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MEDIA CONTACT:
Tri Nguyen
415-608-6237
tnguyen@glide.org
From GLIDE Client to CEO: Rev. Dr. Gina Fromer Marks Three Years of Leadership, Growth, and Impact in San Francisco
Five new programs, record-breaking revenue and volunteer participation, and expanded community engagement highlight Dr. Fromer’s tenure as GLIDE prepares for Fall Into Justice Week.
SPECIAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: One-on-one interviews with Dr. Fromer available in conjunction with Fall Into Justice Series.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Three years after taking the helm of GLIDE Foundation, Rev. Dr. Gina Fromer has much to reflect on: five new programs addressing some of San Francisco’s most pressing challenges, record-breaking financial performance and volunteer participation, and a growing role for GLIDE in conversations about the city’s future.
But what makes Dr. Fromer’s story particularly compelling is where it began: Before becoming GLIDE’s President and CEO, she was a GLIDE client herself.
As she approaches her third anniversary leading the organization, Dr. Fromer’s journey from client to CEO offers a distinctive perspective on GLIDE’s mission and the communities it serves.
During her tenure, GLIDE has launched new initiatives addressing homelessness, behavioral health, neighborhood safety, and support for young adults. The organization has also expanded its street crisis response and neighborhood placemaking efforts while strengthening its role as a convener of civic dialogue and racial justice education.
GLIDE invites members of the media to schedule special one-on-one interviews with Dr. Fromer to discuss her first three years as President and CEO, the organization’s accomplishments, the challenges facing San Francisco, and her vision for GLIDE’s future.
The anniversary coincides with Fall Into Justice Series, a series of community events organized by GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice to mobilize the community around GLIDE’s vision for a more just city.
Three Years of Accomplishments
Five New Programs Bringing Services and Support to San Francisco
Under Dr. Fromer’s leadership, GLIDE has launched five programs designed to advance its agenda of love and radical inclusion.
1. Cecil Williams Community Ambassadors — Launched August 2024
Named in honor of GLIDE’s legendary co-founder, the program conducts more than 50,000 community interactions annually in the blocks surrounding GLIDE. Ambassadors respond to immediate crises while connecting people with resources and support that help prevent future emergencies.
2. Spiritual Care Navigation — Launched 2024
Through Glide Memorial Church, trained navigators reach people on streets, in hospitals, and in parks, addressing practical and spiritual needs, building self-worth, and opening doors to recovery.
3. Transitional Age Youth Health & Wellness Center — Launched January 2026
Serving young adults ages 18–27 experiencing homelessness, the center helps participants stabilize their lives, find housing and meaningful employment, and build supportive communities that can help keep them off the streets.
4. Journey Home — Launched February 2026
Journey Home helps people experiencing homelessness reconnect with family and home communities, creating opportunities to begin a new chapter in a stable, supportive environment.
5. The Shop — Launched March 2026
The Shop is a barbershop designed to reach older Black men disproportionately affected by overdose. Through free haircuts, peer support, and access to behavioral healthcare and recovery services, the program creates a welcoming entry point to care.
Record-Breaking Revenue and Volunteer Participation
GLIDE has also reached new milestones in community support and financial performance.
- 12,006 volunteers contributed 59,260 hours during GLIDE’s most recent fiscal year, marking the largest annual volunteer participation in the organization’s history.
- GLIDE completed the highest-revenue year in its history, supported by increased philanthropy and contract revenue.
- A historic charity auction with Warren Buffett generated $13.5 million in proceeds each for GLIDE and the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation.
Bringing Influential Voices and Community Members Together for Justice
Dr. Fromer’s leadership has also helped elevate GLIDE’s role in conversations about racial and social justice.
GLIDE has convened civic leadership forums and welcomed prominent voices, including Senator Cory Booker, Angela Davis, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, to speak in its Sanctuary. The organization has also received support from notable figures including Charles Barkley and Joan Baez.
Beyond these high-profile engagements, GLIDE continues its work in racial justice education, racial reconciliation, and grassroots community leadership.
