REAL TALK

Reflections on an African American role model LeRon L. Barton has been an active GLIDE community member since 2014. He currently serves as the Co-Chair of the GLIDE Racial Justice Team that grew out of the Ferguson Rally held at GLIDE. The Racial Justice team has interviewed African American youth about race issues with the

Nancy Goh is among GLIDE’s most dedicated volunteers, a loving soul and an inspiring member of this community. Not only is she a regular in GLIDE’s Daily Free Meals program, but she has incorporated raising awareness and support for GLIDE into her passion for running. Below, Nancy reflects on the reciprocal nature of volunteering and the

Reflections on the Complexity and Compassion of Case Management Demarco McCall describes his occupation and its greatest challenge in the same breath: “a Housing Case Manager in a city without housing.” The reality is that case managers at GLIDE must meet the diverse and complex needs of the most vulnerable members of San Francisco’s unhoused community even

GLIDE Harm Reduction Services director Paul Harkin demystifies fentanyl and shares the known solutions to the opioid crisis Given the recent news about the dramatic rise in fentanyl-related deaths in San Francisco last year, we’re reposting this interview with Paul Harkin from August. This day and everyday, it’s important to remember that there are things

Education Director La Monica Hopkins reflects on 20 years at GLIDE’s Family, Youth and Childcare Center It has been over 20 years since La Monica Hopkins first joined the staff at GLIDE’s Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC), but her connection to GLIDE goes back much further. There have been many changes at

The following thoughts from GLIDE’s Director of Harm Reduction Services Paul Harkin come in response to a frequent assertion by people addressing the crisis of drug use on our streets: that offering support to those who use drugs only encourages them to keep on using, thereby only adding to the problem, and that only abstinence-based,

GLIDE’s Unconditional Legal Clinic When Gary woke up in a Daly City hospital after suffering a brain hemorrhage, a hospital administrator informed him that his car had been towed. Unable to leave his hospital bed, Gary called the tow company to explain why he was unable to move his car. But despite explaining that he

With a new mobile testing and outreach van, GLIDE joins the OPT-IN effort to connect the most vulnerable to services On a remote stretch of road just west on the Third Street artery that runs through San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood, a young man is about to receive life-saving treatment. The setting is anything but residential

Join us for a special GLIDE Sunday Celebration at GLIDE Church on Sunday, October 27, 2019. We’ll hear from Minister Marvin K. White, Isoke Femi and Rita herself as we celebrate, honor and pay tribute to her work at GLIDE. RSVP and Invite Your Friends! “You Are GLIDE. I Am GLIDE. Without Exception, We Are

GLIDE celebrates Native leadership on the 50th anniversary of the Alcatraz Occupation We hope you will join us at 9:00 am this Sunday, October 13th, at GLIDE Church for a very special Celebration. In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Marin Theatre Company will be presenting a scene from the powerful play Sovereignty by playwright,

Edna Webster Coleman’s remarkable life in the struggle for social justice GLIDE’s Annual Fund manager Hallie Brignall spoke recently with Edna Webster, a longtime GLIDE community member and Bay Area educator and activist who has designated a portion of her estate for GLIDE and its work on behalf of the community. In the following account,

In May of 2019, Gregoria Cahill received her Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from California State University, East Bay, and as she walked the stage and received her honors it vindicated the winding path of her pursuit of education and self-improvement. “I remember my mom would tell me to get

Fifty years ago, congregants from GLIDE Church organized a potluck for their hungry neighbors in the Tenderloin. Their pastor, Rev. Cecil Williams, GLIDE’s Co-founder and Minister of Liberation, requested fried chicken—a staple of any festive gathering in the African American community of his youth. That’s the origin of what has come to be known as

Whenever someone within my faith tradition has overcome something that seemed otherwise insurmountable, has been cured from something that had death as the prognosis, or survived something that no one has ever walked away from, my people say, “Somebody, surely, must have been praying for you.” I believe that we are all the recipients, the

A Homoneutics of Liberation This past Sunday, June 30, 2019, GLIDE celebrated Pride with almost a million onlookers as we marched, danced, sang and made our way down Market Street in the 49th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade. Our tradition includes a single Pride Sunday Celebration before we head down to march in community. The

A focal point of GLIDE’s Sunday Celebration is the “I AM GLIDE” testimony, in which a member of the community takes the pulpit and tells their story, in their words. GLIDE is a place for healing and recovery, and one of the ways we empower each other is by telling our stories. Indeed, we often

We are thrilled to relate that Antwan Matthews, a Phlebotomist and HIV Navigator on the GLIDE Harm Reduction Team, was recently awarded a prestigious fellowship from Rise Up, an Oakland-based organization advocating a better future for youth, women and girls globally. This year, Rise Up selected 22 winners out of 550 applicants who are using

A look at what our community’s kids and parents can count on. Summertime is almost here—a time when children suddenly have seemingly endless hours of free time. But what do the working parents of low-income families do about childcare once school is let out? It’s no secret that the cost of childcare in San Francisco,

This month GLIDE celebrates the 20th anniversary of the eBay Auction for Power Lunch with Warren Buffett. This exciting annual effort raises funds for GLIDE’s comprehensive programs benefitting some of the most in-need and marginalized San Franciscans. It also represents a special relationship that has only grown stronger with the years—one that includes Mr. Buffett,

This year, the GLIDE Center for Social Justice (CSJ) along with our community partners at Skywatchers have been proud to create a new Leadership Academy with residents of the Tenderloin. Skywatchers is an arts-based ensemble that has been working in the Tenderloin for eight years with SRO residents, centering performance-based and multi-disciplinary art and stories

In keeping with our values of radical inclusivity and acceptance, GLIDE has a long-standing policy of welcoming all people, as well as their animals, through our doors. On any given day at GLIDE, you will see dogs in backpacks, strollers, baby slings, tote bags and on leashes. In celebration of the unconditional love that animals

Marvin K. White, Vashti and Liberation In honor of Women’s History Month, GLIDE’s own Interim Minister of Celebration Marvin K. White shares his gifts as a poet and theologian in a piece entitled “Vashti”. The poem and accompanying interview were originally published in the GLIDE Church eNews, Congregation Connect. Vashti I was with the other women

GLIDE’s Assets Are Held in Trust for the People of San Francisco, Not the United Methodist Church To the supporters and extended family of GLIDE, The GLIDE Foundation filed a countersuit yesterday in its legal dispute with the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (CNAC) and Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño. In the countersuit,

Lisa Pelletier-Ross is a beloved staff member at GLIDE, serving as a trusted Community Safety Team Shift Lead. She, along with several other members of Community Safety and the Meals Program, have been collaborating with our Adult Education Specialist Stephanie McNally to record and share their experiences on the front lines of GLIDE’s work in

It’s no secret that at GLIDE, we believe in love. We believe in radical, unstoppable, unconditional love. We also know that love manifests in as many ways as there are people in our community—people like Elena and Zach, two GLIDE interns who are helping to link hard-to-reach members of the community to harm reduction and

On the first day of Black History Month, we are delighted to feature and honor Ernestine Nettles, who this Christmas celebrated 50 years of service—not only to GLIDE, but to her community in Oakland, the Civil Rights Movement, gender equality and voting rights. Ernestine is a beloved pillar of the holiday feasts GLIDE organizes for

Crickette Brown Glad shares her truth and experience with GLIDE’s harm reduction outreach GLIDE Church has a long-standing tradition of featuring voices from the community in a segment of Sunday Celebration called “I Am GLIDE.” Personal testimonies on the strength and power of unconditional love from our program participants, congregants, donors and volunteers provide what

A dedicated volunteer whose legacy lives on through his bequest to GLIDE’s Daily Free Meals program Longtime volunteer Jonathan Leong passed away on October 19, 2017, leaving a very generous bequest to GLIDE’s Daily Free Meals program. Just days after creating his living trust, he told his sister Bonnie, “A person dies. A great charity

Introducing Marvin K. White Starting in January, Marvin K. White will become the Interim Minister of Celebration at GLIDE. Many people in our congregation have experienced and recognized Marvin’s deep creative and spiritual gifts. He’ll bring those gifts along with his strong commitment to GLIDE’s mission of unconditional love and radical inclusivity as he continues

GLIDE’s blend of meals, celebration and social justice adds up to a delicious holiday feast for the community When Rabbi Michael Lezak joined GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice last year, one of his main goals was to connect broader Bay Area Jewish communities to GLIDE’s dynamic work. And what a year it’s been! Michael has

On Tuesday, December 11, the California-Nevada Annual Conference (CNAC) of The United Methodist Church (UMC), along with its Presiding Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño, filed a lawsuit against GLIDE that seeks to gain control over the organization and its assets. We are disappointed by the Bishop’s decision to escalate our differences into a legal matter for

Eric Tatum is a beloved long-time staff and community member at GLIDE. He has seen many changes over the decades, and has recently been collaborating with our Adult Education Specialist Stephanie McNally to record and archive his invaluable memories. We are grateful to Eric for recognizing the historical significance of his perspectives and experiences, and

The Key to Transforming the Homeless Crisis GLIDE assists people who are homeless or on the brink of homelessness every day, and we have witnessed the effects of the housing crisis on everyone from working families to retirees to disabled veterans on waiting lists for shelter. As a community that values unconditional love and radical

Building social justice mindsets in law enforcement communities With the arrival of Rabbi Michael Lezak last year, GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice (CSJ) has been able to expand and deepen the ways we emphasize truth and reconciliation in our efforts around advocacy, staff development, and community building. In April, CSJ welcomed police departments and district

Angela Coleman has worked at GLIDE in various roles for 13 years, and is currently a much-loved Case Manager with our Walk-In Center. GLIDE recognizes the need to work closely with formerly incarcerated women and their families. New research shows that formerly incarcerated people are nearly 10 times more likely to be homeless than the general public,

Reflections from Emerging Leaders Intern Juliana Mastro My interview for the Emerging Leaders Internship was like no other. During the group dialogue, Isoke prompted us to speak openly and honestly about something we were passionate about. We were encouraged to express ourselves in any way we could, so I wrote a poem. No formal resumes

Ryan Clark is one of our GLIDE Emerging Leaders interns this summer. Joining us from Boston College, Ryan took an immediate interest in food justice, education and volunteerism, and has spent the last several weeks working on a campaign to increase and retain the number of volunteers in the Daily Free Meals Program. Though the

In August, 2017 GLIDE introduced two full-time Meals Navigators to the Daily Free Meals program, which is GLIDE’s largest and longest running program, offering meals three times daily to all in need or some 750,000 meals a year. Pamela Brown and Diane Truong help connect people in our community to other services at and beyond

Eddie is a Meals Program Team Member who first walked in the doors at 330 Ellis looking to volunteer. Two and a half years later, Eddie can do just about everything in the Meals Program – coffee house, prep room, main dining hall, opening shifts, closing shifts and everything in between. He does it all with a

Kent first came to GLIDE as a homeless teenager in search of a hot meal and assistance navigating San Francisco’s affordable housing system. Today, he returns every Monday and Thursday morning to volunteer in the kitchen, which comes easy to him – he has years of experience in the restaurant industry! He believes little things,

Welcome to our Volunteer and Staff Highlight Series! Throughout the next five weeks we will be shining the spotlight on a few of our amazing volunteers and staff members in the GLIDE Daily Free Meals program. These people pull off something miraculous every day — three times a day. If you’ve ever joined us for mealtime you know it’s a major operation, requiring

Maddi is a young man who is multi-lingual, a talented visual artist, and now homeless. He’s been coming to GLIDE frequently, and we have enjoyed getting to know him better. He graciously shared his story with us.   I was born in Kuwait, but I was born as a non-citizen, without documents. My mom is

Iona Lewis is a Case Manager with GLIDE’s Men in Progress program. Thanks to her father, Iona has been a part of the GLIDE community her entire life. Now, she and her husband Raphael are both employees here and their son, Carlo, attends GLIDE’s Family, Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC) during the day. Iona and

On June 5, San Franciscans voted to make our city a more equitable, safe and just place. Together we made real progress on affordable childcare, limiting the tobacco industry’s influence on children, providing legal representation to tenants, providing just compensation to our public school teachers and lowering the potential for death and injury through taser

Karen Hanrahan on Warren Buffett, a unique GLIDE tradition, and the power of community Tonight, we count down to one of the most unusual and powerful fundraisers any nonprofit might aspire to: the eBay for Charity Auction for Power Lunch with Warren Buffett. The story of how it came to be is often told and

We are happy to feature this reflection by Precious Listana, Public Policy Fellow at Twitter, on some of the ways that Twitter gives back to the community by volunteering at GLIDE. Many thanks to Bano, Kania, and the entire Twitter crew for always making GLIDE a part of #TwitterForGood. 

To truly protect and serve, we must see the human being in front of us as someone deserving of respect and compassion no matter their state or circumstance.

