communications – GLIDE – San Francisco: serving the people of the Tenderloin and San Francisco since 1963

On Thursday, February 26th, GLIDE hosted a powerful and timely Black History Month event called, “Legacy and Liberation – A Conversation with Dr. Angela Y Davis.”

For decades, Dr. Angela Y. Davis has shaped global movements for Black liberation, prison abolition, and intersectional justice. Among her trusted supporters was GLIDE’s Reverend Cecil Williams, whose leadership positioned GLIDE as a sanctuary for the revolution.

On Thursday, February 26th, GLIDE hosted a powerful and timely Black History Month event called, “Legacy and Liberation – A Conversation with Dr. Angela Y Davis.”

An evening of justice, hope, and faith

Minister Marvin K. White opened the evening with a heartfelt interfaith blessing, saying Angela Davis teaches us to “refuse the lie that Empire is inevitable,” and Center for Social Justice Director Naeemah Charles reminded us that “freedom is a constant struggle, and struggle is sustained by community.” Both urged the audience to join GLIDE’s Social Justice Warriors!

Then Director of Music Ministries Zoë Ellis introduced the Glide Ensemble to sing gospel songs. She urged the audience to interpret the lyrics mentioning “God,” their own way. “God can be love, ocean, moon, sky stars,” she cried– “All we want you to know is that God has got a blessing waiting for you!” Nearly the whole audience was on their feet clapping and stomping along to the gospel– even those who had never participated interactively in live gospel before.

Joy is resistance

Then it was time for GLIDE’s current President & CEO, Dr. Gina Fromer to interview Dr. Davis. Asked how she endured the racism of her childhood in Birmingham, Dr. Davis laughingly corrected that she remembered her childhood as a time of joy. While acknowledging the terror of racist violence—including church bombings and the ever-present threat of the Ku Klux Klan—she refused to let trauma be the whole story.

She recalled mischievous resistance—children dashing into the forbidden white side of town, ringing the doorbells of KKK members, and running away as fast as they could. “Resistance was woven into every aspect of our lives, even our joy,” she reflected. Joy, she insisted, is not a distraction from struggle; it is what makes sustained struggle possible.

The importance of women in liberation struggles

Throughout the conversation, Dr. Davis illuminated histories too often erased. She urged us to understand that the Civil Rights Movement did not emerge spontaneously in the 1950s—it was built on groundwork laid by Black organizers, including Black communists, in the 1940s and earlier. She spoke emphatically about the importance of collective political education and organizing, reminding us that the Black Panther Party’s community programs—such as the free breakfast initiative for children—were powered primarily by women.

“Did you know that two-thirds of Black Panther members were women?” she asked. “The programs happened because of them. But we all know that women always do all the work anyway.” The line, “women do all the work,” received the most roaring applause of the evening– causing Dr. Davis to smirk knowingly at the audience.

How political activists can deal with fear and anxiety

When Dr. Gina Fromer asked how she found courage during the most terrifying moments of her life—including her imprisonment and the threat of the death penalty—Dr. Davis answered with disarming honesty: “I wasn’t courageous. I was scared to death.” Courage, she explained, does not mean the absence of fear.

Courage comes from knowing you are not alone. Seeing “Free Angela Davis” signs around the world and receiving messages of solidarity—even smuggled notes from Palestinian political prisoners—transformed her fear into collective strength. “As one person, we can do very little. But as hundreds and thousands and millions of people, we can change the world.”

Divest from capitalist thinking, invest in the discipline of hope

Dr. Davis warned against the individualism rooted in capitalism and urged us to free ourselves from “capitalist temporalities” that demand quick wins and short-term thinking. “Hope is a discipline, not an emotion,” she said. “Hope is that which we must generate and produce if we want anyone to witness a better world.”

We ended the evening with questions from the audience and a final song from Regina Wells Rashida Oji, our Senior Manager of Transformative Learning. We love how many hundreds of you showed up for GLIDE’s living vision for Black liberation! Black History Month reminded us that liberation is not a chapter in the past — it is an unfolding story.

Do you want to be part of the story of liberation? Definitely consider joining GLIDE’s Justice Warriors. Depending on your preferences, we can let you know about marches, rallies, phone banks, letter-writing, and outreach– because it’s going to take all of us to move the country’s story forward!

You can watch Angela’s appearance below.

