September 2025

Dear friend of the St. Francis Living Room,

I want to introduce you to Barbara, a guest who joins us almost every morning.

Barbara’s story was written by Tomoko, a college student who volunteers when

she is home on school breaks.

What follows is Tomoko’s story about Barbara.

Few people can fill a room with warmth, wisdom, and energy the way Barbara does every morning at the St. Francis Living Room. A longtime cornerstone of the Tenderloin, Barbara is one of the many guests who make the Living Room a place of connection, dignity, and hope.

Hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, Barbara recalls the strong community in which she was raised. A place where friends, family, and neighbors always took care of each other. Barbara has continued to carry on this legacy throughout her life. In 1963, Barbara moved to San Francisco to train at UCSF Medical Center, launching a long career as a nurse at San Francisco General Hospital providing life-saving and life-changing medical care. She settled in the Tenderloin as it was what she could afford as a single, Black woman in those days. Life circumstances have kept her in this neighborhood. But it is here that she has created a strong community and she wouldn’t live anywhere else.

In addition to her work caring for hospital patients, Barbara has spent her life advocating for those in need. A key figure in the growth of the St. Anthony Foundation, Barbara helped initiate and extend the social programs offered by the organization, pushing for better support for Tenderloin residents by reaching out to people on the streets to learn what services were needed and raising awareness about the resources offered by the foundation.

All these years later (and nearing her 90th birthday!), Barbara is still taking care of people and has barely slowed down. She attends community meetings, volunteers at City Hall, and continues to help people find the support they need—acting as a liaison between city government and Tenderloin residents. Talking about the struggles of the Tenderloin, Barbara stresses the importance of advocacy and speaking up for a neighborhood that is too often ignored. In her words, “You gotta open up your mouth and say something!”

The St. Francis Living Room is Barbara’s first stop of the day when she comes down from her small room, and she lights up the room with her energy, warmth, and humor. Like many of our guests, her story is one of strength, resilience, and connection, reminding us why spaces like this matter.

The Tenderloin is a difficult neighborhood to navigate. We want to make sure that the Living Room continues to offer homeless and low-income seniors healthy meals, a calm space, and happiness each day. Here is how you can help:

• Send a check to St Francis Living Room, 350 Golden Gate Ave. Ste. A, San Francisco, CA 94102

• Click DONATE above and choose a one-time gift, or become a monthly or quarterly supporter.

• Include the St. Francis Living Room in your estate planning. Contact our Board President, jonathan@sflivingroom.org for more details.

  We at the St. Francis Living Room thank you so much for your support and we wish you and your loved ones a wonderful and joyous Fall! Warmest regards,

  Pierre Smit Executive Director Pierre@SFLivingRoom.org p.s. Thank you to our volunteer Tomoko for spending the time with Barbara and for telling her story and sharing it with us.

  p.s. Thank you to our volunteer Tomoko for spending the time with Barbara and for telling her story and sharing it with us.