Laura Thompson, founding member of the GLIDE Legacy Committee, remembers her mother by living GLIDE’s values GLIDE Church has a long-standing tradition of featuring voices from the community in a segment of Sunday Celebration called “I Am GLIDE.” Personal testimonies on the strength and power of unconditional love from our program participants, congregants, donors and

Thoughts from GLIDE staff who attended our pilgrimage to Montgomery On April 25, a group of 85 people from GLIDE, The Kitchen, the Rafiki Coalition and Stanford Graduate School of Education traveled to Montgomery, Alabama for the opening of the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice. The trip was the culmination

Unconditional Love. Radical Inclusivity. And Doing Your Part. GLIDE Church has a long-standing tradition of featuring voices from the community in a segment of Sunday Celebration called “I Am GLIDE.” Personal testimonies on the strength and power of unconditional love from our program participants, congregants, donors and volunteers provide what Rev. Angela Brown often refers

Rev. Angela Brown on A March For Our Lives and Leaving a Legacy of Peace In the wake of the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida and the epidemic of gun violence in this country, we sat down with Rev. Angela Brown, Associate Pastor at GLIDE Memorial Church, to discuss what we can do to

GLIDE’s Karen Hanrahan reflects on the power and promise of women and girls In celebration of International Women’s Day, I’d like to ask you what drives your own connection to GLIDE’s efforts on behalf of women and girls in the Tenderloin and beyond? Well, firstly, I was raised by a single mother, a strong woman

March 2, 2018 We are kicking off the first Friday of Women’s History Month with the words of one of the amazing mothers in our community who sends her children to GLIDE’s Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC). Gabby emigrated to San Francisco from Guadalajara, Mexico 15 years ago, and, like hundreds of

Isoke Femi on transformative learning and loving Blackness We recently sat down with Isoke Femi, GLIDE’s Maven of Transformative Learning with our Center for Social Justice, to talk about the inspiration and philosophy that ground her approach to group facilitation, and what gives her hope for the realization of a just, equitable and loving future. 

Paul Harkin on what you need to know This month, Barbara Garcia, director of San Francisco’s Department of Public Health, announced that the city was looking to pilot two Safe Injection Sites (SIS) for intravenous drug users as early as July 1. This announcement comes amid a spiraling opioid crisis that has encouraged many city leaders

At one point in my life I was “designer guy in Laguna Beach” with a fancy house and a fancy car. I had all of this stuff. Talking about this makes me cry. If all of this had not happened, I would’ve been somebody that I don’t want to be. We don’t know what people’s tragedies are.

Breaking bread with Rabbi Michael Lezak, newest member of GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice In July 2017, GLIDE welcomed Rabbi Michael Lezak to its Center for Social Justice. This position, a Rabbi at GLIDE, was made possible by funding from the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, the Lisa & Douglas Goldman Fund and generous individual

GLIDE celebrates its thriving partnership with local eco-friendly fishing company, Pioneer Seafoods If you’ve walked by the corner of Ellis and Taylor on any given weekday over the last few months, there is a chance you have seen a “fishy” operation taking place. Giuseppe and Joleen of Pioneer Seafoods have been hauling a truckload of

Rev. Dr. Jay Williams on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the “Urgency of Now” This weekend San Francisco, the Bay Area and the country will honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through acts of solidarity, resistance and celebration. We sat down with GLIDE’s Lead Pastor Rev. Dr. Jay

Every Sunday in January, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm at GLIDE. To sign up, call (415) 674-6080 or email GLIDE’s Advocacy Manager, Ben, at BL@glide.org According to the 2017 Point in Time Count, there are still nearly 200 homeless families with children in San Francisco. In a city as wealthy as ours, there is no

In July 2017, GLIDE joined a coalition of 15 agencies across San Francisco to launch the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, which coordinates with San Francisco’s law enforcement agencies and its criminal justice system to re-route willing nonviolent offenders from jail to services. With support from a major grant from the Department of Public

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), one in three women and one in four men have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. La Casa de Las Madres, a local empowerment program for survivors, reports that

The following reflections are from Lillian Mark, GLIDE Community Safety and Training Manager and were originally delivered to GLIDE’s congregation on September 17, 2017.

A message from GLIDE’s Pastoral Team A wave of cruelty is sweeping over our country. On Tuesday the Trump Administration moved to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), the immigration policy that gave “Dreamers” a fairer chance to thrive in the United States. Rightly, DACA made undocumented minors eligible for work visas and offered safety

GLIDE stands with the 800,000 DACA Dreamers who are our neighbors, friends, colleagues, loved ones and fellow Americans, including the more than 220,000 throughout California and here in the Bay Area.

A Closer Look at GLIDE’s Legacy Gala partner Bob’s Steak & Chop House The GLIDE Legacy Gala may have come and gone but who says the inspiration needs to end? Not us! The Legacy Committee wants to keep the good going and has connected with some of our partners to learn more about what ‘giving

Welcome to another edition of Eye on the Ball. This week we’re bringing you another installment on tenants’ rights. We’ll cover how to deal with landlord harassment. Renters in this inflated rent market, especially those in rent-controlled apartments, all too commonly find themselves the target of landlords seeking to cash-in on the demand for housing

Introducing GLIDE’s new President and CEO, Karen Hanrahan After a nationwide search lasting more than a year, GLIDE is thrilled to welcome Karen Hanrahan as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. This is a new position, created last  year by GLIDE’s Board of Trustees as part of a carefully managed transition plan. The intention throughout

“I’m not a professional photographer, I’m a political organizer. I happen to use the camera to tell the story of the work I do.” —Bob Fitch, Civil Rights photographer, former GLIDE seminary intern, and                               author of Hippie Is Necessary From

Welcome to Eye on the Ball’s four-part series on renters’ rights in San Francisco. This week, we’ll talk about what to do when your landlord says, “You gotta go!” First, take a few deep breaths. You don’t have to leave just because your landlord tells you to. There are rules they have to follow and

Due to concern about HIV, Hep C and overdose deaths, there has recently been a surge in discussion both locally and nationally about creating Safe Consumption Services (or Safe Injection Facilities) where people who use drugs can take them under medically supervised conditions. These facilities would mitigate the risk of harm to folks who are

Radical Action Thursdays (RATs) are back! But because we aren’t fond of rats, we tweaked the name a bit. So what’s this whole RAW thing, anyway?

As members of GLIDE’s HIV & Hep C Harm Reduction Programs, the Hepatitis C navigators and I get the pleasure of being part of the City of San Francisco’s End Hep C SF initiative. End Hep C SF is a multi-sector collective-impact initiative that includes various service providers and community members working towards the elimination

I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them. — Diane Arbus San Francisco is the land of invisible people—the homeless, the needy, the users, the ill, the marginalized, the undocumented. People who not only fall through society’s cracks, but who are ignored (or worse) by the middle and upper

A GLIDE community partner leveraging innovative technology for social good GLIDE is fortunate to have the support of many local community partners, including our friends at SurveyMonkey, one of the generous sponsors of this year’s GLIDE Legacy Gala. This Saturday, August 5, SurveyMonkey folks will be in the house for the 8th annual Gala and

In August of 1967, GLIDE’s monthly publication, Venture, was entirely devoted to the Black People’s Free Store. The letter that went out with the publication explained briefly, “The Black People’s Free Store was established in the Spring of 1967 by young black militants in the Fillmore ghetto. Since then the store has been distributing free

GLIDE hosted its first-ever Gender Expression and Identity Summit on May 5–7. The idea came from the GLIDE Pride Team and GLIDE’s pastoral intern, Todd Whitley, who designed the gathering to deepen our understanding of issues related to transgender and gender-expansive people, increase solidarity, and hold space with and for people to discuss spirituality in

Meals program volunteer Michael finds meaning and pleasure in serving his Tenderloin neighbors Michael is a dedicated volunteer in GLIDE’s Daily Free Meals program as well as a program participant. Originally from the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco, Michael had only been coming to eat at GLIDE for a week before he started to spend

Artist Kate Haug talks about her Summer of Love poster series for SF’s bus shelters—and one very hip poster in particular, featuring Janice Mirikitani and Rev. Cecil Williams

This week, our first of many Development Without Displacement Community Workshops met in collaboration with over 80 residents and nonprofit allies. We talked about displacement and how to create a neighborhood and a city where we can all live in the neighborhoods we’ve been a part of for so long.

Jonathan Fennell has worked at GLIDE for over 17 years, and seen a lot of changes during his time here. As San Francisco celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love, members of GLIDE staff are reflecting on how the Church and Foundation have evolved over time. We were thrilled to catch up with

On May 23, 2017, an irreplaceable member of the GLIDE family and essential figure in our organization’s history passed away. Joyce June Hayes first came to GLIDE in 1971 as a church member, and quickly became instrumental in developing GLIDE’s early children’s programs, which later became the Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth and Childcare Center in

Reverend Harry Williams talks about the Nation, our City, and Low-Income Housing On April 27, Reverend Harry Williams, representing GLIDE Memorial Church and the Tenderloin, addressed a rally on the steps of City Hall. The rally, which started at the Federal Building and numbered several hundred people, was there to urge the planning commission to

A conversation about Standing Rock, solidarity, and faith with GLIDE Seminary Intern Todd Whitley How has Standing Rock figured in your time here at GLIDE? The first time I preached at GLIDE I spoke about Standing Rock. I was scheduled to preach on the first day of Advent in 2016. The sermon was based on

Today is a day of days- it’s Friday! For some, Friday marks the end of the work week- an opportunity to pause from the intense demands of work and recharge. For others, Friday is only the beginning of intense life demands. For some, Friday marks the end of the school week- a time to absorb

Welcome to another edition of Eye on the Ball, where we share what’s going on and how you can join us—in a movement for justice, for the health and wellbeing of our communities, and for an equitable and inviting world for all.

We are proud to share this second installment of reflections in our Women’s History Month series honoring women’s roles in resisting oppression and advancing social justice. GLIDE remains deeply committed to the struggle for gender equality. In the current national climate, it is more crucial than ever that we resist and repel the misogynist forces

Last Wednesday, GLIDE joined over a thousand Californians gathered at the state’s capitol to support the passage of SB 54, “The California Values Act.” The bill was introduced by State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León in December, and if passed, the law would extend “Sanctuary City”-style protections to the entire state, prohibiting local law enforcement agencies

In honor of Women’s History Month, and on this International Women’s Day, we begin a series of posts focusing on the role of women in resisting oppression and advancing social justice. At a time in our nation’s history when overt, unabashed sexism, misogyny and homophobia are on the rise, encouraged by those in power, we

In our concluding post in honor of Black History Month, we offer the following excerpts from a recent conversation with GLIDE’s Isoke Femi and James Lin about the African American roots of GLIDE’s ethos of radical inclusion. Isoke Femi: People who have studied African cosmology have recognized syncretism as a quality of the African consciousness,

Welcome to another installment of Eye on the Ball. There’s so much happening these days that it can be hard to keep focused. So, we’d like to spotlight a few things going on this week of special relevance to our communities. As we all know too well, something is rotten in Denmark—(no offence, Denmark, we

“At the time I was arrested I had no idea it would turn into this. It was just a day like any other day. The only thing that made it significant was that the masses of the people joined in.” — Rosa Parks In retrospect, I realize that Rosa Parks was usually allocated a singular

As we have seen in recent weeks, presidential executive orders can come swiftly, barreling down on a population with the stroke of a pen. They can have enormous influence, enormous consequences. And, again as we have seen, they can also be resisted by the populace and overruled by the judiciary when they outrage our sense

  Attending a GLIDE Racial Justice Group (GRJG) meeting is a dizzying and eye-opening experience. The group is comprised of men and women from all different races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and socio-economic backgrounds. Everyone’s life experiences may be different, but the glue of the organization is the commitment to fight racism and white supremacy.

Freed for New Beginnings “I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” —Harriet Tubman “And before I’d be a slave I’ll be buried in my grave; and go home to my Lord and be free.” —lyrics to “Oh, Freedom”

When people talk about “fixing the homeless crisis,” they can sometimes see it in a very simplified way, thinking if we just get “them” off the streets and find them housing, the homeless crisis would be resolved. In reality, finding housing is just the beginning. Many people who have endured months or years on the

Welcome to Eye on the Ball! A new series of posts and reflections from me, GLIDE’s Advocacy Manager. I’ll be doing my best to keep you informed about GLIDE’s advocacy efforts as well as matters of concern to our community more generally. I’ll also offer practical suggestions about ways you can join us, get involved

The great Grocery Bag Giveaway is a huge event in more ways than one. It is one of the most anticipated events of GLIDE’s holiday programming: hosted each year by GLIDE Co-Founders Rev. Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani and attended by thousands of community members, many of whom line up before dawn on streets closed

At GLIDE, we are thankful for the community we create and nurture here. We are especially grateful for our GLIDE community as our nation’s political and social landscape is rapidly changing after the recent election. This week we sat down with our Executive Director Rita Shimmin to discuss renewed commitment to our community as we enter the bustling holiday season. This post

A report back on key state and local propositions in November 2016 The last week-and-a-half has left us wondering about our nation’s future. Many of us are feeling loss, anger and fear. Protests and demonstrations are giving voice to genuine grief and outrage. And these feelings emanate from something even deeper: our love.