Honoring the Black Women Who Shape Our Past, Present, and Future

To launch Black History & Futures Month, GLIDE held She Carried Us Forward, a celebration honoring the brilliance, courage, creativity, and enduring leadership of Black women. Black women are too often unnamed background characters in history– even when their actions should earn them the spotlight!

Naeemah Charles welcomed the crowd by praising Michelle Browder’s landmark achievements in health equity. Minister Marvin K. White blessed the evening with a tribute to GLIDE’s co-founder, Janice Mirikitani, who would have been celebrating her 85th birthday on that day. Then Rabbi Michael Lezak discussed our collaboration with Michelle on the Alabama Pilgrimage, saying, “GLIDE dreams about healing hearts, and minds, and souls, but beyond that we dream about healing streets, neighborhoods and communities… Michelle is the fiercest truth-teller I’ve ever met.”

GLIDE will always be part of the fight for racial justice! To stand by our side during the struggle, consider joining our Justice Warriors:

Fighting for Health Equity and Black History in Alabama

Michelle Browder is an activist, artist, and historian whose work exposes how Black women were tortured for medical knowledge and erased from history.

She began by acknowledging Glide Memorial Church’s interfaith nature, and praising the diverse beliefs in the room. Then she admitted, “I’m bringing Jesus into the room with me tonight, because we need to change the narrative. The narrative around Jesus has been hijacked.” She spoke of the need to reclaim Christianity as a faith that fights for the marginalized and oppressed. Dr. Gina Fromer agreed: “If Jesus was in town, he’d be in the Tenderloin.”

Michelle then acknowledged the racial justice struggle in our country, warning: “Just remember: without dignity, empathy, and integrity, DEI is just an acronym.” Then we heard how her work began: as a 19-year old art student, when she became fascinated by Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey, the enslaved experimental subjects of the so-called “father of gynecology,” J. Marion Sims.

“They were kidnapped, abused, and used for experiments, used as breeders– were basically tortured in the name of healthcare and science,” Michelle explained. A statue of J. Marion Sims, their torturer, stands at Alabama’s state capital– you can sign a petition here to have him be re-located to the museum Michelle founded and recontexualized for his infamy.

Medical racism in gynecology is far from over. Michelle recommends the book Medical Apartheid to learn more about how involuntary medical experimentation still happens on people of color today.

The Role of “Creative Extremism” in Creating Equitable Black Futures

Not only does Michelle Browder create spectacular art honoring the enslaved victims of medical torture, she leads The Mothers of Gynecology organization to provide anti-racist medical education and healthcare for low-income people centered on reproductive freedom.

Michelle calls her artistic and educational work, “creative extremism,” and praised GLIDE’s founders, Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani, for being likewise creative extremists, or “extremists for love,” in the tradition of Martin Luther King Jr.

After sharing her work, Michelle was joined in conversation by Dr. Gina Fromer, CEO of GLIDE and a lifelong champion for racial and economic justice. Dr. Gina discussed how her mom’s heroic work raising six kids in conditions of generational poverty made her determined to break the cycle of poverty.

They both discussed the importance of having Black role models when it comes to instilling hope in Black people. “When you start the discussion of Black history with slavery and end with slavery, you miss a lot,” said Michelle. “People who were enslaved kings, they were queens, they were innovators, they were astronomers– understand that.”

How Love Drives the Struggle

Since GLIDE and Michelle Browder initially connected on the Alabama Pilgrimage, Dr. Gina shared her own experiences with the pilgrimage. “At first, I didn’t want to go to Alabama, I was afraid… I felt like when I got off the plane, the KKK would be waiting for me. But eventually, I realized: Tenderloin or Alabama, the fight is the same everywhere.”

Dr. Gina then discussed GLIDE’s work transitioning people of color in crisis to employment and leadership, and how that work is impeded by the political currents in our country. “What’s happening right now, the dismantling of civil rights, human rights, the dignity of our Black and immigrant communities– we CANNOT let this happen,” she said.

Michelle was in agreement. “Hatred makes you sick,” she said, “And love is the cure. My Jesus says love those who hate you. That’s creative extremism.”

The evening closed with eager questions from the audience. And it was just the beginning of a whole month of celebrating Black History and Futures. If you missed this event, perhaps you can catch us for the next one: learn more about our line-up here.

