The Glide Foundation

Annual Impact Report | Fiscal year 2021-22

Download a PDF version

Our North Star

Dear Friends, 

As we enter a third year of the pandemic and uncertain economic times, we can feel the reverberations of collective loss and fatigue in our community. The vibrancy of San Francisco is challenged by stark racial and income inequity, startling rates of homelessness and overdose deaths. The suffering we see on the streets – the poverty, homelessness, addiction, and trauma- is the suffering we see at GLIDE’s front doors each and every day resulting in an ever-increasing demand for our transformative services, advocacy and connection city-wide.

For sixty years, GLIDE’s mission has been to create a radically inclusive…

Dear Friends,

As we enter a third year of the pandemic and uncertain economic times, we can feel the reverberations of collective loss and fatigue in our community. The vibrancy of San Francisco is challenged by stark racial and income inequity, startling rates of homelessness and overdose deaths. The suffering we see on the streets - the poverty, homelessness, addiction, and trauma- is the suffering we see at GLIDE’s front doors each and every day resulting in an ever-increasing demand for our transformative services, advocacy and connection city-wide.

For sixty years, GLIDE’s mission has been to create a radically inclusive, just, and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break cycles of poverty and marginalization. Building on our legacy of unconditional love, radical inclusion and social justice, GLIDE is stepping up in bold, new ways to break cycles of poverty, impact health outcomes, increase food and housing security, and proactively change systems to promote justice and equity for all. In response to the increased suffering and need we are seeing on our streets today, GLIDE is being asked to do more for more people, more city agencies, and more neighborhood partners across San Francisco.

During 2021-22, GLIDE’s impact was demonstrated in indelible ways through the empowerment of thousands of individuals and hundreds of families - most of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color - to stabilize their lives and create pathways out of poverty. Last year, we staved off hunger by serving hundreds of thousands of free, hot meals to those most in need while advancing food security for hundreds of families by providing healthy groceries each week though GLIDE’s new Zero Waste Food Pantry. We launched our new Housing Readiness Workshops and Rental Assistance program to help more people, most of whom are ineligible for other financial support, to find, secure and maintain safe and affordable housing. Leveraging partnerships to achieve greater impact, GLIDE, the San Francisco’s Department of Public Health (SFDPH), Code Tenderloin, San Francisco Medical Center (UCSF) and the San Francisco Community Health Center (SFCHC) worked together to bring vaccine equity and prevent severe illness among the most marginalized through weekly pop-up testing and vaccination clinics and Roving Vax units. This innovative public health effort provided over 24,000 COVID tests and 5,500 vaccinations that helped the Tenderloin reach a 90% vaccination rate. This is only a sample of the important and innovative work GLIDE does to positively impact lives.

Not only is GLIDE meeting the most life-sustaining needs of individuals and families through direct service, we are also disrupting systemic inequities. In 2021-22, GLIDE and a coalition of incredible community partners expanded access to food security benefits for undocumented seniors and ensured that over $130 million would be allocated in local and state budgets to improve funding for food banks, meal programs, housing subsidies, shelters, and mental health support. Through our ongoing collaboration with the UCSF Medical Center, GLIDE’s transformational programs are bridging the empathy gap and challenging the systems of power that perpetuate discrimination and bias in our healthcare institutions. As pandemic restrictions ease, Glide Memorial Church has opened the doors to the Sanctuary once again, providing a beacon of hope, spiritual nourishment, and community for thousands of people.

To make progress towards impactful and sustainable change, we know it takes an engaged, dedicated and beloved community to help us to realize our mission. Thank you for your support as we continue to serve the needs of our community and push for bold systems changes that are always, and forever, for the people.

With love and in solidarity,

Karen Hanrahan
President & CEO

Kaye Foster
GLIDE Board Chair

Karen Hanrahan, President & CEO, pitching in during our annual grocery bag giveaway.