If you are looking for Melina, chances are you will find her encouraging and supporting others who are in need. But it was not that long ago that Melina herself needed a helping hand. She found herself in San Francisco with no money and no one to turn to. After spending over a month on

Editors’ Note: This week’s post, the final installment in our pre-election #PropDropFriday series, addresses the morally bereft system of capital punishment. Californians have before them two propositions concerning the death penalty, only one of which calls for its outright abolition, a choice that GLIDE endorses. As anti-death-row activist Glen Wu argues persuasively below, capital punishment is

Editors’ note: As a social justice organization, GLIDE supports Proposition V, which would add a one-cent-per-ounce tax on beverages with added sugar to help reduce the health problems, such as diabetes, brought on by consuming too much sugar. We view this proposition as a social justice issue, as soda companies have historically targeted low-income communities, particularly

Editors’ note: P and U are two of the more potentially misleading propositions that San Francisco residents will find on the November ballot. And P & U concern one of the most important issues facing residents of this city: affordable housing. P & U have been put forward by the Realtors Association with a promise of

San Francisco’s Proposition Q would ban tents on the city’s sidewalks. Police and city workers would ticket tents and impound them along with all of their occupants’ possessions the next day. Right now, there’s a sense of urgency regarding homelessness, with many housed residents feeling like something needs to change. That sense of urgency may

This past July, GLIDE’s Family, Youth + Childcare Center was honored to receive a Target Youth Wellness Grant, one of many such grants given nationwide, as Target aims to promote and inspire access to healthy eating and active living. For the kids in GLIDE’s afterschool and summer program, the grant is bringing new opportunities for

In the spirit of Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 10), we offer the following firsthand impressions of the current struggle in North Dakota over the ongoing construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The pipeline is on a path to carry 450,000 barrels of crude oil per day from North Dakota’s Bakken oilfield to Illinois, traveling through

Prop 63 closes nonsensical loopholes in California’s otherwise sensible gun laws, making us all safer and assuring California continues to lead the country in gun safety. We can be proud of the fact that California leads the nation in gun safety laws. But even so, there are numerous loopholes that leave all of us far too

  Three Questions for Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr., GLIDE’s Interim Senior Pastor With the recent departure of GLIDE’s Senior-Pastor–turned-Bishop, Karen Oliveto, GLIDE has been deeply fortunate to welcome back to its congregational leadership, on an interim basis, Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr.—although as the Bishop makes clear below, his many roles in and around

Prop 64 is a significant step toward ending the second-class citizenry created by our draconian drug laws. I am a former drug-war prisoner who became politicized after experiencing the corruption, abuse of power and oppression that is systemic in the criminal “justice” system. I am tired of settling for crumbs disguised as “compromise” when it

Editorial note: With the following post by GLIDE’s Theresa Calderon we continue a weekly series of opinion pieces in the run-up to Election Day November 8, discussing propositions on the ballot of particular importance to our communities. Proposition N, or the Immigrant Parent Right to Vote measure, allows San Francisco residents who are the parents,

Editorial Note: As Election Day 2016 nears, we kick off a weekly series of opinion pieces on ballot propositions of particular concern to our communities. #PropDropFriday will bring you a total of eight posts in all, leading up to Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. The series is designed to help you, the voter, make sense

  Editor’s note: These thoughtful reflections from Nick Crampton of the wonderful Adaptive Path team come as we’re in the midst of a re-stocking campaign for GLIDE Goods, the free store GLIDE has recently piloted with the help from the design crew referenced below. If you find yourself moved to learn more and to help

EO stands for Extra Ordinary in partnership with GLIDE Community Housing On a Wednesday in June, residents of GLIDE Community Housing (GCH) received a special delivery in the form of a blue 15-gallon plastic drum with a tall spigot on top. Accompanying the drum was a smiling Meredith Soden from EO®, the Marin-based company offering

From Rita Shimmin, GLIDE Executive Director: On August 14, 2016, newly elected Bishop Karen Oliveto gave her farewell sermon at GLIDE (see below). After the Sunday Celebration, we gathered to give the new Bishop a farewell party. Both her sermon and the party were filled with much joy and inspiration but also an underlying grieving

Anger. Fear. Disbelief. Those are emotions I feel while gauging the current political climate. We live in a world where Hillary Clinton, a woman who has made mistakes and flip-flopped on critical social issues, may lose to a man who horrendously disrespects women, people of color, Muslims and the LGBTQ community. While I agree that

GLIDE sends a huge shout out to the Epidemic Ales family for participating as a Food and Beverage Sponsor of this year’s 7th Annual GLIDE Legacy Gala. We’re so excited to highlight their support, especially since one of their co-founders, Brian Wang, is also the Controller in GLIDE’s Finance Department! Brian shares his GLIDE story below

Shout out to our neighbor, Hilton San Francisco Union Square! GLIDE is proud to feature Cityscape at the Hilton as one of our Food and Beverage Sponsors at the 7th Annual GLIDE Legacy Gala on Saturday, August 13, 2016. Jo Licata, Community Projects Manager of Hilton San Francisco Union Square, shares their GLIDE story as

Transformation Looking back, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.  After reading the job description of interning at our placements 25 hours a week and coming together on Fridays for reflection, I thought to myself, “I can definitely do this.” After 8 weeks of interning here, I would have given my

Shout out to the Taverna Aventine team! GLIDE is proud to feature Aventine as one of our Food and Beverage Sponsors at the 7th Annual GLIDE Legacy Gala on Saturday, August 13, 2016. Rodrigo Nevado, Aventine Partner and Events Director, shares his GLIDE story as he answers our #toptwo burning questions.

In the months leading up to my summer internship at GLIDE, it seemed that everyone I spoke to knew what type of experience I would have. My teachers, my family, my friends – anyone who knew of GLIDE would say things like, “Life-changing experience,” “Eye-opening,” “Unbelievably loving and accepting atmosphere.” Maybe it was a natural

Shout out Chef Kathy Fang and the Fang Restaurant team! GLIDE is proud to feature Fang Restaurant as one of our Food and Beverage Sponsors at the 7th Annual GLIDE Legacy Gala on Saturday, August 13, 2016.

We San Franciscans are no strangers to tremors. We live in earthquake country. We’ve weathered some major ones, and we continue to prepare for the Big One we all know is coming someday. But let’s ask ourselves: Is the ground not already shaking? Homelessness is a man-made earthquake, a painful and destructive rift in the

Today, and every day, we stand in solidarity and with love alongside our LGBTQ sisters and brothers. This includes our dear Latina/o/x sisters and brothers who were overwhelmingly represented among the victims at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, site of the latest mass-shooting in this country’s appalling epidemic of gun violence and bigotry.

The massacre in Orlando has resulted in the country yet again going into its now too common rhetoric of the need for “gun control.” We have developed a patterned, predictable response to these acts of terror and violence. We even now have a definition for mass shootings: “Four or more killed in one incident.” This

America has blood on its hands yet again. Make no mistake: Whenever political and religious leaders allow a climate of intolerance to fester, it becomes a breeding ground for violence. Anytime rhetoric demonizes instead of humanizes; promotes hate, not love; and gives tacit approval to injustice instead of remaining vigilant and continuing the pursuit of

We share solidarity, grief and love with the victims, friends and families of the Orlando shootings at the Pulse nightclub. In this PRIDE month, when we will celebrate the love of our LGBTQ family, we know well that the targeting of a gay club was not incidental.

Could you survive on $789 per month in San Francisco? On average, that’s what 70% of GLIDE’s Meals program participants must attempt to do. They come to GLIDE to eat because they simply can’t afford to buy, store or prepare their own food. That’s why Rev. Cecil Williams started GLIDE’s annual Fund for the Hungry

Vote YES on Prop C for Affordable Housing! On June 7, bring a friend, or two or three, to vote YES on Prop C for affordable housing! If passed, Proposition C would allow San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors to change affordable housing requirements for new housing projects, initially by doubling the current on-site affordable housing

Yes friends, the alumni of Springlicious are back with Springlicious 6: The Transformation. On June 4, the cast will kick off a brand new show format by transforming a new cast of Kings, Queens, Faux Guys and Faux Dolls in a cabaret style show. The event will be held by this year’s sponsor, Balançoire, from

Heather Knight’s recent San Francisco Chronicle article “Talking to Children about Homeless” is well-done, and I thoroughly agree with the article’s two messages to keep it simple with your children and to model compassion.  As a mother raising two elementary school-aged children in San Francisco, the topic of homelessness comes up regularly whether we are

  Thirteen women. Different backgrounds. Different outlooks. Different lifestyles. But all in the same room, writing. Writing to tell a story. Through symbolism, art and passion came poems.

Angela Coleman, Case Manager at the GLIDE Walk-In Center, has a lot to celebrate. As the newest appointee to the San Francisco Reentry Council, Angela looks forward to helping formerly incarcerated people reach their potential as they readjust to life outside prison. “The appointment to the Reentry Council is a very humbling opportunity and I am

By Jake Bodden, Marketing and Communications Director, GLIDE In April, GLIDE unveiled a prototype of GLIDE Goods, a no-cost store offering everyday necessities to those in need while informally engaging individuals and families who might benefit from other GLIDE programs. Set inside Freedom Hall in GLIDE’s 330 Ellis Street building, and due to open permanently

by Rev. Theon Johnson III, Associate Pastor We shall overcome. We shall overcome. We shall overcome some day. Deep in my heart I do believe. We shall overcome some day. Popularized during one of the most tumultuous periods in American history, this protest song was a central anthem in the struggle for freedom and equality

GLIDE means so much to so many people in need: a free meal or legal advice; HIV/Hep C testing and treatment; access to temporary or permanent housing; a warm embrace, or nurturing of the soul with hope and joy at Sunday Celebration. A lesser-known but equally vital program among GLIDE’s myriad offerings is the Janice

Former GLIDE client and current GLIDE team member, EARL WATSON I have struggled my whole life to rise above the poverty level and to reach my full potential. For way too long, and at every turn I took, something always went wrong and beat me down. I was born in Alabama, but my family moved

Rev. Dr. Karen Oliveto, Senior Pastor, GLIDE Last week, as political pundits continued to fan the flames of fear and intolerance, a call went out to religious leaders and others to stand in solidarity with Muslims, who are encountering increased instances of bigotry in the United States. Committed to a world of diversity, religious tolerance,

December 18, 2015 by Nicole C. Brown, GLIDE’s Director of Institutional Giving Tomorrow is my favorite day of the year at GLIDE. After several weeks in which thousands of toys have been collected, tomorrow dozens of volunteers—led by one amazing TOY LADY, longtime GLIDE church member Laurie Ferreira—will pass out nearly 2,000 bags of toys

Gus Luong, aka Vegan Ultrarunner Gus Gus has raised thousands of dollars to benefit GLIDE programs by collecting donations from friends and supporters as he heroically prepares for and completes epic-length runs. It’s interesting how following a path can lead you to many opportunities and experiences both good and bad. For me, it all started

By: James Lin, GLIDE’s Co-Director of Human Resources and Organizational Integration and GLIDE team member since 2004. If you’re a long-time friend of GLIDE, you know that we pack our holiday calendar with celebrations across the many communities we touch. Last week was our Senior Holiday Luncheon, the holiday gathering of GLIDE’s Women’s Center, the Old Navy

“Powered by unconditional love and acceptance, we celebrate our shared humanity at GLIDE. Together, we cast light upon the difficult and shadowed road to justice and inspire one another to renewed hope on this continuing journey. Through connecting communities and bridging differences, we enable San Francisco’s most vulnerable to make meaningful changes in their lives

By Ben Lintschinger, Program Manager, GLIDE V.R.P. Engagement, Education and Advocacy The financial challenge faced by working families in the City is greater than ever before and the holidays are never an exception. In fact, meeting their children’s needs and wishes during this season can present parents with tough choices: doting or self-discipline, saving or

Marvin K. White’s “A Balm in Gilead: A Prayer, Poem and Sermon” for Glide’s World AIDS Day Celebration 2015     The God of the FDA and of my Combination Drugs. The One True Atripla and Combivir God. The Epzicom of Prayers. The First Trizivir and The Last Truvada. The Great Fuzeon Lord of the

By: James Lin, GLIDE’s Co-Director of Human Resources and Organizational Integration. He arrived at GLIDE just before Thanksgiving in 2004. In my immigrant family in the 1970’s, Thanksgiving was probably the holiday that was the easiest to understand. My mother, who had lived through the bombing and occupation of her home cities in China during WWII, understood

By: Lillian Mark, GLIDE program team member since 2004 This year I celebrate 10 years on GLIDE staff not including the 3 semesters I spent here as an intern prior. During my tenure at GLIDE the people in my life and the people I meet have had many questions: Did you always know you wanted

By: Sam Mogannam, Owner, Bi-Rite Family of Businesses September marked the 75th anniversary of Bi-Rite’s original market in the Mission, which my family has owned for more than 50 years. The anniversary presented us with an important moment to reflect on our history, celebrate our accomplishments, and thank the community that helped us achieve our

By GLIDE LEADERSHIP EVERY HUMAN BEING DESERVES DIGNITY AND RESPECT, WITHOUT EXCEPTION. There is much disturbance in response to a video circulating depicting the SF police handling of Black man with a prosthetic leg. He was behaving in ways that caused potential threat to harming himself and others. To many, the video depicts careless and

By Dori Caminong (Manager, Special Events, Civic and Social Innovation) The GLIDE Legacy Gala is one day away! This special evening celebrates the beloved community of social influencers committed to making an impact in San Francisco. We will dance, eat, drink, rejoice and commemorate the visionary leadership of Rev. Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani who

By Amber Zeise, Emerging Leader Intern – Special Events, Civic and Social Innovation As this year’s Annual Legacy Gala swiftly approaches, the GLIDE family is taking time to acknowledge and appreciate individuals who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of others. This special evening celebrates the community by dancing, eating, drinking, and rejoicing! It

We are getting ready for one of San Francisco’s hottest young professional events, the 6th Annual GLIDE Legacy Gala! An evening filled with music and dance honoring change agents who are dedicated to improving the lives of poor and underserved communities, San Francisco will come out and celebrate a 51-year legacy of love, leadership and community as exemplified through the legendary work of GLIDE’s Co-Founders Rev. Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani.
Three innovative individuals will be honored during the GLIDE Community Hero Award Ceremony, and this year’s winner of the Cecil Williams Legacy Award is… Chip Conley! “Chip formerly served on the GLIDE Board of Trustees, he provided strategic and experienced wisdom. A person of all seasons, Chip reaches deeply into the heart and soul of the human condition,“ shared Janice Mirikitani. Rev. Cecil Williams added, “His leadership is brilliant and bold, courageous and compassionate, and radically inclusive of all cultures. He walks that walk!“

Mary Wyatt graduated from Santa Clara University with a BA in Marketing. She started her career in advertising but switched to corporate philanthropy and is currently a Global Program Manager at Gap Foundation in San Francisco. This is her first year on the GLIDE Legacy Committee.  GLIDE: This is your first time attending the GLIDE

by Rev. Theon Johnson III, Associate Pastor On Tuesday, August 11, I joined members of the GLIDE family for an advanced screening of Straight Outta Compton hosted by Ben and Felicia Horowitz and the team at Andreessen Horowitz.Following the screening, there was a special Q&A moderated by Ben with Director F. Gary Gray, Actors’ Corey

Jocelyn Hsu, pursuing her BA in Public Health at UC Berkeley, projected Class of 2017. GLIDE’s Emerging Leaders Internship program is unlike any other. It’s hard to explain to people, and even after you explain, they don’t quite get it. It’s an experience of a lifetime. It’s transformative. It’s eye-opening. It’s messy. It’s honest. It’s

By Caroline Gold, Amber Zeise, Gabriella Rodgers “People called the Tenderloin District in San Francisco ‘the last circle of hell, because no matter how quickly you drove through it, you couldn’t help seeing the poor, the addicted, the sick, the homeless, and the mentally ill, many of them lying if not dying in the streets.

