit ministry.
Across the street from its current location, 121 Golden Gate Ave., the new facility features more space for medical treatment, dining, employment programs, social service outreach and a state - of - the - art computer lab.
Designed and built using Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design ( LEED ) specifications, the new building will accommodate 40 percent more people without adding additional staff, said Francis Aviani, St. Anthony's communications manager.
"Because St. Francis is remembered for his identification with the poor, Franciscans are better known for their service among the poor than for the buildings they construct. So when St. Anthony's started planning the new service center, we started with, 'Where and how can we best meet the needs of today and tomorrow's poor?' The answer was still in the Tenderloin, and with a healthier and more efficiently designed service center, " Aviani said.
The move will be a pleasant adjustment from the cramped facilities down the street, and comes at an opportune time, Aviani said, explaining, "We are seeing more people coming to all of our programs, now we will have room to serve them. "
The Oct. 3 dedication ceremony will be "short and sweet, " she said, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Speakers will include local dignitaries and program participants.
According to the foundation, the $22 million service center project was nine years in planning and construction, and "is focused on increasing capacity and efficiency as well as environmentally sensitive design and materials. "
"The conscious effort toward greater sustainability is an intrinsic part of the system and the culture of St. Anthony Foundation, " it stated. "As a Franciscan organization, respect for the earth and its inhabitants are central values. In the Tenderloin, the tandem roles of environmental responsibility and social responsibility are evident as is the impact of environmental illnesses from asthma to diabetes and mental health. In this way we have come to view the environmental sustainability as part of social justice. Simply put, everyone deserves access to healthy and respectful medical care and learning centers. Sadly, in areas like the Tenderloin that is not always the case. "
Designed by Oakland - based HKIT Architects, the new service center features open and airy rooms, natural light, regionally harvested and manufactured wood doors, and low - VOC ( volatile organic compounds ) painted walls.
Nibbi Brothers of San Francisco is the general contractor.
The center at 121 Golden Gate Ave. "was in a non - reinforced masonry building that was once home to a parking garage" and too expensive to retrofit, Aviani said.
The St. Anthony Foundation could not run without the dedication of its staff and volunteers, said Barry Stenger, the organization's director of development, noting that the philosophy has remained the same since Franciscan Father Alfred Boeddeker founded it in 1950.
"We bring in volunteers and help them learn how to show dignity and respect to people on the street, " Stenger said.
The foundation serves an average of 3,000 people each day through its several programs. In its 58 - year history, St. Anthony Dining Room has served nearly 35 million meals. The St. Anthony Foundation website is www.stanthonysf.org.
(By Michael Vick)