San Francisco Is Struggling with an Escalating Crisis of Poverty and Homelessness Fueled by Racial and Social Systemic Inequities

Poverty

25%

San Franciscans live below the Federal Poverty line or are food insecure

52%

drop in earnings among Black/African American and Latinx low-income workers, who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic

10%

increase in the cost of food in San Francisco over the last year

Homelessness

8000+

people are homeless any given night in San Francisco

38%

of the SF homeless population is composed of Black/African American San Franciscans

+ 55%

increase in the number of unhoused Latinx people since 2019.

Racial Injustice

46%

of Black/African American children in SF live in poverty compared to 3% of White children

the national rate at which Black/African Americans are incarcerated compared to Whites

These issues are truly complex and require an array of solutions at different levels to produce systems change.

At GLIDE, our mission is to create a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization.

To achieve this vision, we are putting new building blocks in place to grow the next generation of GLIDE, deepen our impact and change lives for good. We have launched new programs and initiatives to address the symptoms of poverty and homelessness we see on the streets each day. We are also addressing the root causes of racial and social injustice by working closely with those in positions of power to change the systems, policies and laws that perpetuate inequity.

GLIDE’s programs are designed to drive impact in three key areas: :

Our Generous Donors Allow Us to Do More for Our Community Each Year

GLIDE Fosters Stability and Pathways Out Of Poverty By Meeting and Advocating for Essential Food Security and Housing Needs

Bringing Food Security to the City’s Most Marginalized with GLIDE’s Zero Waste Food Pantry

With inflation and pandemic aftershocks driving more families towards food insecurity, GLIDE advanced efforts to not only address food insecurity but to infuse dignity, power of choice and economic stability through the Zero Waste Food Pantry. Each week, over 100 participating families receive menus featuring a list of nutritious food items they can select, and items are mindfully sourced through local Bay Area vendors that reflect the cultures of participating families. “They get to pick and choose what items they want, and that could range from lamb, pork chops, chicken, beef stew, fish, shrimp, and snacks like dried fruit, yogurt, raisins, and pretzels,” says Pamela Brown, Pantry Coordinator. “We just want to keep it going for as long as we can to help as many as we can.”

The average annual household income for participating families of four is a mere $18,600. In a context of significant economic inflation, providing a consistent source of food for our families not only ameliorates the financial burden, it helps lift the emotional and mental tolls that come from the stress of having to choose between putting food on the table and paying other bills. In this way, the Zero Waste Food Pantry is providing direct cost savings while significantly stabilizing the lives of GLIDE’s families.

Previous slide

Next slide

Advancing Food Security Through Policy Advocacy

GLIDE participates in 29 local, state, and national policy coalitions. As a member of the California Hunger Action Coalition and chair for the annual Hunger Action Week, GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice advocates for radically inclusive policies that tackle food insecurity and remove roadblocks to Californians accessing nourishing food. In 2022, the CSJ successfully advocated to expand access to food security benefits for undocumented seniors and ensured that over $130 million would be allocated in local and state budgets to improve funding for food banks, meal programs, housing subsidies, shelters, and mental health support.

GLIDE Helps People to Stay Housed with a New Rental Assistance Program

At GLIDE, working on the front lines of poverty for decades has taught us that meeting people’s basic needs is a necessary foundation for moving from crisis to stability, to long-term positive change. In March 2022, GLIDE’s Walk-in-Center (WIC) started a low-barrier, bi-weekly Housing Readiness workshop that is part of GLIDE’s larger rental assistance program to prevent those who have been hardest hit by the rising costs of living and the pandemic from slipping into homelessness. This workshop is a pre-requisite for receiving rental assistance, teaching a comprehensive set of skills and knowledge ranging from the rental application process to life skills needed to settle into a new accommodation and maintain a good tenant-landlord relationship.

From March through July of this year, GLIDE’s rental assistance program provided $105,000 to participants – most of whom were Black, female, and ranged from about 20 to 50 years old – filling an urgent need for San Franciscans who were ineligible for other eviction prevention resources. With GLIDE’s support, 100% of the rental assistance program participants were able to retain their housing and stabilize their lives when they otherwise may not have. For San Francisco native Ivan Graddy, the housing readiness workshop and rental assistance was pivotal in getting back on his feet after being unemployed. “I was able to secure the $2,160 I needed for back rent as I transitioned between jobs,” says Graddy. “I cannot thank GLIDE’s Walk-in Center enough.”