Reverend Cecil Williams, in front of the “Church of Change” exhibit at the Tenderloin Museum. After six years of planning, prodding, and devotion, Mr. Randy Shaw and a large team of supporters has made the Tenderloin Museum a reality. The effort, fully supported by Mayor Ed Lee, has produced a wonderful space on the corner

The following is an edited version of an article written by Miss Zoe Shulman, 7th Grader. Last summer, an interest in GLIDE Memorial Church was sparked in me. I attended a camp held at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, and served lunch there everyday for a week. During my first day, I felt

The following is a personal blog spot written about GLIDE and recent events from Beverly, a member of the GLIDE Family.  We have cut and pasted Beverly’s blog here, in its entirety. Glide, Unconditionally Last week, I filed silently into Glide Memorial Church on an evening after work. Inside the church sanctuary and adjacent to

Rocco the cockapoo knows something special’s going on. From his perch on the comfy chair in front of the center bay window, he overlooks the intersection of Noe and 17th, two short blocks from the nexus of flag-waving celebration at Jane Warner Plaza, in the heart of the Castro. His soulful brown eyes survey the

Rocco the cockapoo knows something special’s going on. From his perch on the comfy chair in front of the center bay window, he overlooks the intersection of Noe and 17th, two short blocks from the nexus of flag-waving celebration at Jane Warner Plaza, in the heart of the Castro. His soulful brown eyes survey the

There are historical moments that are forever seared in one’s memory. We will always remember where we were when: Kennedy was shot, King was assassinated, Harvey Milk and George Moscone were killed, The Challenger exploded, The ’89 earthquake rumbled, The Twin Towers collapsed, Obama was elected, Oscar Grant was killed at the Fruitvale station. And

On Tuesday, June 23, more than four hundred people gathered in the GLIDE Sanctuary to remember, to grieve, to act, in response to the deadly shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Church that left 9 people dead and the nation’s soul shattered. It was a somber moment, as we sat silently together as the evening’s shadows

We join with the GLIDE Leadership Team in a message of condolence and comfort to the Charleston, South Carolina communities, and the Emanuel AME Church family. We’ve taken a moment to reflect upon our history and the depth of significance of the imbedded effects of racism on our society. We both have experienced slavery and

CHANGE THE WORLD. START WITH LUNCH. 16th Annual eBay Auction for Lunch with Warren Buffett Benefits GLIDE’s Programs in San Francisco Runs From May 31 – June 5, 2015
Visit http://ebay.com/glide

Meet Paul Chavez, Senior Attorney and Pro Bono Director at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCR) and the friendly staff attorney at GLIDE’s Drop-In Legal Clinic. Paul is on hand and on-site at GLIDE two days a week during Clinic hours (currently Monday and Thursday, 2:00 – 5:00pm)

Pierre and Tanesh, who celebrated their ten-year anniversary last October, have been coming to Glide since 2006.   “We came to Glide so much everybody knew us – from the security to the staff members, they all knew our names. We walked in the door and no one judged us. We walked in the door

Eleven years ago, I was sitting in my church office in Noe Valley when I received an unbelievable call: San Francisco was issuing marriage licenses for gay and lesbian couples?! One quick internet search and confirmed:  lesbian icons Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin had been married earlier in the day and now couples from throughout

Reshared from the Huffington Post originally posted on February 12, 2015 by Felicia Horowitz. Felicia is a beloved member of the GLIDE family. “And these children that you spit on As they try to change their worlds Are immune to your consultations They’re quite aware of what they’re going through” – David Bowie When I

Today, January 30th is Korematsu Day, a holiday honoring Fred Korematsu, an American hero who stood up for civil rights even when he was punished for it.

When people refer to the “justice gap” in the United States, they usually mean the unequal treatment of people in our criminal justice system. But the gap extends to our civil justice system, too. Unlike criminal defendants who normally get public defenders, parties in civil matters, including immigration matters, usually are not entitled to publicly-funded

I’m excited to see that Proposition J, the minimum wage increase for San Francisco, is supported by the majority of people in San Francisco and is likely to pass in November. I’m excited because: Every week I talk to people who will be affected by this law, and I keep hearing their stories, like what

I first learned of GLIDE in 1981. I was a seminary student at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley and was in a class called “Ministry of Deviance”(!). The class had three requirements: 1) Ride in a cop car with a Berkeley police office; 2) Walk through the Tenderloin at midnight with the Night Minister;

GLIDE’s mission is to create a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to break the cycles of poverty and marginalization, and this November, it’s getting very real. GLIDE has advocated for positive change throughout its over fifty year history. Starting with programs like Citizen’s Alert (1965) that sought to investigate charges of police brutality and

Since I heard of Robin Williams death, I cannot stop thinking of two sentences from my own son’s suicide note: “I know that there are people who will be deeply negatively affected by this, and I am truly sorry.  There is no excuse for what I have done, and I ask forgiveness.” “deeply negatively affected”

Written by Rev. Cecil Williams and originally printed in the New York Times on Thursday, February 15, 1990. San Francisco – Today, as President Bush attends a six hour drug “summit” in Colombia, I wonder why he so often says that drugs are our nation’s number one problem, yet he does so little about them.

    Reshared from The Recorder originally posted on June 2, 2014 by Nathalie Pierrepont and photograph by Jason Doiy. Last fall, Latham & Watkins partner Charlie Crompton, a 25-year Big Law veteran, launched a drop-in legal clinic at GLIDE, an organization that supports the poor and disenfranchised in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. In April, he

My first experience with GLIDE started with hearing that Andreessen Horowitz‘s leaders would be featured at A GLIDE Talk with Ben Horowitz and Lars Dalgaard.  As I was reading about the event, I decided to browse through the website and something really caught my attention about GLIDE’s mission: To empower the people at the bottom of

As the 5th annual GLIDE Legacy Gala is fast approaching us, this week we take a look behind the scenes with a member of GLIDE’s Legacy committee, Amy Gardner. The Legacy Gala is a celebration of 50 years of unconditional love and community, as well as a time to showcase the work of young change

Graze the Roof is excited to partner with Feastly for an upcoming brunch Sunday July 20th. Feastly connects adventurous diners, passionate community members, and tasteful food enthusiasts for unique food experiences. This collaboration is a great opportunity to fundraise for the garden, as well as increase access to and awareness of the rooftop garden itself. In

My experience volunteering at GLIDE began as a search for ritual. I moved to San Francisco from Washington D.C. in February to start a new job at a small real estate investment and development firm. Although I never expected the transition to be seamless, I was caught off guard by certain adjustments I’ve had to make as part of the move. On one hand, I did my research was braced upon arrival for the lack of seasons, the absurd topography, and the fervent debate over technology and gentrification that dominates the city’s political discourse.

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, GLIDE Co-Executive Director Last week, GLIDE hosted A GLIDE Talk with Ben Horowitz and Lars Dalgaard as two venture capitalists from Andreessen Horowitz discussed Horowitz’s best-selling book The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers and explored the intersection of tech and community. Felicia

Reposted from True Ventures Blog originally posted on June 18, 2014 by Jon Callaghan and Christiaan Vorkink It’s not every day that you get to meet a legend—let alone two of them—and engage in a rich discussion about the problems and opportunities facing our city and our time. It’s also not every day that you

Join GLIDE in welcoming the 2014 GLIDE Emerging Leaders Interns! Monday, June 16th was the first day for the 2014 Interns, who will be spending the next ten weeks at GLIDE working, learning, and participating in community with us. This is the 12th year of the program, whose mission is to introduce the next generation

Amnoni Myers, a social work student at Gordon College in Boston, MA, recently completed her Social Work Practicum at GLIDE’s Walk-In Center and Women’s Center through the Westmont Urban Studies Program. “Before I even interviewed I came to a Sunday Celebration and just fell in love – I love the environment, I love what GLIDE

  As the lead pastor of one of the largest churches in The United Methodist Church, I am indebted to a woman who I never met: Elizabeth Snyder Glide. Lizzie, as she was known throughout her life, was born in Louisiana in 1852. During a family bible study, Lizzie had her own Aldersgate experience. Her

“A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.”  – Henrik Ibsen   I often tell people that I fell in love with GLIDE by accident.  Just over a year ago, still (and hopefully forever) a tourist in my own city, I offered to take my father’s friend to

What a difference a decade makes! Ten years ago today, I received a call from one of my parishioners who gave me the most surprising news: the City and County of San Francisco was issuing marriage licenses! He barely took a breath before informing me that he and his partner were on their way to

GLIDE’s Youth Choir commemorated Black History Month by singing the Black National Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at Sunday Celebration February 9. They were joined by youth from Lakeshore Alternative, who presented a step performance and a video talking about their wishes for the world. GLIDE Youth Choir Director Classy Martin, who also teaches

GLIDE’s Sunday Celebrations are available for streaming + download at Podomatic: http://glidesf.podomatic.com/ and Itunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/glide-podcast/id425252990 Join GLIDE’s Ministry Team and the soulful sounds of the GLIDE Ensemble and the Change Band LIVE every Sunday + fill your week with the GLIDE spirit of unconditional love and acceptance with a digital listening party! Share this message

Men In Progress, GLIDE’s violence prevention program for men, grew in the past year to add a Stage Two meeting on Thursday nights in addition to the Stage One meeting every Tuesday night. After receiving certification by the San Francisco Adult Probation Department in January 2013, the program expanded its 52-week schedule to include Stage

GLIDE’s Family, Youth, and Childcare Center teachers honored Nelson Mandela in their classes during the week of December 10-19, 2013. Students learned about Mandela’s life and legacy and made Soweto ornaments for an art display in the FYCC lobby, which was installed by FYCC Creative Arts Instructor Candice Jacobs. Following are a few quotes from

GLIDE Co-Executive Directors Kristen G. Yamamoto and Rita Shimmin share their reflections from an awe-inspiring holiday experience! Invited by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Co-Executive Directors Kristen Growney Yamamoto and Rita Shimmin were honored to represent GLIDE at a recent White House holiday reception on December 20. The rigor of the multiple

At GLIDE we mark the passing of one of the greatest icons of peace and love in the world. The name of Nelson Mandela will forever stand for the highest grace and strength of character that the human spirit can attain. Mandela was imprisoned 27 years for resisting oppression and the brutal treatment of his

To our new neighbors… We welcome you to Mid-Market!  For 50 years GLIDE has stood in the Tenderloin (TL) and served those in our city facing poverty and marginalization. Our services provide basic needs, a sense of community and give hope to the poor in a City where the divide between rich & poor grows

Paul from the GLIDE Family, Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC) after-school program is getting kids excited about reading chapter books and he needs your help.  Tell us what your FIRST chapter book was to show the kids that you remember the daunting, challenging, scary and exhilarating quest of picking up your first book that was

Macy’s Passport presents: GLAMORAMA September 19, 2013, 8pm, at SHN Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco glide.org/Glamorama2013   |    GLIDE Macy’s Glamorama Facebook Event The Macy’s Passport fundraiser: GLAMORAMA is about to take place in San Francisco, Thursday, September 19, and it promises an evening filled with fashion, fun, and live performances from Grammy Award-winning singer Sheryl

Staff and students from the Janice Mirikitani GLIDE Family, Youth, and Childcare Center (FYCC) recently spent  developing new super powers, protecting the GLIDE family from threatening villains, and designing the flashiest and most aero-dynamic outfits imaginable. Will FYCC be transitioning into a superhero training facility?!?! The superhero focus was one of several two-week curriculum themes

Kat Maldgaard is a student at Pædagoguddannelsen Københavnfrom Copenhagen, Denmark. She recently began her internship at GLIDE’s Walk In Center. Meet Kat as she shares her initial insights on the experience. My name is Kat and I’m a social education undergraduate student from Copenhagen, Denmark just beginning a six-month internship in the GLIDE Walk-In Center

Work related injuries are a serious health risk for young workers (18 to 29 years) living in urban areas. Each year there are over 250,000 documented cases of work-related injury; however, many injuries are not reported. We think that the number is closer to 700,000 annually. A young worker dies every five days in the