It’s hard to find words for the grief and rage our nation is feeling today. First Renée Good, then Alex Pretti—two lives lost after being shot and killed by federal ICE officers while trying to protect their neighbor’s rights. We’ve lost a loving mother of three. We’ve lost a dedicated ICU nurse. Just as we have lost so many Black and Brown people over the course of our nation’s history. All their names lie heavy on my heart: Breonna Taylor, Oscar Grant, George Floyd, Sandra Bland, Rekia Boyd, and so many more.

What gives me hope is to see a nation rising up. A nation that’s had enough.
Join me in emailing Congress to:

These killings are intended to send a message. They want us to know that standing up for our immigrant neighbors is something that will be met with deadly force. History is repeating itself. Those who stood in peaceful protest with Martin Luther King Jr. also sometimes died for their beliefs.

I have spent my entire life fighting for justice and I won’t stay silent now. I hope you join me in speaking up and speaking out for our GLIDE values:

We support AB 1537, legislation to prevent police officers from also working for ICE.

We stand with Supervisor Bilal Mahmood’s resolution for ICE-free zones — Alameda County has already passed similar legislation, San Francisco needs to catch up.

We call on Sheriff Paul Miyamoto to continue to uphold sanctuary protections by refusing pressure to cooperate with ICE.

We call on Congress to stop funding ICE violence. Click here to contact your representatives!

In last Sunday’s Sermon, Minister Marvin K. White said, “Do you know how tiring it is, day after day, night after night, hour after hour, to brace yourself for pain? It’s exhausting! Do you know how tiring it is when you have to plan your way home by the police who are out on the block, and you have to plan an escape route just to get home? It’s exhausting!” That’s how our immigrant neighbors are feeling in Minneapolis right now– and across the nation. It’s also how many people living in the Tenderloin have felt for a long time. We must act.

What our country is doing right now is not new. America has done it before. But that does not make it right. We must take action as a community to put a stop to this bigotry and violence once and for all!

ICE could come to any city in the years to come. If they come to San Francisco, we must be prepared. Here’s what you can do today:

Check on your neighbors — especially those living with fear of enforcement or separation.

Educate and organize — know your rights, share them, and build solidarity networks.

Support mutual aid efforts that provide food, legal help, accompaniment, and community care.

Show up together — to vigils, to city hearings, to council meetings, to rallies — in the name of shared humanity.

We refuse to accept a world where families live in fear. Where the powerful commit crimes and then lie about it. Alex Pretti and Renee Good should not have died because they stood up for their neighbors.

In response, let’s summon our collective strength and create the beloved community we know is possible. GLIDE is committed to remaining a sanctuary for all. Nothing will stop us from loving and serving the people who need our help the most.

Dr. Gina Fromer
GLIDE President & CEO

Announcing the Launch of the Transitional
Age Youth (TAY) Health & Wellness
Center

On January 29th, GLIDE joined city leaders, partners, and community members to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the new Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Health and Wellness Center at 888 Post Street—a milestone for San Francisco and a powerful investment in our young people’s futures. Designed to serve youth ages 18 to 27, the Center offers a welcoming, dignified space where young adults can find stability, care, and an opportunity to move toward independence at a critical moment in their lives.

“This place has been built with love, intention, and deep belief in the brilliance and potential of our young people,” said Tacing Parker, GLIDE’s Chief Program Officer.

GLIDE’s spiritual contingent: the Reverend Dr. Gina Fromer, Minister Marvin K. White and Rabbi Michael Lezak all offered words of interfaith blessing. “As we set goals and implement plans, help us to trust in Your grace and your love.” “May this place not ask you to prove your pain before it offers you a chair… may this be a place where your queerness, your youth, your survival, are not problems to manage.” “May the staff who have spent hundreds of hours to build this space know only blessing!”

Keith Watts, leading the GLIDE Ensemble, then let the room know, “This room and space will be LIT. It will shine a light on this corner. I want us to sing about that light!” The room then clapped and sang along to the GLIDE Ensemble’s classic rendition of, “This Little Light of Mine.”

Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director of the SF Dept of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (L) and GLIDE President & CEO, Dr. Gina Fromer

Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, addressed the crowd: “As I think about this site, I think about my niece, who turned eighteen yesterday… My niece is fortunate to be housed and have two parents caring for her, but there are so many youth who don’t have that. And that’s what this is about. This program is designed specifically to meet the unique needs of transitional age youth, at a pivotal age when they are reaching for stability… Today we open doors to safety, wellness and connection.”