Increasing Access to Essential Resources, Care, and Community – GLIDE Kicks Off New Integrated Service Initiative

This past September, GLIDE concluded a summer series pilot program, called Community Care, a prototype of GLIDE’s Integrated Service Initiative that will connect neighborhoods with direct access to essential services and one-on-one support through sustainable and scalable pop-up resource hubs. This strategic initiative comes at a time when homelessness numbers have reached alarming levels – the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing estimates that as many as 20,000 individuals may experience homelessness in San Francisco over the course of a full year. Recognizing the growing need, GLIDE’s new generation of mobile services will extend its reach and impact across the city to under-resourced communities. Inspired by GLIDE’s mobile services strategy and supported by our Center for Applied Learning and Impact , the Community Care event is pioneering GLIDE’s next generation of services.

The pop-up summer series at 330 Ellis Street saw a beehive of activity over the summer months, with visitors able to come together to play games, enjoy delicious lunch from GLIDE’s Free Daily Meals, and come together in community while accessing a wide range of important services and resources from participating community partners. In the span of one block, attendees could gain instant access to housing and employment resources, low barrier legal counsel, medically assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use, harm reduction services and supplies, mental health healing circles, free books and much more.

“People in the community love this,” says long-time Tenderloin resident Giovanni. “Whether you’re poor, rich, doesn’t matter. There will always be people struggling who need help. I’m very grateful for GLIDE.”

GLIDE Saves Lives By Providing and Fostering Compassionate and Equitable Healthcare and Access for All

Bringing Vaccine Equity to the Tenderloin to Prevent Severe Illness Among the Most Marginalized

Communities of color and those living in poverty have experienced the most suffering when faced with COVID-19. Generations of discrimination and exploitation have also contributed to a deep mistrust of healthcare and government institutions, which cultivated hesitancy and reluctance in getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. To bring vaccine equity to the Tenderloin and prevent severe illness among the most marginalized, GLIDE launched its own weekly pop-up vaccination clinic in the spring of 2021 partnering with San Francisco’s Department of Public Health (SFDPH), Code Tenderloin, San Francisco Medical Center (UCSF) and the San Francisco Community Health Center (SFCHC). Roving Vax units – small groups of clinic providers who walk the Tenderloin to provide vaccinations to people where they are at – have offered an approachable way for the Tenderloin community to get their questions and doubts addressed, build confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine, and lower barriers by providing education and building trust. Since the start of the pandemic, 24,295 COVID tests have been administered and 5,522 vaccine shots, helping the Tenderloin reach a vaccination rate of more than 90%.

Previous slide

Next slide

Alleviating Suffering and Saving Lives with Evidence-Based, Compassionate Approaches to the Opioid Crisis

In California, overdose has been the leading cause of accidental death every year since 2011. Misunderstanding, stigma, and maltreatment toward people who use drugs can have deadly consequences — especially when they use drugs in shame and isolation. GLIDE’s Harm Reduction Team provides a continuum of compassionate care for people who use drugs and has adapted its service model to meet clients where they are at during the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach – of taking GLIDE services, values and care to people in need across the city – is foundational to GLIDE’s evolving Mobile Services strategy. Through an enhanced fleet of Mobile Teams, street outreach, community partnerships and integrated service hubs; GLIDE will provide more outreach, engagement and access across the city, . In FY 2021/22, Harm Reduction staff provided supplies and service linkage to 127 people at shelter-in-place hotels and continued to provide free testing for Hepatitis C, HIV and STIs. Through street outreach and GLIDE’s Syringe Access Services desk on Taylor St, the Harm Reduction team cultivates trusting, loving relationships with clients while distributing hygiene kits and harm reduction supplies such as the life-saving opioid overdose reversal medicine, Naloxone (commonly known as Narcan).