GLIDE Communications intern Char-Leen Craner accompanied fellow GLIDE Housing intern Audrey Phillips on a community field trip to the California Academy of Sciences with residents from GLIDE Economic Development Corporation’s 149 Mason Street Studios. This eight-story building featuring 56 furnished studio apartments provides a home filled with dignity and respect for those who were once

GLIDE Emerging Leader Intern Char-Leen Craner  shares her experience of meeting with Niels Koch, a University of Copenhagen student. Completing a six month internship at GLIDE, Niels shares his reflections with Char-Leen on working in the Walk-In Center, Men In Progress/ManAlive programs and his overall GLIDE experience. I was surprised to have contact with the

On July 14, GLIDE celebrated the 107th birthday of Mother Ruth Jones at a special Sunday Celebration along with Ms. Jones and her friends and family. The special Sunday Celebrations featured a special tribute to Ms. Jones along with a joyous experience of community, music by the GLIDE Ensemble and the Change Band, preaching and

Erica Rodriguez is an Emerging Leader intern from Chicago, IL. She is studying Human Development and Psychological Services at Northwestern University, and she hopes to pursue a career changing minds and changing lives. GLIDE has been an inspirational experience in her believing that this kind of change is possible. I had trouble looking anywhere but

GLIDE Senior Pastor Karen Oliveto shares a special prayer in honor of Trayvon Martin as we fight and continue this work for justice. God of our weary years, God of our silent tears God of Trayvon Martin, God of George Zimmerman, God of countless brown and black men who have been profiled, gunned down, locked

After a celebratory week in San Francisco with the Supreme Court ruling on DOMA and the termination of Proposition 8, last week promised to bring even more festivities as the city observed Independence Day. While many San Franciscans may have been deciding where to catch the best view of the fireworks show or what to

Meet GLIDE’s Volunteer Coordinator Ryan Shipley as he shares his reflections on GLIDE’s radically inclusive community! It has been two years, but I can still remember the last time I spoke to my father on the telephone. I remember his voice, his tone, how it sounded as if he had already given up on life.

GLIDE’s Emerging Leaders Internship program for college students throughout the country just finished a two week in-depth immersion, where all the interns engaged in GLIDE’s many services. Char-Leen Craner, a junior at UC Berkeley and native to the Bay Area, shares her experience.  This past spring, I was beyond excited to accept an internship with GLIDE

The GLIDE Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth, and Childcare Center (FYCC) celebrated this year’s Pre-Kindergarten class graduation on Friday, June 20 in the Preschool room. Thirteen students took part in a brief ceremony attended by their family members and FYCC staff, followed by cake and celebration. The FYCC staff gives a big shout out – “Congratulations

Larry’s Homerun He watches for the pitch, the release of ball Into the air, and with the perfect vision of his ready bat, Hurls that small sphere Like a replay of the sun  that suspends there high, For eternal seconds to shine Upon us all.                          (May 21, 2013)  We are proud and grateful at

We continue our GLIDE Ops series and get to know Eleanor Godfrey, Evaluation and Institutional Grants Coordinator. It takes a lot of dedicated, passionate people committed to GLIDE’s mission to provide the vast array of programming to our community. From the Meals Program, to our Family Youth and Childcare Center, to GLIDE Health Services, our

If you have ever attended a Sunday Celebration, Volunteered, visited, or simply walked by GLIDE, you have likely been greeted by one of GLIDE’s Security Monitors. The yellow-jacket-clad Monitors can be seen on Ellis Street, immersed in the community, talking to folks as they enter the building or wait in line for a meal. Their

Joyce Hayes first came to GLIDE in 1971 as a church member and soon became instrumental in developing our early children’s programs, which later became the Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth, and Childcare Center (FYCC) in 1991. While at GLIDE, Joyce has served many roles, from resident writer to Youth Program Director, to foster mother to

It takes a lot of dedicated, passionate people committed to GLIDE’s mission to provide the vast array of programming to our community. From the Meals Program, to our Family Youth and Childcare Center, to GLIDE Health Services, our program staff meet community need on a daily basis. But what about the other side to serving

Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, men gather in GLIDE’s Freedom Hall to learn about the importance of intimacy. “Intimacy is the ability to listen and disclose. To be 100 percent attentive and respond authentically, rather than react,” says Ray White, GLIDE Security Supervisor and Men in Progress Facilitator. Men in Progress is GLIDE’s violence cessation

Every year, GLIDE is fortunate to host thousands of volunteers that engage with our work in a variety of ways. GLIDE could not accomplish the important work of serving the community without the commitment and dedication of our volunteers – from those who come to help serve meals to those who contribute their time as

The GLIDE community celebrates Earth Day everyday from our rooftop gardens at our Family Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC), Cecil Williams Community House (CW House), and Graze the Roof, our volunteer-run edible garden at 330 Ellis. GLIDE’s gardens bring our urban community closer to nature and closer to their food sources. Each of the gardens

For the thousands of volunteers that serve in GLIDE’s Daily Free Meals Program every year, James Sampaga, Cook and Food Expeditor, is part of what makes their experience so memorable. His passion and love for his work shines through to all who have the pleasure to interact with him. James, once a Daily Free Meals

Founders Rev. Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani started Speak Out in the same manner they bring all of GLIDE’s programs to fruition – they saw a need, and they responded. Speak Out is GLIDE’s weekly community open-mic whose sole purpose is to give people a place to express themselves. The most marginalized in our society

GHS’s Syringe Access Program (SAP) strives to meet people where they’re at by using the harm reduction model to provide compassionate services to drug users who are not ready to quit. The program recognizes that there is still plenty of work that can be done with active users to reduce the harm of their drug

Today’s blog comes to us from Rebecca Sanchez, a member of the GLIDE Legacy Committee,  a radically inclusive team comprised of social entrepreneurs who strive to engage, inspire and educate new audiences of young professionals within the San Francisco Bay Area through GLIDE’s mission of unconditional love, compassion and social justice to broaden and deepen

At GLIDE’s Family Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC), kids continue to learn and grow after the last school bell rings. FYCC’s After School Program provides homework help and structured enrichment activities to give kids a full and specialized after school experience. Get to know Paul Chilvers, FYCC Lead Teacher for Grades 3-5. What was your

In collaboration with videographer Pete Lee, GLIDE presents its Soul Kitchen video series – a project featuring people from the GLIDE community sharing their music, poetry, or simply telling their stories. The GLIDE Sanctuary serves as a backdrop for these wonderfully intimate performances. This growing documentary series illustrates the passion, vibrance, and creative diversity of

People connect with GLIDE every day in a large variety of ways – from volunteers in our Daily Free Meals Program, to members of the Board of Trustees, to corporate and community partners, GLIDE’s family of supporters is both large and diverse. In the age of technology GLIDE has embraced social media as a way

by Talilah Douglas, GLIDE Women’s Center, Domestic Violence Specialist Get to know Talilah Douglas, GLIDE Women’s Center Domestic Violence Specialist. The Women’s Center is a domestic violence program with a unique approach to transforming lives providing holistic healing, addressing emotions, mind, body, spirit and relationships. Program services are designed to help women who face intimate

GLIDE’s Family Resource Center (FRC) offers a variety of culturally appropriate family-oriented programs that give parents the tools they need to support their child’s development. Programs include family-focused activities that promote school readiness and success, build community through parent and family classes, workshops and events. The FRC also offers long-term support to families, creating deep

by Katherine D’Amato, HROI Intern Today’s entry comes to us from Katherine D’Amato, an intern in Human Resources and Organizational Integration (HROI). Katherine shares how GLIDE has been a place that has helped her grow in her ability to love others and love herself. “For so many people who come with so many wounds, the

by Rachel Carroll, Executive Assistant to Co-Executive Director, Rita Shimmin 18 months is the gestational period of an elephant.  It is also what I think of as mine.  18 months is what my adoption process took from the moment I started the paperwork until the moment I held my child.  18 months, 540 days, 12,960

by Lillian Mark, Community Building Division Operations Manager Last November, GLIDE’s Women’s Center honored International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).  TDOR began in 1998 to honor Rita Hester, a member of the transgender community whose murder remains unsolved – like most victims of anti-transgender violence.  Once a year, GLIDE’s Women’s Center honors the transgender men

Classy Martin, GLIDE’s Children’s Choir Director, is working hard with GLIDE children as they prepare for their upcoming play on Sunday, February 24, celebrating Black History Month. Be sure to join us at the 9AM or 11AM Celebration! Classy shares a story of getting the actors ready for their performance: This little boy is working

Thursday, Feb. 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Join Pastor Theon and GLIDE HIV Services Manager Paul Harkin in this important day of action! Event begins at 4.30pm at the front steps of San Francisco City Hall – and then the participants will join together for a candlelight vigil and march to GLIDE. At

As San Francisco gets ready to cheer on the 49ers at this Sunday’s Super Bowl, here at GLIDE, we are reminded of the wonderful work of the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, which took place on December 29, 2012. For the past four years, the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl has selected GLIDE as one of three

by Kelsey Palmer, GLIDE Walk-In Center, MSW Intern For as long as I can remember, I have been enamored by cities. At their best, they are innovative, dynamic, and bustling with activity. At their worst, cities can be chaotic, frightening, and dirty. The vast difference from one edge of a city to the other is

We continue January with GLIDE staff voices sharing their hopes and intentions for the coming year on our blog. Today’s submission comes from Kristina Bautista, GLIDE Health Services, EHR Analyst. What is your hope for our program participants this year? I hope that all humans, realize their infinite potential and lead a full and enriching

“My hope for GLIDE as a whole is to up our game and step into our full potential as non-violent social justice advocates for all – starting at home first.” – Zwazzi Sowo Throughout the rest of January, GLIDE staff will share their hopes and intentions for the coming year on our blog. Today’s submission

from yesterday’s vigil announcement: GLIDE is partnering with the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium (DVC) to host a candlelight vigil in honor of Starr Lamare, the 25-year-old mother of three who family members say was set on fire by her boyfriend, Dexter Oliver, this past Sunday in the city’s Bayview neighborhood. This senseless attack reminds

GLIDE is partnering with the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium (DVC) to host a candlelight vigil in honor of Starr Lamare, the 25-year-old mother of three who family members say was set on fire by her boyfriend, Dexter Oliver, this past Sunday in the city’s Bayview neighborhood. This senseless attack reminds San Franciscans that much

GLIDE staff members are passionate and committed to GLIDE’s mission and Core Values. Check out this music video created by Pastor Karen Oliveto that showcases GLIDE staff!

On behalf of the entire GLIDE family, Happy New Year! Start the year off right and sing along with the Women’s Center’s Healing Through Negro Spirituals Group. Check out this video of a recent session: Every week, the Women’s Center offers their Healing Through Negro Spirituals Support Group. The group relates the history and experiences

For over two decades, the famous San Francisco restaurant, House of Prime Rib, has donated 2,000 lbs of prime rib for GLIDE’s annual Christmas Eve meals. House of Prime Rib owner, Joe Betz, shares, “It’s a family tradition for the Betz’s. We see how it goes to the right places, and it makes you feel

Students who participate in GLIDE’s Family Youth and Childcare Center‘s (FYCC) Childcare and After School Program have contributed their own masterpieces to an exhibit entitled “I Design My Identity” on display now at The San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Thousands of people traveling through SFO for the holidays and collecting their belongings in the baggage

GLIDE Co-Executive Director Kristen Growney Yamamoto shares a special message of love and generosity this holiday season! Dear Pumpkin and Peanut, I couldn’t wait to come home last Friday to give you a hug. I could hardly stand to know that you were at school, and not with me where I could squeeze you tight

It’s Grocery Bag Giveaway Day at GLIDE and the streets are abuzz with the spirit of joy and love as GLIDE staff along with hundreds of volunteers distribute over 5,000 bags of groceries to the community. The bags are filled with the fixings for a wonderful holiday meal, and those who receive a bag are

GLIDE’s Women’s Center held their annual Holiday Celebration today, filling Freedom Hall with women coming together as a community to enjoy a festive meal and gift exchange with one another. Pastor Karen Oliveto addressed the group, encouraging them to open their hearts, “When you open yourself to saying yes to the possibilities, that’s when your

GLIDE’s seniors are in Freedom Hall enjoying a delicious holiday meal, served by volunteers and staff. Every year, GLIDE takes the time to honor this special part of our community during the holiday season. Check out photos of the festivities!

GLIDE’s Annual Asian Chefs Association (ACA) lucheon is underway! The Asian Chefs Association and Chinese American Community Foundation are hosting this year’s event, part of the ACA’s Chefs Without Borders Holiday Lunch and Dinner. Award-winning chefs and over 100 Asian American community volunteers have come together to serve a free lunch and dinner to the GLIDE community.