GLIDE’s President & CEO, Dr. Gina Fromer then stood up to inspire the room. “Every new person we hired to work in this building– you have a vital mission ahead of you. You’re going to show everyone who walks through those doors the meaning of unconditional love! She reviewed the services the Center will provide– integrated medical and mental health care, case management, workforce development, and essential services like showers, laundry, and pet care—meeting immediate needs while opening doors to long-term opportunity.

Martail Smith, 21 years old, spoke about his experience receiving transitional age youth services in San Francisco. “These services are really important because a lot of young people don’t have family to support them, or a place to go… My case manager believed in me when I really didn’t believe in myself yet… Today is a big day for me. With the support of my program, I am moving into my own place.” The room filled with the cheers of a standing ovation.

We then heard from Amr Guendia, the U.S. Managing Director of Commercial Banking at BMO, the Center’s corporate sponsor. He said, “At BMO we believe that economies thrive when communities thrive. We believe in investing in organizations that drive real change, and GLIDE is a shining example of that.”

Mawuli Tugbenyoh, the Human Rights Commission Director, added, “By centering young people and making sure they have the space to receive 24-7 care and support, GLIDE is making a powerful statement: that young people matter, and access to care should not be dependent on their circumstances. Access to health and wellness IS a human right.” Carla Short, Director of the Department of Public Works, discussed the difficulty of bringing the project to completion, and how the vision of helping youth motivated everyone to persevere through difficulties.

We hope the snip of scissors cutting the ribbon on TAY Youth and Wellness Center heralds the start of a new era for the city’s unhoused and housing-unstable youth! By meeting young people where they are—whether they come in for a shower, medical care, or computer access—the Center will create pathways to housing stability, employment, and long-term well-being.

To learn more about GLIDE’s TAY Center, visit this page.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Minister Marvin K. White lead the crowd in prayer. The event was an interfaith commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights accomplishments. The prayer took the form of this beautiful justice-seeking poem in the tradition of GLIDE founder Janice Mirikitani. We are sharing this poem on our website to uplift and inspire all of you in your own spiritual and justice-seeking practices. Enjoy!

A Prayer at the Ledge

Let us pray.

God of the ledge and the long view,
God of unfinished sentences and interrupted lives,
God who does not flinch when history leans forward—

We gather in this interfaith prayer,
honoring the birth and the burden of Martin,
speaking the words Liberty, Justice, and Beloved Community
not as a slogan,
but as a question history is asking us again.

History pretends it is new,
but our ancestors whisper,
“You’ve been here before.”
Beloved—
this moment remembers us.

We come not at a crossroads,
but at a ledge—
where truth is treated like contraband,
where cruelty has learned to sound official,
where Black memory is erased with spreadsheets,
where queer and trans lives are debated like abstractions,
where women’s bodies are managed by strangers,
where migrants are hunted for sport,
where ICE stalks neighborhoods, workplaces, and doorways,
teaching whole communities to live braced for disappearance,
where queer white women mothers and Black sons—
Keith Porter, Renee Nicole Good—
are martyrs and movement saints now,
new ancestors we seek for guidance,
where healthcare is rationed like mercy instead of named as justice,
where unions are broken on purpose,
where whole nations are flattened into headlines,
and where fascism no longer whispers—
it files paperwork.

And still—you have gathered us.

We came tired.
We came angry.
We came grieving.
We came laughing anyway.

Which tells us something holy:
the people are not asleep.
We are being summoned.

Today we remember Martin—
not the statue, not the slogan, not the safe version.
We remember the witness who warned us about militarism and materialism,
who said silence is betrayal,
who told us that waiting is often violence
dressed up as patience,
who knew that love without truth is sentimental,
and truth without love is terror.

So we confess before You and one another:

Some days we are tired.
Some days we scroll instead of organize.
Some days hope feels naïve,
and despair sounds reasonable.

But still—you keep breathing through us.
Still—you drum in our chests when the world says surrender.
Still—you sing through us when cruelty tries to sound inevitable.
Still—you call us back to the long, unfinished work of liberation.

So meet us here, God—not with comfort, but with courage.

Plant us in our bodies,
where fear lives and courage hides.
Steady our feet at this ledge.
Give us breath that says:
We are still here—and we are not neutral.

Turn our fear into fuel.
Turn our anger into clarity.
Turn our grief into organizing love.