GLIDE Co-Sponsors Legislation for Overdose Prevention Centers: SB 57

GLIDE has been a proponent and provider of harm reduction services since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic and has also long advocated for implementing Overdose Prevention Centers. In 2021-22, GLIDE was a proud co-sponsor of Senator Scott Wiener’s Senate Bill 57, a bill that would have allowed for the pilot of overdose prevention programs in Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco. We are disappointed that SB 57 will not yet be a reality in California, despite an overwhelming body of evidence supporting overdose prevention programs that would have helped address the overdose crisis by linking people who use drugs to treatment and holistic care.

“GLIDE will continue to do all it can to advocate for evidence-based solutions to California’s overdose crisis,” says Miguel Bustos, Senior Director of GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice. “We believe people’s lives are worth saving.”

Advancing Health Systems Equity through Healers at the Gate

In 2021, GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice partnered with UCSF Medical Center’s Safety Task Force to launch an experiential cohort-based program, Healers at the Gate (HATG). Rooted in empathy, HATG brings together campus security supervisors, nurses and nursing supervisors, social workers and other healthcare professionals from across the UCSF campus to come face-to-face, in service and dialogue, with people impacted by racism, poverty, homelessness and substance use. Hosted in the Tenderloin and framed as a justice pilgrimage to GLIDE, the program changes the perspectives of healthcare workers, empowering and mobilizing them to interrupt patterns of harm inflicted upon BIPOC patients and families on the UCSF campus.

In 2021-22, GLIDE’s Rabbi Michael Lezak and Isoke Femi facilitated six HATG cohorts with a total of 99 UCSF staff participants. Nearly all surveyed participants walked away from the program feeling greater compassion for the diverse communities they serve; holding a greater understanding and appreciation for GLIDE’s values; and, armed with those values, feeling confident, empowered, and motivated to tackle systemic racism and oppression in their work and personal lives. One-year post-launch, participants report that racial and class-based biases are regularly being addressed in patient care meetings; that alumni have effectively spread strengths-based approaches to patient and family care with coworkers who have not yet attended HATG; and that the implementation and structure of policies that negatively impact patients and families of color are beginning to shift, all signaling significant systemic transformations within UCSF Medical Center.

Engaging healthcare workers on systemic discrimination in the UCSF health system

GLIDE's Rabbi Michael Lezak discussing community building with healthcare workers in the Tenderloin

Tenderloin activist Del Seymour pointing out new business development in the Tenderloin

Healthcare workers taking a tour of the Tenderloin

Serving breakfast outside in front of GLIDE

GLIDE Stabilizes Families and Breaks Intergenerational Poverty

Stabilizing Families Impacted by the Economic Fallout of the Pandemic

At GLIDE, we see systemic inequity in the Latinx community up close – 64% of the households served by our Family, Youth and Childcare Center are Latinx and all qualify as very low-income, which is defined as 200% of the Federal Poverty Limit (about $55,000 in annual income for a family of four). GLIDE’s FYCC continues to holistically address the challenges faced by these families, which have been exacerbated by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising inflation. In the past year, the FYCC continued to offer modified in-person, licensed early education and childcare, as well as afterschool programming for youth in grades K-5, essential services that we know can help parents remain employed, mitigate educational disparities, and prevent very low-income families from falling further into poverty. Nearly two-thirds of the families served by GLIDE’s FYCC have been participating in these programs for two or more years, demonstrating the need for sustained support in the years that are critical for healthy development in children.

GLIDE is Supporting Families to Address the Root Causes of Family Violence

Violence against women rose to record numbers around the world during COVID-19 lockdowns, diagnosed as a ‘shadow pandemic’ by the United Nations. GLIDE’s Men in Progress (MIP) program is a 52-week long batterer’s intervention service to offenders who self-identify as male, working to undo generations of learned, destructive and oppressive behavior rooted in male privilege and a male dominated society. GLIDE’s MIP program employs the Duluth Model, a nationally-recognized paradigm that helps abusers articulate full accountability for their actions while developing healthy relationships with their partners. “Something that is unique about Men in Progress is that we are really focused on having a female and a male facilitator in our group sessions. Most other batterer’s intervention programs are male peer advised” says Anissa Kent, program coordinator for Men in Progress. “We offer a woman’s perspective and help showcase a healthy dynamic between men and women via the male and female facilitator.”