San Francisco’s Mayor Ed Lee recently launched San Francisco’s Season of Giving – a campaign benefiting local non-profits throughout the holiday season. From the Office of the Mayor: Join San Francisco and its social service partners in the San Francisco Season of Giving campaign to support organizations that help San Franciscans and organizations helping victims

GLIDE’s Daily Free Meals Program is hard at work planning dinner for an anticipated 5,000 guests on Thanksgiving this Thursday. Our Meals Program, in collaboration with staff and hundreds of volunteers, will prepare hundreds of turkeys and hams, 1,500 pounds of potatoes, 950 pounds of fresh veggies, 312 gallons of stuffing, and a variety of

by Lillian Mark, Community Building Division Operations Manager Today’s entry comes to us from Lillian Mark, GLIDE’s Community Building Division Operations Manager. Lillian shares how GLIDE has been a place that has challenged her to tell her truth and feel her true feelings. For me, the most challenging part about being at GLIDE is truth

by Rachel Parikh, Director Sustainability, SAP Today’s submission comes to us from Rachel Parikh, who recently visited GLIDE for a day of immersion and service. She shares the ways in which GLIDE challenged her to see the potential in all people. It was around 8.30 in the morning and the smells of the Tenderloin were

In 2011, GLIDE Health Services (GHS) opened the Wellness Center, an extension that provides complementary alternative care to patients. The Wellness Center adds a variety of healing services to GHS’s holistic health care model under three main areas – Health Promotion and Education, Healing and Recovery, and Movement Classes. Health Promotion and Education promotes preventative

by Sarah Kathleen Peck Today’s blog comes from Sarah Kathleen Peck, the writer behind itstartswith.com. She shares the ways in which her visit to GLIDE helped uncover her beliefs. In the wake of the horrible bullying and the national headlines–from Matthew Shephard 14 years ago, to the Boy Scouts’ recent denial of an Eagle Scout

by Jason Quesada, UBM TechWeb This October, a group of employees from UBM, a global live media and B2B communications, marketing service and data firm, visited GLIDE for a day of immersion and service. Jason Quesada, Digital Media Marketing Manager at UBM TechWeb, shares his experience with us in today’s blog! I recently had the

PAY IT FORWARD by voting to award GLIDE $50,000 from eBay! Long-time partner, eBay, recently voted GLIDE in the Top Single Selling High Profile Auction category of their first annual Thank You Campaign, allowing GLIDE to move on to the Community Vote for a chance to win $50,000. The campaign aims to recognize non-profit organizations

GLIDE Volunteers received much deserved recognition from GLIDE leadership and staff at the Volunteer Appreciation Party last night. GLIDE treated volunteers to a delicious spread, including homemade pizzas from Facilities Director, Terry Zukoski. Pastor Karen Oliveto, Reverend Theon Johnson, III, Co-Executive Director Rita Shimmin, and other GLIDE leaders expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the people

In collaboration with videographer Pete Lee, GLIDE presents its Soul Kitchen video series – a project featuring people from the GLIDE community sharing their music, poetry, and simply telling their stories. The GLIDE Sanctuary serves as a backdrop for these wonderfully intimate performances. This growing documentary series illustrates the passion, vibrance, and creative diversity of

Embracing the spirit of giving in anticipation of this holiday season, San Francisco’s 7×7 magazine is hosting its Third Annual Favorite Charity contest! The public nominates and votes for their favorite charity, giving each a chance to win the top prize of $10,000. Six runners up will receive $2,000 grants courtesy of PG&E. The top

GLIDE Health Services (GHS) provides high quality, comprehensive, culturally competent primary care and wellness services to the medically underserved. GHS patients are predominantly homeless or low income, racially diverse and a population that has great health disparities who would otherwise go without health care. We recently sat down with Esker-D, GHS Mental Health Manager, Nurse

In 2010, GLIDE’s Family Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC) began a partnership with the California Institute of Integral Studies‘ (CIIS) Expressive Arts Therapy department. CIIS students and alumni began working with FYCC staff, youth, and families by facilitating arts-based retreats, running expressive arts groups for children in grades three through five, counseling teens, and leading

What are your earliest food memories? We recently sat down with James H., Daily Free Meals Program Expeditor to find out what sharing a meal means to him. What is your earliest memory around sharing food? When I was nine or ten my grandmother had a barbecue. Some strangers walked by and she offered them

By Anne McPherson, Account Supervisor, Edelman Last weekend, 15 members of Edelman’s San Francisco and Silicon Valley offices and family members were invited to volunteer with GLIDE to make meals for the homeless. GLIDE’s focus areas include feeding the hungry, offering compassionate health care, empowering women to overcome violence and helping men to break free

Earlier this Summer, a group of GLIDE’s Family Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC) kids accomplished a major educational milestone – Preschool Graduation! It was an important day for both kids and parents, marking the first of many accomplishments in the lives of these rising stars. FYCC provides a safe and nurturing environment for kids with

By Coty Lovelady, 2012 GLIDE Emerging Leader Every Wednesday, a group of folks dedicated to ending racial profiling meets in GLIDE’s Freedom Hall. GLIDE’s Witness Team’s mission is to help bring awareness to and end racial profiling. At a recent meeting they participated in a workshop that utilized social media to capture their experiences with

by Lauren Baranco, GLIDE Legacy Committee Saturday, July 28th, 2012 was a night for San Francisco to remember. I, along with nearly 900 of my closest friends, was fortunate enough to participate in A LOVE Supreme, the 3rd annual GLIDE Legacy Gala, presented by a dynamic group of young professionals in the Bay Area who

Can you believe Summer is nearly over? Our Emerging Leaders are wrapping up their final weeks at GLIDE and preparing to return to school for the Fall. On behalf of the entire GLIDE Family, we wish our Emerging Leaders much love as they head into the new school year! Thank you for embracing GLIDE, for

Get to know Jake Friedler in today’s installment of our GLIDE Emerging Leaders Intern profile series! School & Major: Stanford University, Symbolic Systems What brought you to GLIDE? I began working with the unhoused community of Palo Alto during my first year at Stanford and was inspired to learn more about how a major institution

Get to know Katherine Nasol in this week’s installment of our GLIDE Emerging Leaders Intern profile series! School and Major: Stanford University, Majoring in International Relations, Minoring in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity What brought you to GLIDE? When I was a high school junior, I participated in an immersion trip in the Tenderloin,

GLIDE’s 3rd Annual GLIDE Legacy Gala is this Saturday, July 28th, and there is still time to pick up your tickets! The GLIDE Legacy Committee, a cohort of San Francisco’s next generation of young philanthropists, will present A Love Supreme, a fundraising gala benefiting GLIDE, at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. This year’s event

Get to know Coty Lovelady in this installment of GLIDE’s Emerging Leaders Internship profiles! School & Major: Birmingham-Southern College, Religion (Major), Art (Minor) What brought you to GLIDE? My college’s Hess Fellow program. I was interested in a faith-based, diverse, and inclusive organization. What do you hope to contribute/learn during your time at GLIDE? I hope

Every year, GLIDE’s Community Building Division (CBD) spends a day off-site to learn new ways to approach their work, reconnect, and rejuvenate. CBD is comprised of the Daily Free Meals Program, The Walk-In Center, The Women’s Center, and the Security Team. Often, members of the CBD staff are the first point of contact for our

by Patrick Ciccarelli, CEO of Varsity Technologies When I moved to San Francisco 20 years ago, I knew I had to check out GLIDE and explore their operation. During my visit it seemed like everyone I met asked if I had attended the celebration at GLIDE church. Not wanting to miss out I went to

By: Lindsay Schauer (@SchauerTime) About me: I’ve worked at Twitter since January 2010 on Twitter’s user support team, and spend a good part of my time working on company culture and values projects. When Twitter began to think about moving to mid-Market more than a year ago, many of us were eager to get involved

by Kristen Growney-Yamamoto, Co-Executive Director It has been a time of beginnings at GLIDE.  We welcomed our class of new Emerging Leaders interns to GLIDE for the summer.  Their summer begins by exploring and participating in our programs and learning our values.  I always love to meet the new students who chose to spend their

Lisa Wiseman, the photographer behind The 30Love, tells us about the inspiration behind the project, and why she chose GLIDE as its beneficiary. Make sure to check out The 30Love exhibition at LUX-SF Daylight Studio, tomorrow, July 3rd at 5pm! Check out a preview here: The 30Love from Lisa Wiseman on Vimeo. What is The

by Pastor Karen Oliveto Pride 2012 was a wonderful celebration as GLIDE took to the streets with great joy and enthusiasm.  Marching participants included small children to some of our older members, people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, races, classes, and abilities. As a result, GLIDE was a beautiful tapestry of the diversity found

by Ari S. Neulight, Clinical Program Director, Glide Community Housing The 149 Mason resident artists’ exhibit community opening at the Creative Space on June 3rd was a really moving experience for those who were able to attend (and it’s still available to the public for the rest of the month in case you missed it!). 

by Clarissa Mendiola, Donor Cultivation & Communications Coordinator Twelve years ago, Reggie Johnson found $100 on the sidewalk. In his heart, he felt the money wasn’t his to keep. He held on to it for a week, trying to decide who the money would benefit most. As a long-time resident of San Francisco, Reggie had

We sat down with Alex Volberding, GLIDE Legacy Committee Member, to find out what motivates him to give back to the community through GLIDE. The GLIDE Legacy Committee is a radically inclusive team comprised of social entrepreneurs who strive to engage, inspire and educate new audiences of young professionals within the San Francisco Bay Area

A cohort of around 20 new graduates and members of Teach for America visited GLIDE today to engage with the GLIDE community. They will take the lessons they learn today into the classroom later this year when they are placed as teachers at schools in low-income communities. Teach for America’s mission is to ensure that

by Tom Ambelang, Case Manager, GLIDE Community Housing, 149 Mason Street Studios Leonard A., a resident with GLIDE Community Housing at 149 Mason, talked about his role as a father to his two sons, “The most important thing is that they see me as stable, at one point I was going down the wrong track

by Isabel Montilla, Co-Director of Human Resources & Organizational Integration My dad is from Puerto Rico and I grew up traveling around the states with him as he was in the Air Force for 28 years. We spent four years in the Philippines and five years in England, but we never went to Puerto Rico.

We got to know a few GLIDE dads in anticipation of Father’s Day this Sunday. Check out today’s GLIDE Dad of the Day! Brian Baduske, GLIDE Facilities Assistant, shares with us the ways that GLIDE has made him a better father. “GLIDE has helped me appreciate life, love, and family a lot more. Material things

  Summer is in full swing for GLIDE kids! Mika visited GLIDE today to spend some time with her mother, Co-Executive Director, Kristen Growney Yamamoto. She stopped by the Founders’ office to drop off a couple pieces of her original artwork and shared her excitement for her summer plans. “I’m going to visit my grandmother.

We are getting really excited as the final hours of the auction approach! GLIDE’s partnership with the eBay family has contributed to the continual success of the Annual Warren Buffett Power Lunch Auction. Learn more about how it all began with a friendship in today’s video. Don’t forget to tune in at 7:00pm tonight to

As we continue to countdown to the close of the 13th Annual Warren Buffett Auction, we celebrate the power of storytelling. Our friends at eBay sat down with a few members of the GLIDE family to explore the ways that telling our story can heal the community. Check it out! And don’t forget to tune

We are honored to team up with our friends at eBay again for the 13th Annual Warren Buffett Power Lunch Auction! Qualified bidders vie for the chance to sit down with Mr. Buffett and up to seven guests. Regarded as one of the most ethical and successful investors and philanthropists in the country, winners of

by Clarissa Mendiola With Father’s Day just around the corner, we’d like to give a SHOUT OUT to all the dads in the GLIDE Family. Thank you for your unconditional love, and HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! Mark N., Dad and Cecil Williams Community House resident Being a father is the most important role of Mark’s life,

Men in Progress, GLIDE’s violence cessation program for men, teaches intimacy, described by the program as the ability to listen and disclose, as a key factor in empowering the authentic self, who you are without your violence. Modeled after ManAlive, one of the nation’s most influential violence intervention programs, Men in Progress is a 52-week

GLIDE’s Women’s Center celebrated their 5th anniversary today with a beautiful tea party. Freedom Hall was transformed into a gorgeous space to honor the participants and supporters of the program. Women’s Center Program Manager, Zwazzi Sowo said, “The beauty and transformation that you see in this room is the beauty and transformation that happens in

Jovan Tate’s GLIDE Journey began in 2009 when she would walk down Ellis Street in the early morning hours, before sunrise, and notice that the lights were always on. Like a porch light left on to guide folks home, GLIDE beckoned. One day, she asked a Security Monitor what exactly GLIDE did, and he responded,

by Katharina Neusiedler, 2011 Women’s Center Volunteer I was drawn to GLIDE , probably like many people, by the soulful music. I used to sing in a choir years ago back home in Austria and was in search for a musical home in San Francisco. As I sat at Celebration, Sunday after Sunday, trying to

The GLIDE Health Services Wellness Center addresses the unique stresses of those who are homeless or marginally housed and makes a variety of alternative care accessible to all. This week, we get to know Kevin Dwyer, GLIDE’s Wellness Center’s Tai Chi instructor. What do you do at GLIDE? I am a beginning instructor in the

To celebrate Bike to Work Day, we caught up with a few GLIDE staff members, who are also bicyclists, to find out what they love most about experiencing the world from two wheels. Paul: Every day is bike to work day for me. I love my bike, and the freedom and exercise it brings me.