Make us dangerous to despair.
Make us allergic to lies.
Make us faithful to one another.

Because the next move is not coming from palaces or podiums.
It is coming from living rooms and kitchens,
from classrooms and union halls,
from sanctuaries and sidewalks,
from the way we refuse to let each other disappear.

When history asks what we did at the ledge,
let it not say we complied,
or went quietly,
or mistook remembrance for responsibility.

Let it be said:

We loved loudly.
We told the truth.
We held one another.
We pushed back together.

And we did not disappear.

Amen.

On December 10th, GLIDE families gathered for a holiday moment that felt good the second they arrived. Children from the Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth and Childcare Center showed up bubbling with excitement, laughing, and calling out to friends. Caregivers followed with the same bright energy, smiling as they stepped inside and ready to enjoy a day that celebrated both them and their children.

At 3:00 pm, three buses lined up outside FYCC. Children spilled onto the sidewalk with excitement and climbed aboard, buzzing about the day ahead. The ride to 2 Folsom Street (where Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, and Banana Republic awaited) felt alive with energy. Kids leaned across seats to play with one another, laughing and turning the bus into its own little party before they even arrived.

This tradition started more than thirty years ago, when Old Navy first invited GLIDE children into their store for a holiday shopping experience. What began as a simple act of kindness slowly grew into a moment families could count on, a day when kids felt seen and cared about. What stayed constant over the years was the feeling that this day was about joy, dignity, and community.

This year, Gap Inc. expanded the shopping spree beyond Old Navy– Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta were also included creating a bigger and more meaningful experience. For many caregivers, choosing something new for themselves is rare. Watching them take their time, pick up different items, and accept encouragement from volunteers was truly special.

Each child and caregiver received a one-hundred-and-fifty-dollar gift card of their own to use across the four stores. Volunteer personal shoppers walked with families through each space, helped kids try new colors, carried clothing bags, and offered patient guidance. You could see the moment something clicked for a child when they found an outfit that felt just right. Their faces said everything.

Inside the building, Gap Inc. set up a welcoming area where kids could eat, rest, and play between shopping trips. Tables filled with snacks quickly turned into gathering spots where children compared what they picked out. The bracelet making table stayed busy, and the claw machine drew a steady line of hopeful players. Caregivers settled into chairs nearby, sharing stories and taking a quiet moment for themselves.

More than one hundred Gap Inc. employees volunteered throughout the event. Some were personal shoppers; others ran activities or supported caregivers. Every volunteer added to the feeling that families were being celebrated.

Dr. Gina Fromer spent the first part of the event with families and volunteers. She thanked people, checked in with caregivers, and brought a warm presence that matched the spirit of the day.

At its core, this event has always been about giving children the chance to feel good in what they wear and giving caregivers the space to feel appreciated. When a child finds clothing that feels like them, it shows in the way they stand a little taller. When caregivers are given time and attention, it brings a sense of relief that can last long after the holidays.

Families left with clothing bags and smiles that lingered long after they stepped outside. A tradition that began decades ago continues to grow in ways that honor its roots. And through every year of this tradition, one thing has stayed the same. People deserve moments that remind them they matter!

GLIDE once again came together with longtime partners and neighbors to make sure no one has to face an empty table. Our Annual Grocery Bag Giveaway—made possible by the generous support of the Gap Foundation and Gap Inc.—delivered 4,000 bags of groceries to San Franciscans experiencing food insecurity across the city.

This year’s giveaway marks more than a milestone moment of service. It celebrates more than 30 years of partnership between GLIDE and Gap Inc.—three decades rooted in compassion, dignity, and a shared commitment to uplifting low-income San Franciscans.

More Than a Bag of Groceries

Each grocery bag was thoughtfully assembled to feed a family of four, providing the ingredients for a nourishing, delicious holiday meal. In total, these bags helped to feed 16,000 people—neighbors, elders, families, and individuals who are feeling the strain of rising costs and shrinking resources.

Because San Francisco is a city rich in culture and tradition, the contents of each bag reflected the diverse culinary customs of the communities we serve. Food is more than sustenance; it’s connection, memory, and care—and we honor that in every delivery.

Powered by Community

This effort was truly citywide. In collaboration with 22 neighborhood and community partners, GLIDE ensured groceries reached those most impacted by food insecurity. With the help of more than 75 Gap Inc. volunteers, our teams packed and delivered bags to neighborhoods across San Francisco including Bayview, Outer Mission, Chinatown, Western Addition, Japantown, and beyond.