GLIDE Fosters Lasting Personal and Systemic Change Through Radically Inclusive Community and Transformative Experiences

Minister of Celebration, Marvin K. White

Charting a New Course Rooted in Liberation, Celebration, and Faith with Glide Memorial Church

The past year was one of evolution for Glide Memorial Church. At the beginning of 2022, GLIDE established a new structure that separates the governance and management of GLIDE Foundation from Glide Memorial Church, designating a new board of directors to the Church. “As we think about who we are as a church, this calling forth of the first ever board of directors is a real sign that the church is growing,” reflects Marvin K White, Minister of Celebration. The past year also marked a joyful return to in-person Sunday Celebrations, and global attendance was on the upswing with church attendees hailing from Europe, Africa and South America. Now, the Church offers more ways to engage with the community than ever before, including 22 active congregational life groups that have built a loving and connected community both in-person and virtually.

Minister Marvin explains, “I think about Glide Memorial Church as five sanctuaries: in-person, virtual, Freedom Hall, our phone line, and now we have our fellowship table outside in the Tenderloin Hub, which is a sanctuary of the streets. These are all sanctuaries of one church, and you choose freely in how you want to participate in any of them.”

Cultivating Connection and Advocacy from Virtual Spaces

As the world navigated another year of pandemic distancing, GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice continued to find innovative, meaningful ways to empower and mobilize our community to drive social change through advocacy. The CSJ’s virtual justice series provided a monthly platform for the community to hear from racial and social justice activists and leaders about current issues and learn how to lend hearts and minds to build a just world. In FY 2021/22 the virtual justice series enjoyed an average of 88 participants per event.

In the spring and summer of 2022, the CSJ rolled out a new, virtual Justice Spoken Word Workshop, which fostered creative self-actualization and justice through the art of spoken word. Led by Jada Imani, a seasoned teacher of spoken word in the San Francisco community, the 4-month workshop culminated in a special showcase where participants shared their work with the community at the recent Sunday Streets block party on October 16. “I think spoken word doesn’t come very naturally to everyone, especially in this society where vulnerability can be unsafe for some people, and shunned upon,” reflects Jada. “I was really taken aback by how quickly and easily people opened up, shared their personal stories, demonstrated trust, and how we were able to create a safe space for people to be candid and honest. And that was an honor to me.”

Our Financials

GLIDE remains a financially strong anchor institution that relies on a diverse set of funding streams to maintain our important work. FY22 was marked by the largest ever transformational gift to GLIDE, affording GLIDE additional flexibility and stability in an uncertain economic and philanthropic environment. GLIDE’s Fund Development, Finance and Operations teams work tirelessly to braid together a variety of funding sources to ensure we meet our financial goals. During a particularly volatile time for nonprofit providers, GLIDE has met our contract obligations to government agencies, generated much needed unrestricted operating support to advance key innovations in the field, and supported strong data collection, evaluation and program iteration. We are grateful for the prudent fiscal oversight of our board and the nimbleness of our leadership team to rise to the moment and ensure GLIDE remains a stable and impactful organization into the next generation of GLIDE.

Remembering Erby Foster:

In August 2022, GLIDE mourned the loss of a dear colleague, friend, mentor and leader, Erby Foster. As GLIDE’s Chief Finance and Operations Officer, Erby was the embodiment of our core values of unconditional love and radical inclusion. Erby walked every square inch of GLIDE nearly every day. Erby was a trailblazer, becoming a CPA in a time when systemic racism was – and continues to be – a prohibiting obstacle for Black people in becoming certified accountants. His energy and passion have inspired each and every one of us to strive for excellence and give the best of ourselves to GLIDE’s mission, the city of San Francisco, and one another. GLIDE misses him dearly.