Through its Center for Social Justice, GLIDE organizes pilgrimages to historical sites of racial injustice, including:
- Alabama Pilgrimage: An interactive educational journey through civil rights history and the legacy of racial terror in the United States.
- Ghana Pilgrimage: A new initiative examining the history and impact of the transatlantic slave trade.
GLIDE’s Social Justice Academy also provides fellowships for people with lived experience of substance use, incarceration, homelessness, and other challenges. Participants learn how to organize their communities, communicate with policymakers, and advocate for policy change.
Looking Ahead: GLIDE’s Next 100 Years
As GLIDE approaches its centennial, Dr. Fromer’s vision centers on preparing the organization to continue serving San Francisco for generations to come.
Founded on Lizzie Glide’s vision of welcoming everyone, Glide Memorial Church was established in 1929. Today, GLIDE is working to restore and revamp its historic church building while exploring ways to expand its campus and reach more people in need.
The goal is to position GLIDE to continue its commitment to unconditional love and radical inclusion for the next century.
Fall Into Justice Week: October 18–22
Dr. Fromer’s anniversary comes as GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice prepares for a series of community events focusing on civic engagement, racial justice, and policies affecting San Francisco residents.
Sunday, October 18 | 12–4 p.m.
Phoenix Day
A free, family-friendly afternoon celebrating the Tenderloin’s resilience and renewal through carnival games, cultural performances, and community organizations. Dr. Fromer is scheduled to speak at 12:30 p.m.
Monday, October 19 | 5 p.m.
Mayoral Childcare Fall Forum
GLIDE and the Child Care Planning and Advisory Council (CPAC) host a community conversation about building an affordable, equitable, high-quality child care system for every San Francisco family.
Wednesday, October 21 | 5–7 p.m.
Yes on Proposition 3 Phonebank
GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice activists will phonebank in support of Proposition 3, which protects existing tax rates on the wealthiest 2% to maintain funding for schools, healthcare, and the safety net.
Thursday, October 22 | 5–8:30 p.m.
The Alabama Solution: Documentary Screening and Discussion
A screening of The Alabama Solution, a documentary examining Alabama’s prison system, followed by a mixer and Q&A with prison reform advocate Julie Godwin.
Full Fall Into Justice schedule:
https://go.glide.org/e/322631/fall-into-justice/cy11r/1325614054/h/_dkvMFqiAiwocyvq_zQl6u5p3_9tpR9S4IBoMFgxVhI
SPECIAL MEDIA INVITATION: Interview Rev. Dr. Gina Fromer
GLIDE invites television, print, radio, and digital journalists to schedule one-on-one interviews with Dr. Fromer in conjunction with her third anniversary and Fall Into Justice Week.
Interviews can explore:
- From client to CEO: Dr. Fromer’s personal journey and her experience leading an organization that once served her.
- Three years of progress: Five new programs, record-breaking revenue and volunteer engagement, and GLIDE’s expanding community impact.
- San Francisco’s challenges: GLIDE’s response to homelessness, poverty, behavioral health, and the needs of underserved communities.
- Justice and community leadership: GLIDE’s work in racial justice education, civic engagement, and developing community advocates.
- The next chapter: Dr. Fromer’s vision for GLIDE as it approaches its centennial.
Media representatives are also invited to attend Fall Into Justice Week events, including Phoenix Day on October 18, when Dr. Fromer is scheduled to address attendees at 12:30 p.m.
To arrange a one-on-one interview or coordinate event coverage, contact:
Tri Nguyen
415-608-6237
tnguyen@glide.org
About GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice
GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice works to influence public policy on poverty, food insecurity, housing, discrimination, racial justice, and human rights through grassroots organizing, community education, thought leadership, and policy development. The Center convenes community members and policymakers to amplify community voices and mobilizes GLIDE clients, congregants, volunteers, and neighbors to become agents of change.
About GLIDE
GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice dedicated to fighting systemic injustice, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. GLIDE’s integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community empower individuals, families, and children to achieve stability and thrive. GLIDE is at the forefront of addressing some of the most pressing issues facing San Francisco, including poverty, housing shortages, homelessness, and racial and social injustice.
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