From sorting groceries at GLIDE to delivering bags directly into communities, this is what collective action looks like: neighbors showing up for neighbors, including neighborhoods like Bayview.

Kate Kuckro, Co-Executive Director of Community Living Campaign lifting
turkey boxes for distribution in the Bayview neighborhood

“This is an incredible tradition that goes back nearly 14 years now and it’s a great way for us to bring people together and help the community. We are so grateful to GLIDE year after year and being there for everyone from seniors to youth and it’s a chance to give back and add some good cheer to the folks we serve around the holidays,” said Kate Kuckro, Co-Executive Director of Community Living Campaign whose organization helped spearhead this partnership with GLIDE.

Why It Matters Now

Families across San Francisco are being squeezed like never before. Cuts to the social safety net, combined with the “three I’s”—Inflation, rising Insurance costs, and Inaccessibility of food assistance—have pushed more households into crisis. Grocery prices alone are 25% higher than they were five years ago, making it harder for families to put food on the table, especially during the holidays.

At GLIDE, we believe no one should have to choose between paying bills and eating well. This Grocery Bag Giveaway is one way we live out that belief—meeting urgent needs while affirming the dignity of every person we serve.

Together, We Make the Holidays Brighter

We are deeply grateful to the Gap Foundation, Gap Inc., our community partners, and every volunteer who makes this tradition possible year after year. Because of you, thousands of San Franciscans will experience a holiday meal filled not just with good food, but with the knowledge that their community cares.

That’s the power of partnership. That’s the heart of GLIDE.

More than one hundred Gap Inc. employees volunteered throughout the event. Some were personal shoppers, others ran activities or supported caregivers. Every volunteer added to the feeling that families were being celebrated.

Dr. Gina Fromer spent the first part of the event with families and volunteers. She thanked people, checked in with caregivers, and brought a warm presence that matched the spirit of the day.

This Thanksgiving, our community’s generosity shone brighter than ever. Because of your kindness, we filled our kitchens with abundance—130 turkeys, 70 hams, hundreds of pounds of holiday favorites, and dozens of gallons of rich, comforting gravy. We served approximately 2,500 meals, with all the fixings, both here at GLIDE and through our outreach deliveries.

Have a look at this year’s photo gallery and see for yourself what made this year’s Thanksgiving at GLIDE so special!

But the true impact stretches far beyond the holiday table. When someone comes to GLIDE for a meal, they often discover a doorway into so much more—healing through recovery programs, connecting in women’s groups, support that prevents homelessness, and a community that welcomes them just as they are.

For every person who donated, volunteered, or lifted us up in spirit, please know: you didn’t just brighten a single day. You helped open possibilities for people rebuilding their lives. And those stories are resonating throughout our city.

On Thanksgiving morning, the San Francisco Chronicle shared the journey of Roderick Hughes, who worked at GLIDE for 30 years before retiring earlier this year, now returning for a meal. “I have seniority over most of the people working here,” he said laughing as he waited in line. “I love GLIDE because this is my home,” Hughes said. “It always made me feel like I am somebody.”

NBC Bay Area interviewed one of our long-term volunteers, Kara, who spoke about the significance in her life of giving back to the greater community each time during Thanksgiving.

KTVU Fox News spoke with a family who drove all the way from Foster City to donate some turkeys to GLIDE. “This is what you should do on Thanksgiving,” said Richard Pasquinelli. “We’re fine. We have a roof over our head. We eat very well; we’re safe and we’re healthy and a lot more so than the people who are being served here at GLIDE.”

We were also honored to share the day with SF Fire Chief Dean Crispen, State Assemblyman Matt Haney, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood and other city leaders.

None of this would be possible without you. Thank you for every act of care, every plate served, every moment you choose to stand with GLIDE. And if you feel called to keep spreading warmth this season, we’d love to welcome you as one of our volunteers!

As we move through this season of generosity and reflection, please know how deeply grateful we are for you and for everyone who helps make GLIDE’s mission real.

Wishing you a joyful and peaceful holiday season!

There is no single right path for recovery from substance use.

Rather, recovery exists along a spectrum — from safer use and harm reduction all the way to full abstinence. At GLIDE, we embrace that full continuum, with a goal of reducing harm, saving lives, and supporting people in building healthier futures on their own terms.