By Lindsey Goldberg, Graze the Roof Program Manager Filmmaker Filiz Telek of Turkey visited Graze the Roof during her educational sojourn on the West Coast of the United States exploring projects and people that demonstrate social justice, community building, and innovation across food-systems, art, technology, the imagination, and ways of elevating the human potential! Filiz

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, Co-Executive Director GLIDE stands for love, hope and opportunity for all.  We rely on your investment in our values to realize these aspirations.  GLIDE is part of the fabric of this City. We are doing important, pressing work to serve the poorest in San Francisco. I read an article recently that

By Talilah Douglas, Domestic Violence Specialist, GLIDE Women’s Center The Women’s Center could not exist without volunteers. The Women’s Center is a huge success because of our volunteers and interns. We would not be able to do the work that we do without the many women who have lent us a helping hand. With a

What is your GLIDE story? When did you first come? How did you hear about GLIDE? I met Cecil and Jan at a photo shoot in 1990 at GLIDE on a Sunday morning.  It was love at first sight! I have been attending GLIDE regularly after my first visit and began volunteering in 1992. Can you

by Clarissa Mendiola, Donor Cultivation Coordinator Janean Reed, GLIDE Health Services Substance Abuse Case Manager, is celebrating her 25thanniversary in recovery this week, an accomplishment beyond her own imagination. “I never thought I would get to 25 years in recovery because I have always focused on living one day at a time.” When Janean Reed

by Alison Wisdom,  Volunteer Coordinator From the Health Clinic to the Women’s Center, every program at GLIDE benefits from volunteer support. “Volunteers are an integral part of our beloved community. They bring generosity, love and expertise to our program participants, church congregation, and our operations departments. In return they receive the transformative opportunity that GLIDE

by William Ko, Accounting Manager Who doesn’t have some unforgettable affairs with eternal gratitude? Who can predict the result? Who doesn’t have an evil spirit in his heart? Or a little bite unintentionally mistaken? Who doesn’t have some unobtainable dreams? Who owes whom more? Who would like to explain the actual reason? Everything has gone

by Anne Chadburn, Community Member When you are a twenty-something transplant in a big city, in this case San Francisco, holidays are a little different. Your friends become your substitute family and plans are put in to effect to try and recreate traditions away from home. My friends and I called these “Orphan Holidays.” In

by Lindsey Goldberg, Graze the Roof Program Manager Graze the Roof Garden Fresh Salad Harvest a basket full of fresh heirloom greens: butter lettuce, wild perennial arugula, Italian flat leaf parsley, miner’s lettuce, nasturtium leaves and flowers, brightly colored viola blossoms, spinach, and tender red Russian kale leaves. Wash, dry and throw the greens into

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor We at GLIDE are grateful for the many volunteers we get from corporations, schools, and churches.  Did you know we need 20 volunteers for each mealtime?  Without the volunteer hours, we would not be able to provide the number of meals we serve each day to those who are hungry.

by Zwazzi Sowo, Women’s Center Program Manager In late February, during a GLIDE Women’s Center Healing through Negro Spirituals/Domestic Violence Recovery Group, one client was sharing her recent experience with domestic violence from her boyfriend. She described how she was beaten badly in the streets while people were just walking by and watching. She described

by Clarissa Mendiola, Donor Cultivation Coordinator Every Sunday, Betty Cantor Jackson works behind the scenes to help create the ecstatic sound for which GLIDE is known. She is the recording engineer for the renowned GLIDE Ensemble and Change Band. As recording engineer, Betty pilots all of the complex sound equipment that brings listeners to their

by Clarissa Mendiola, Donor Cultivation Coordinator How did you come to GLIDE (why did you seek GLIDE out, when did you start)? As a lifelong resident of the Bay Area I have heard about GLIDE my entire life.  The name Cecil Williams is synonymous with empathy and compassion.  Those two qualities have also driven my

by Joyce Sood, Communications Manager Last week, Galleria Hair Design salon hosted its 3rd Annual “Day of Beauty” for the participants of GLIDE’s Women’s Center Moving Beyond Survival (MBS) Program. The women received haircuts, dyes, conditioning, styling and facials from a team of talented stylists as part of their journey towards self-love and healing. Moving

by Paul Chilvers, Lead Teacher 3-5 Grade Black History Month (February) has taken many forms for me and the kids at FYCC over the years, but this year was my favorite. One of my favorite people in the world, Joyce Hayes, agreed to come in and chat with the children about her experience in the

by Ryan Meersman, Student Volunteer A little over a month ago, a group of 17 from Westfield State University, a Massachusetts state university, were welcomed into GLIDE’s doors for Sunday Celebration.  Tears flowed, bodies moved and danced, voices sang, and our minds were also moved towards thinking about love, justice, and change.  It was only

by Joyce Sood, Communications Manager GLIDE Health Services (GHS) Director Dr. Patricia Dennehy was recently awarded the 2012 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award.  Out of pool of 300 nominees, Pat was one of only five to receive this prestigious award, which comes with a $125,000 gift. “I am so honored to be recognized by the

by Candice Jacobs, Creative Arts Lead Teacher,  Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth & Childcare Center “Beautiful Are the Souls of My People,” an exhibit of youth art from the Creative Arts program at GLIDE’s Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC) drew inspiration from the Langston Hughes poem, “My People.” The exhibit features art by

by Lillian Mark, Operations Manager, Community Building Division A woman who came to GLIDE homeless two years ago now finds herself at GLIDE’s 149 Mason Street Apartments and holds a part-time job as a community advocate.  She recently shared her story and closed with “Jan and Cecil, thank you for believing in your dreams, so

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor We are approaching one of the biggest sporting events of the year: the Super Bowl. This is a day that can only be “Made in America.” Americans consume more on this day than any other day except Thanksgiving.  There will be 8 million pounds of guacamole, and 14,500 tons of

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, co-Executive Director Gong Hay Fat Choy—Happy Lunar New Year!  I love to reflect in the New Year about what I accomplished (or not!) over the prior year, and to re-set priorities and goals for the future. 2011 was a year of transitions and opportunities here at GLIDE.  We overcame many obstacles

Dear GLIDE, My name is Lea Möller and I am from Denmark. I have been at GLIDE for six months as an intern from the University of Copenhagen working in the Walk-In Center and the Women’s Center. Very soon I will have to return back to my country, family, friends and school. My experience at

by Talilah Douglas, Domestic Violence Specialist, GLIDE Women’s Center The work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would not have been possible without all the men,  women, boys and girls that were ready to sacrifice their homes, jobs and careers, education and lives. I am so honored to come from a community filled with such

by Lucy Stelzner, Family Resource Center Coordinator With 2012 full swing, I begin to think back on what has transpired this past year within GLIDE’s Family Resource Center (FRC) at FYCC. When I do, I see images of Nam informing me that after our family cooking classes he no longer buys white bread since whole wheat

by Jay L. Allen, EVP, Human Resources & Employee Serviced *originally posted on Schwab Talk Blog I’m privileged to have the opportunity to work alongside women and men who daily demonstrate a passion to serve our clients and one another. This spirit of service makes Schwab a special place to work and their commitment often

SuccessFactors CEO and GLIDE Board Member Lars Dalgaard shares “I have an idea that there is magic in every person in the world, you just have to find the way to bring it out.” Check out his special video message!

by Terry Zukoski, Facilities Director and Green Team Lead Recently, a green designer who did some work at GLIDE, Denyse Jones, approached me to do some green or sustainable advising for GLIDE.  She brought in a team of student consultants, Bay-area Environmentally Aware Consulting Network (BEACN) led by Garrett Shepherd, Project Manager. Denyse applied to

Check out a special video message from GLIDE’s Board Chair Amy Errett at our Annual Toy Giveaway on December 20, 2011. 8,000 toys were given to the kids by volunteers in our community!

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, co-Executive Director   GLIDE has come to represent the best of the holidays to me.  Thanksgiving was the kickoff of the holiday season here.  Celebrations of gratitude combined with feeding others bring out the best in our community. GLIDE served nearly 5000 meals during on Thanksgiving, and about 400 volunteers came

by Ben Lintschinger, Volunteer Program Coordinator Back in April of 2010, a 17 year old high school student named Olivia “Liv” McFarlane visited GLIDE from Australia and took back with her an infectious idea on how to help her community. “I started up a program where people donate toiletries and my team of 4 girls

How did you first get involved with GLIDE?  My parents met at GLIDE and were actively involved in some of the earlier programs, as well as their own tokens of contributing to community development. How long ago was that? I arrived in May 1978, so that’s how long I have been involved. I’m one of

by Brooke Finkmoore, GLIDE Health Services, UCSF MEPN UCSF nursing students have been busily making calls to clients of GLIDE Health Services who are current smokers and encouraging them to participate in an interactive smoking cessation workshop: 2:30 – 3:30pm tomorrow (November 17) in the 6th Floor Group Room. November 17th marks the American Cancer

by Paul Maitland-McKinley, AmeriCorps Member, GLIDE Health Services As November moves forward it’s important to realize that we are in a time of change. Stores start to show off their beautiful holiday displays, the smell of freshly baked cookies and earthy spices is in the air. Not to mention that extra layer of clothing that

GLIDE is featured this week by the White House as a Champion Non-Profit. Below is the full version of the blog posted on whitehouse.gov by Kristen Growney Yamamoto and Rita Shimmin, Co-Executive Directors, and James Lin, Manager of Organizational Integration GLIDE is a vital social service and social justice foundation, in the heart of San

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, co-Executive Director Last week I had the pleasure of attending the 40th Anniversary of Stanford’s Public Management Program (PMP). It was a heart-warming and inspirational day. As a graduate of Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, I was proud to represent both GLIDE and Stanford Business School at the event and even

by Don Pologruto, FYCC Department Manager Walking up Ellis toward Taylor it’s hard not to miss the bell tower and neon cross of GLIDE. For decades this corner of the Tenderloin has been associated with Rev. Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani, the free Meals Program and Sunday Celebration. Over the years GLIDE’s reach into the

by Magnolia, GLIDE Family When you told me I have cancer my soul fell blue Felt my fight was over, felt my life was through Felts so confused and alone that day Had no idea how I would find my way I used to wish the sky would smack me on my head Woke up

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor I recently read a pretty jarring report in Business Insider. The article showed several graphs depicting the following information: 1. With a brief except in 1980,  unemployment is at the highest level since the Great Depression. 2. At the same time, corporate profits are at an all-time high. 3. Wages

by Lillian Mark, Community Building Division Operations Manager October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  What does that mean? An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. Poverty, homelessness and domestic violence are intricately linked – 92% of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse. My

by Anna Schoenbrunner, GLIDE Health Services Americorps Vista In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I’d like to share with you some news and information about a disease that accounts for 1 in 3 new cancer diagnoses in women, but is not limited to women.  In fact, in 2011 it estimated that there will

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, co-Executive Director I am serving on jury duty this week. Like most of you, I wasn’t looking forward to the time away from work, the endless waiting.  I was called into the courtroom for jury selection and my dread continued. The judge read to the collective jurors about our responsibility to

by Amy Errett, Board Chair

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor The morning after the executions of Troy Davis and Lawrence Russell Brewer found me mulling over Luke 19: (41) As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, (42) saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But

by Lindsey Goldberg, Graze the Roof Project Manager Tomatoes! Tomatoes! Tomatoes! 25 plants are happy, green and the fruits of our stewardship are hanging heavy and ripe from their fertile branches! Graze the Roof has tomatoes! Please join us in our extended late summer-early fall volunteer hours of 10a-2p every Thursday to taste a tomato,

by Lillian Mark, Community Building Division Operations Manager This blog is a tribute to some of the wonderful staff and clients in the Community Building Division at GLIDE who have demonstrated GLIDE’s core values to me by “walking the walk.” June Lucarotti, Case Manager in the GLIDE Walk-In Center 3 years ago, had taped a

What brought you to GLIDE? I started my journey at GLIDE as an Epworth Intern in 2006. I learned a lot about GLIDE, the services we offer, and the rich culture where everybody is welcomed.  I reconnected with my GLIDE family last year when I started working as a Payroll Specialist. The reason why I

by Annie Prasad, Volunteer After a year of absolute intensity at Princeton, I came home to San Francisco, planning on working a 9-to-5 and partying with friends, relaxing before I went back to my sleepless college lifestyle. 3 months later, it didn’t quite work out like that, and this is why. It’s funny how fast

by Issac Acosta,  GLIDE Health Services Administrative Intern Humans are naturally inclined to alleviate pain, end hunger, and eliminate the oppression of others, irrespective of people’s race, sexual orientation, ethnicity and religion. GLIDE is the physical embodiment of this belief and is evidence that this natural inclination has not been completely suppressed by our increasingly

by Val Green, Walk-In Center’s Epworth Summer Intern When I arrived at GLIDE at 6:30 a.m. last Wednesday, the building was already alive with chatting, laughing, shouting. It was my first day making shelter reservations entirely alone, and I was nervous. What if there were no beds? What if I had to turn people away?

by Dafna Michaelson, Volunteer In the year and a half that has followed since my 2009 Journey across America to find and share the stories of community problem solvers I have been blessed to work with the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK) to develop materials based upon the stories of my journey which help

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor At GLIDE, we say that everyone is in recovery for something. I confess that as I read a recent online report on the web browser of my iPhone, I got in touch with an issue that is requiring recovery: my addiction to my iPhone. Research shows I am not alone. 

by Ari Neulight, Clinical Program Manager, 149 Mason Street From when residents started moving into 149 Mason Street Studio Apartments in Summer 2010, they have been coming together and trying to figure out how to live together, be together, celebrate together, and have their voices heard around the things most important to them.  One year

by Esker-D Ligon, NP, Behavioral Health Services Manager, GLIDE Health Services This has been an incredible year for the GHS Recovery Program. In addition to holding 2 graduation ceremonies (our biggest accomplishment to date), we have received both local and national recognition for our efforts.  In January the San Francisco Drug Court dubbed us as the

Share your favorite highlight as a member of the GLIDE Legacy Committee. Hands down the Glide Legacy Gala has been my favorite highlight. The event itself requires a lot of dedication and hard work from the committee but it’s well worth it to know we are spreading awareness about GLIDE, Cecil and Janice’s message into