Read one of Erby’s interviews from February 2022 Black History Month: https://www.glide.org/glide-voices-erby-foster-on-black-history-month/

Board of Directors and Executive Leadership

Kaye Foster, Chairperson

Mary Glide, Vice Chair

Cheryl L. Flick, Secretary/Treasurer

Ime Archibong, Head of New Product Experimentation, Meta

Crickette Brown Glad, Giver

Emily H. Cohen, Executive Vice President, United Contractors

Paula R. Collins, CEO of WDG Ventures, Inc. and President, Portfolio Real Estate Consulting

Rev. Charles F. Cordes, Retired Pastor and former District Superintendent of the United Methodist Church (Emeritus Board Member)

Dr. Phyllis Kaplan, Professor Emeritus of Education, California State University at Hayward

Dr. Erica Lawson, Associate Clinical Professor, Pediatric Rheumatology, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Tracy Layney, SVP & CHRO, Levi Strauss & Co.

Allison L. Magee, Executive Director, Zellerbach Family Foundation

Hydra Mendoza, VP, Chief of Strategic Relationships Office of the Chair and CEO, Salesforce

Sharon Osberg, Retired Internet Executive

Mark Ryle, Consultant

Donald Tamaki Partner, Minami Tamaki LLP (Emeritus Board Member)

Jerry L. Vallery, CEO, GlobalCom Capital Corporation (Emeritus Board Member)

Virginia Walker, Founder & Managing Partner, The Jamison Group

Malcolm Walter, Retired, Former COO of Bentley Systems

Ross Weiner, Chief Infrastructure Officer & General Counsel, Code Advisors

Rev. Cecil Williams, Founding Minister, Glide Church Celebrations

Lin-Hua Wu, Vice President of Global Communications & Public Affairs, Google

Karen Hanrahan, President & CEO

The Glide Foundation

Our North Star

San Francisco Is Struggling with an Escalating Crisis of Poverty and Homelessness Fueled by Racial and Social Systemic Inequities

Poverty

Homelessness

Racial Injustice

Self-Sufficiency

Equity

Building Empathy

Our Generous Donors Allow Us to Do More for Our Community Each Year

GLIDE Fosters Stability and Pathways Out Of Poverty By Meeting and Advocating for Essential Food Security and Housing Needs

Bringing Food Security to the City’s Most Marginalized with GLIDE’s Zero Waste Food Pantry

520,688

100%

92%

Advancing Food Security Through Policy Advocacy

29

$114M

$24M

GLIDE Helps People to Stay Housed with a New Rental Assistance Program

$105,000

100%

95%

Increasing Access to Essential Resources, Care, and Community – GLIDE Kicks Off New Integrated Service Initiative

200+

500+

460+

GLIDE Saves Lives By Providing and Fostering Compassionate and Equitable Healthcare and Access for All

Bringing Vaccine Equity to the Tenderloin to Prevent Severe Illness Among the Most Marginalized

24,295

5,522

90%

Alleviating Suffering and Saving Lives with Evidence-Based, Compassionate Approaches to the Opioid Crisis

436,212

3,620

1,698

GLIDE Co-Sponsors Legislation for Overdose Prevention Centers: SB 57​

Advancing Health Systems Equity through Healers at the Gate

99

98%

96%

GLIDE Stabilizes Families and Breaks Intergenerational Poverty

Stabilizing Families Impacted by the Economic Fallout of the Pandemic

385

40%

64%

GLIDE is Supporting Families to Address the Root Causes of Family Violence

GLIDE Fosters Lasting Personal and Systemic Change Through Radically Inclusive Community and Transformative Experiences

Charting a New Course Rooted in Liberation, Celebration, and Faith with Glide Memorial Church

2,300

1,000

22

Cultivating Connection and Advocacy from Virtual Spaces

88

900+

102

Our Financials

Board of Directors and Executive Leadership

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST!

Self-
Sufficiency

GLIDE Co-Sponsors Legislation for Overdose Prevention Centers: SB 57