As GLIDE President and CEO Dr. Gina Fromer puts it, “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery.”

How GLIDE Supports Recovery

As GLIDE founder Reverend Cecil Williams liked to say, “We are all in recovery.” We might be addicted to work, addicted to distractions, or addicted to a substance of some kind– but addiction and recovery are a universal part of the human condition. There is no “us and them.” Reverend Cecil didn’t want folks to judge people on the street for their addictions– he wanted us to realize how much we all had in common.

GLIDE’s Health Access and Recovery Team (HEAT) is at the forefront of addressing the substance use epidemic in San Francisco. Our team offers a variety of services in an effort to meet people where they’re at – everything from medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs) to referrals to detox services. And in September of 2025, we started a contingency management program for folks who want to overcome addiction to stimulants, like methamphetamine.

We also offer a range of abstinence-based recovery services for those who need it: Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous.

GLIDE believes recovery from substance use is a spectrum, and we serve all parts of that spectrum. Harm reduction services, sober housing and abstinence-only recovery programs, all have their part to play in the City’s recovery. Models which exclude or stigmatize those still using drugs can push people further into isolation, unsafe use, and overdose risk. That’s why it’s so important to have the full spectrum.

The Need for Wraparound Services

Helping folks address their substance use or addiction requires more than just a one-time meeting. That’s why at GLIDE, we focus on the whole person, not just their addiction. If we can get people in the door with our harm reduction or health services, then we can build our relationship with them over time. We can help them find housing, test them for transmissible diseases, help them towards employment and stability.

Black Men Over 55 Disproportionately Affected by Substance Use

Systemic racism perpetuates inequity in overdose deaths. In San Francisco, black men over the age of 55 are dying from overdose at a disproportionately higher rate– and the disparity is worse in San Francisco than in any other major city.

That’s why one of GLIDE’s priorities is opening “The Shop,” a barbershop that will connect our low-income clients not only with free haircuts, but with low threshold case management and emotional support. Barbershops are research-proven effective targeted interventions for community-building and stabilization in the lives of older Black men specifically, and they also have a proud history in the civil rights movement.

“Love Saves Lives”

In fall of 2025, we hosted a conversation at Manny’s Cafe between two leaders in substance use recovery who sit at opposite ends of the spectrum: one an advocate for harm reduction, and one an advocate for abstinence. Although the conversation was heated, there was something both leaders had in common: a belief that love saves lives. “Love goes a long way for people who are walked over, stepped on, and ignored,” said our President & CEO, Dr. Gina Fromer, who moderated the panel.

Lydia Bransten, CEO of the Gubbio Project, uses her work to help clients access harm reduction services. She understands the need for abstinence-based recovery, but wishes that the abstinence-only camp was more understanding that recovery is a spectrum: “I respect your journey of abstinence. All I’m asking is that you respect our clients’ journeys too, regardless of if they come to recovery in a different way,” she shared.

Recovery organizations should work together: we’re all fighting the same problem – we just have different ways of amending that problem. “You don’t have to agree with me, but our destinations are the same,” Dr. Gina says. “People healthy, off drugs, and off the streets.”

Why This Matters: Saving Lives and Reducing Stigma

The fundamental goal of our approach is overdose prevention. In a city deeply affected by fentanyl and overdose deaths, we have always acted as frontline responders. Our belief is clear: even one overdose is one too many.

We believe our approach helps reduce stigma and shame — both major barriers to seeking help. By not requiring abstinence as a precondition for care, we lower the threshold for engagement, letting more people connect with services earlier.

By embracing multiple pathways to recovery, GLIDE supports individualized journeys. Some will move toward abstinence; others might need the help of medications; others might continue to relapse for years. What matters is that we provide the support and accountability necessary to save lives and break the cycle of addiction.

Recovery requires community. Wherever you are in your recovery journey, you can find a community at GLIDE.

Author: communications

Honoring the Black Women Who Shape Our Past, Present, and Future

Fighting for Health Equity and Black History in Alabama

Announcing the Launch of the Transitional
Age Youth (TAY) Health & Wellness
Center

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Honoring the Black Women Who Shape Our Past, Present, and Future

Fighting for Health Equity and Black History in Alabama

Announcing the Launch of the Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Health & Wellness Center

Announcing the Launch of the Transitional
Age Youth (TAY) Health & Wellness
Center