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor As an entire generation readies itself to say good-bye to one who grew up with them, I figure it’s time to think about some of the spiritual lessons of Harry Potter. The seven books which make up the Harry Potter series portray the age-old battle between good and evil in

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, co-Executive Director My family and I attended the Capay Heirloom Tomato Festival last weekend.  We had a fabulous day on the farm—picking fresh strawberries and herbs and sampling fresh corn and TOMATOES!  The kids liked the tractor ride and the animals. After eating unlimited strawberries all day, their favorite memory was

by Michael Kifer, IT Director When you are out meeting people, one of the standard leading questions is “where do you work?” and “what do you do?” When I tell people I work for GLIDE, the conversation tends to shift to how GLIDE has touched them, or touched someone close to them. The conversation also

by Mike Kim, Board Member and Legacy Committee Chair I can still recall the grocery bags lined in a row; frozen turkeys peeking through the top. I was in high school, unaware of the legacy and work of GLIDE, but had crossed the bay to volunteer with fellow classmates. Little did I know, that memory

by Steven Mach, GLIDE Health Services, SFCCC Americorps Member If you didn’t know, you may have thought that the van parked beside GLIDE was just another truck. Looking closer, you’d see that inside the van was the Tooth Travelers, a growing non-profit providing free dental services to many people with low- or no income. Through

by Rusc Trinidad-O’Keefe, GLIDE Pride Team and LBTQ Women’s Group “What  does Pride means to me?” Pride Belongs to Everyone! “Did someone proclaim she was a Pink mom at Sunday’s celebration?” As a gay woman/man, this is what GLIDE means to me. These are the questions that have been posed to me about being a member

by Brad Gilbertson, FYCC Volunteer I volunteer as a Teacher’s Aide at GLIDE’s Family, Youth and Childcare’s After School Program because I believe that education is one of the most important building blocks and gifts we can give to our children to help them be healthy, happy and productive for their own personal benefit, as

by Lindsey Goldberg, Graze the Roof Project Manager and Educator The dynamics of summer season is slowly setting in; bursts of heat, and clear skies, heavy clouds, to gentle fog and light rain. In San Francisco, you never know what the summer will bring. On the rooftop of GLIDE, the dynamics of weather brings energy,

by Kate Drane and Amanda Ravenhill, Presidio Graduate, 2011 Our community-service student group, Presidio and Community Engagement (PACE), spent the afternoon volunteering at GLIDE on March 8th. It was a wonderful experience for the 15 students and alumni of Presidio Graduate School to serve over 350 meals to those in need. Our group played a

by Joyce Sood, Communications Manager About a year ago, I had the great fortune of vacationing in Alaska. My fiance and I spent time backpacking in Denali, then rented a car and drove down to Seward. Along the way we stopped in a little town called Hope, population 137. In this quaint, picturesque town, there

by Lindsey Goldberg, Graze the Roof Project Coordinator, Garden Steward Hello Spring and the GLIDE Community! Graze the Roof, our rooftop garden atop 330 Ellis has blossomed! From vibrant and holistic youth education programming in partnership with the FYCC, to monthly workshops exploring themes in urban agriculture, including this past Saturday’s workshop on “Bioregionalism: Inspiring Connection

by Lucy Stelzner, Family Resource Coordinator On Friday, May 6th, the FYCC parent leadership group held a family event to celebrate mothers. The event boasted over 75 parents and children in attendance, with 29 mothers receiving recognition through applause and a rose. It was not the excitement that floated through the air or the anticipation

by Yvonne Piper, UCSF Nursing Student This week is not only Mother’s Day, but is also the kick-off of Women’s Health Week. GLIDE Health Services will be celebrating women’s health on Tuesday, May 10th with an event for our clients commemorating this week. Maybe you have some questions about breast exams, mammograms, or Pap smears.

by Rita Shimmin, co-Executive Director Many of our GLIDE program participants are youth and their families; families that are led by single parents, a father or mother, or grandparent or other guardian; families that are led by 2 parents, a mom and dad, or 2 moms or two dads. However, at this time of year

by Terry Zukoski, Facilities Director and GLIDE Green Team Lead All life benefits from decay.  Or so I’ve heard.  We had a chance on Saturday, April 9 to help the planet decay a little faster.  Graze the Roof hosted a mushroom growing seminar. The several who attended heard from workshop presenter Nik Dyer of Purple

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor Two weeks ago, I attended the Lady Gaga concert in Oakland. It was a rainy night, but the rain didn’t dampen the spirits of concert goers as we stood in line waiting to go in. The crowd was a wonderful mirror the beautiful diversity we have in the Bay Area.

by Lucy Stelzner, Family Resource Coordinator The families shuffle in slowly at first and then in quick bursts of energy, chatter and anticipation. The food table begins to look fuller, as more parents drop off their contribution to the potluck for the final night of our Family Youth and Childcare Center’s Jumpstart program. The children

by Kim Armbruster, Walk-In Center Manager In honor of Cesar Chavez Day, I’d like to share my favorite of his famous quotes: “Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are

by Ari Neulight, Clinical Program Manager, Glide Community Housing, 149 Mason Street Apartments Recently, whether in conversation with our contractors, with staff, or with residents, I have heard the following words spoken:  “I can’t believe it’s been almost a year already.”  Yes, we at 149 Mason Street Apartments just celebrated our year anniversary on March

by Steven Mach, GLIDE Health Services Wellness Center, SFCCC Americorps Member April 8, 2011 from 10AM-2PM will go down as a great day to experience Wellness Services here at GLIDE Health Services! The Wellness Center is opening soon, and there is no better way to bring in the new than to showcase the wellness services

by GLIDE Staff My younger brother is critically ill and may not survive. I cannot control my brother’s recovery. He has a long way to go. He has excellent medical care and I know he can do it as he is strong and youthful. Yet, the steps are small and often two steps forward followed

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor There is a phenomenon known as the Butterfly Effect —it states that the world is such a delicate and connected eco-system that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can cause a weather change in New York City. Since March 11th, we have known just how true the Butterfly Effect

by Paul Chilvers, Lead Teacher (3rd-5th grade) As the children arrive at the Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth & Childcare Center, they have been at school for hours, being told where to go, where to sit, when to talk, what to read and write.  They remind me of cartoon steam whistles at the end of a

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, co-Executive Director I happen to be a person who likes change—I’ve never been afraid to change jobs, frequently change hairstyles, moved apartments—yet often before a change, I feel anxious and sometimes a bit fearful.  When it’s just me, I thrive on a bit of anxiety—it spurs me forward in a positive

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor It’s the time of year I start spending a lot of time in dark theaters, trying to see all the Oscar nominated movies before the Academy Awards show is televised. This is a difficult task for a couple of reasons: 1) I don’t like the high price of movie-going, so

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor February 23, 2011 is a new marker on the United States civil rights time line. On that day, the Obama administration declared the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstutitional and will no longer defend it in a court of law.  While marriage equality for glbt persons has not yet

by Steven Mach, GLIDE Health Services Wellness Center, SFCCC Americorps Member As I turn the doorknob and peer into room 504 of GLIDE, the sound of Carlos Nakai’s Native American flute songs emanate from the boombox.  A crowded room at GLIDE commonly roars with commotion. Not this one.  Looking around, I see people sunken in

by Naima Bryant, Youth Case Manager, CW House As a Youth Case Manager for GLIDE Housing, I bring love to my work. For our Razzle Dazzle Girls Group (ages 8 – 10), we did a special Valentine’s Day activity. We made two Valentine’s Day cards – one for ourselves and one for a friend.  A

by Donald Guest, Pastor Every day we hear and read the news that hundreds and sometimes thousands of people are losing their jobs.  Job loss is a reality in an economic system based on profit where shareholders must see dividends or “heads roll.”  Even now there is a drive by some in Congress to attach

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor BART encounters (#2): I am one of those people that starts the day wide awake and ready to go, and the earlier the better!  No caffeine is needed here! Once my feet hit the floor I am already headed towards the gym followed by a warm shower. Then I am

by LaChe` Graybill, Volunteer Program Coordinator Lots of volunteers come in and think of serving food as just a physical job…oh no my friends, you get some life changing lessons down in the dining room! Each person gets hands on experience on what it means to be radically inclusive, truth telling, loving and hopeful, for

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor BART encounters (#1): She looked hesitatingly at the seat next to me before our eyes met. I smiled and gestured that the seat was all hers.  Shortly after she sat down, I couldn’t help but notice the most enticing aroma from a package she was carrying. I finally asked her

by Janice Mirikitani and Rev. Cecil Williams, Co-Founders

by Janice Mirikitani and Rev. Cecil Williams, Co-Founders Part 1… Part 2…

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, Co-Executive Director Yesterday, my 5 year-old daughter asked me to come to her class and talk to her and her friends about the ‘ways that GLIDE helps the world.’  I paused and ask her to repeat her request—‘to come and share the ways that GLIDE helps the world.’   I’ve been thinking

by Angela Coleman, WIC Client Advocate I’ve worked as a Client Advocate in the Walk-In Center for over a year.  Before that, my first position at GLIDE was a Church Monitor for five years.  I was working part-time as a monitor until I lost another part-time position at another company, and then became a full

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor Every New Year’s Eve finds me pondering this quote from former UN secretary general Dag Hammerskold: For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes. This phrase is perfect for reflecting on the past year and preparing for the next.  It helps me live with a sense

GLIDE Founders Janice and Cecil are challenging you to use Facebook to bring us closer together as a community and inspire social change in 2011. Check it out: Now you can send a GLIDE Shout Out to your Facebook friends to celebrate love, friendship and compassion in the New Year! Click on the link above

We want your input!  The Wellness Center at GLIDE Health Services  is developing a Community Advisory Board (CAB) for members to offer constructive suggestions to help improve, maintain and expand clinical services here at GLIDE. What? The CAB will consist of 11 members, 6 of which will be clients, so it is a client majority

by Candice Jacobs, FYCC Creative Arts Program Leader Creating Magical Moments & Joy for All Ages… When I teach art with the children I like to ask them what is magical about them, in order to get them to focus on their voice and personal creative energy.  I asked Maria, a 3rd grader, today “What

by Alyse Berry, RN, GHS Wellness Center Manager Do you have tense shoulders, a stomach ‘in knots’, or are you breathing shallow?  These are common physical symptoms of stress.  When we carry stress in our bodies, we are often not even aware of it.  When we’re really stressed, we may be feeling physical discomfort but

by Sophia Suarez, WIC Case Manager This year I am most thankful for being a part of the GLIDE Family. Since I have been part of GLIDE, my life has changed entirely. It has opened my eyes to see the reality of life. I have learned that at any moment my life can change and

by Talilah Douglas, Women’s Center Case Manager and Domestic Violence Specialist We have had an amazing year in the Women’s Center. Women have continued to come to our Women On The Move drop in group. And we have seen over the past few years the group become more and more of a community. Last year

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor This is my third holiday season at Glide and once again, I am amazed at the miracles that abound here, not only in November and December but throughout the year. From November through December, our building is filled to overflowing with food, volunteers, toys, hungry people, and children. People come

by Mira Carberry, FYCC Lead Teacher, Primary Grades The Janice Mirikitani Family, Youth, and Childcare Center (FYCC) supports families by providing childcare for children ages 2 to 5 and afterschool programming for students grades K-5.  Today, I am going to take you on a walk through a typical day with the 1st and 2nd grade

by Alyse Berry, RN, GHS Wellness Center Manager Flu season is here and GLIDE Health Services (GHS) Wellness Center has been busy conducting flu clinics.  The first clinic was held on October 14th at GLIDE and focused on diabetics, asthmatics and GLIDE staff.  53 vaccinations were administered.  The largest clinic this year was held on

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor In my first blog entry, I talked about what it was like to walk a labyrinth in Freedom Hall with members of GLIDE’s Women’s Center. The experience was very powerful, and I have continued to reflect on it. There were six of us walking the labyrinth that day. Six women

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, Co-Executive Director “Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother’s house we go…”  These song lyrics always remind me of Thanksgiving as our family would load up in our station-wagon to drive across the state of Pennsylvania to visit my grandparents for the holiday.  I remember lots of food and

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor One of the things I love about GLIDE is that we welcome everybody. Really. Everybody.  It doesn’t matter if your family no longer wants you around–you are welcome here. It doesn’t matter who you love–you are welcome here. It doesn’t matter whether you are high, in denial you have a

by Enrique lütke Zutelgte, Walk-In Center Case Manager As Case Managers in GLIDE’s Walk-In Center, each and every day we see a lot of different kinds of people. Gay people, transgender people, bisexual people, and yes! even straight people. These people are of many different ethnicities. A former co-worker said to me many times, “The

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor Recently, I had the opportunity to walk a labyrinth  with participants of GLIDE’s Women’s Center.     Often, people think of labyrinths as mazes, but they are really not the same at all. Mazes are puzzles to be solved, with many choices about which path to take, some which even lead

by Janice Mirikitani and Rev. Cecil Williams, Founders

by Kristen Growney Yamamoto, Co-Executive Director Rita and I took over the co-Executive Director roles at GLIDE only 2 months ago. While, I’ve been at GLIDE for over three years, my work here still feels new and fresh.  As Co-Executive Director, I am energized by my new role and both the opportunities and challenges it

by Rita Shimmin, Co-Executive Director Why am I writing this blog?… Because GLIDE is entering the online, digital age and pulling me along with it. We are upgrading the look and feel of our website and developing a social-networking application to engage and grow our online community. Why do we want you to have a