Episode 42: GLIDE

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A transcript, lightly edited for clarity and length, follows.

Show Guests: George Gundry, Director Free Meals Program and Kenneth Kim, Senior Director of Programs

Voices of the Community Introduction: Welcome to voices of the community which explores critical issues facing Northern California communities. We introduce you to the voices of community thought leaders and change makers who are working on solutions that face our fellow individual community members neighborhoods cities and our region. This is George Koster your host. 

Series Introduction: This episode is part of our series exploring COVID-19’s impact on nonprofits and small businesses in San Francisco. Back in April 2020 when we decided to create this ongoing series on Covid-19’s impact first on nonprofits and then on small businesses in the San Francisco Bay. We like you had no idea how long the pandemic would go on and what the health and economic impact would be on our community. Going into 2021 the pandemic is now killing more people, shutting down more nonprofits and small businesses, along with wiping out the lively hoods of families, neighborhoods and communities.

We will continue to shine a spotlight on the nonprofits, and small businesses that make up the fabric of our community along with the founders and staff who are struggling to deal with the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on their operations, services and sustainability until we can all get to the other side of the pandemic. Along the way, we will also share with you all the amazing solutions that our nonprofits, small businesses, foundations, and government leaders are working on to help us all get to the other side of the pandemic and come together to rebuild our communities with more economic, social and environmental equality

Show Guest Cecil: Glide is located in the Tenderloin, which is the worst conditions of human blight. It was the most dedicated community of people who were looking for something, but they kept looking for that which worked against them. I went to Glide. Oh, my God, it was awful. It was a church that closed its doors to all kinds of people. And, of course when the bishop appointed me there, he said to me, I hope that you will do something that will upset the people, because they need to be upset. I decided that, if we were the church, we would act like it, and we would engage in what I call doing theology. We're going to go and become a part of a world which needs to face itself. So, it became a church that was standing on the line, saying, I love you. I will work. And we're going to stand with people, no matter what their color, no matter what their class, those who are suffering, this who are going through trails and tribulations, through moments of despair

Episode Intro - Show Host George: This is pastor emeritus of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church long-time community leader and author Cecil Williams. With all of the death and economic destruction that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought down upon our community one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods is the Tenderloin.

The Tenderloin neighborhood is still one of the few affordable neighborhoods left that new immigrant families can afford to live in which has helped the neighborhood to be one of the most diverse. The Tenderloin is home to over 3,500 kids and 30 languages. It is also one of the poorer neighborhoods with a median family income of around $31,000 which is less than half of the citywide average of $78,000. Over 30% of households have incomes less than $15,000 thus around 30% of the residents live in poverty. The Tenderloin has a history of high crime, particularly violent street crime such as robbery and aggravated assault, an un-controlled open drug market, and thousands of un-housed community members struggling to stay alive during the Pandemic.

Within the context of the Tenderloin neighborhood, our featured voices from the Glide family George Gundry, the Director of the Free Meals Program, and Kenneth Kim the Senior Director of Programs share with you the passion, understanding, and helping hand that are part of the legacy of Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani’s mission of “creating a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization”

Show Host George: I'm joined remotely via zoom by George Gundry, the Director of the Free Meals Program of GLIDE and Kenneth Kim Senior Director of Programs at Glide. So, thanks for being here, George and Ken. I would, love to start with George first. And if you could please provide the audience a little overview of GLIDE's Free Meals program, especially there's the world's famous fried chicken. I understand it's been around for decades.

George Gundry:  So, yeah, first and foremost, GLIDE is radically inclusive, which means that we welcome anybody and everybody. And with that GLIDES's Daily Free Meals Program has been nourishing the body and soul and providing hope to our community for decades.

We're the only program in San Francisco that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 364 days a year. We serve an average of 2200 meals a day over 800,000 a year. And, you know, serving San Francisco's most marginalized community. And you're right. GLIDE's world, famous fried chicken is our most popular meal every Thursday, you know, everybody loves it. And it's funny that a lot of other organizations in the city when they're having fundraising events will request GLIDE's world-famous fried chicken. So it is, literally world famous. We also have other partnerships. We have a partnership with Starbucks.

They deliver from 65 different Starbucks in the city to us four mornings a week. So, we supplement our breakfast, from Starbucks you know, almost every day and once again, clients love it. We have a nice relationship with a third generation San Francisco fishermen named Giuseppe Cassini, who will show up here with 2000 or 2,400 pounds of fresh whole fish.

And he's taught our staff. And back in the day he taught our volunteers how to filet the fish. And when he delivers, that means our clients are going to be enjoying some of the freshest fish in San Francisco. So that was really wonderful.  we have a pretty new partnership with Dominique Crenn and her at TA Korean restaurant, where the staff there provides us with 400 vegetarian meals you know, five days a week.

And, um, our staff enjoys those just as much as our community. I think it finally good way to describe our meal program is that it’s staffed by some of the most dedicated and resilience, staff members around many of them you know, share lived circumstances with the community that they serve. So, there's really a deep and meaningful connection between our staff and our community.

George: Here we are 10 months in how has COVID-19 impacted the daily operations of serving 2000 plus meals?

George Gundry: Yeah, it's, impacted in a big way for sure. I think that you know, the number one thing is that pre pandemic we were serving our meals. In the basement of, you know, of our building here at three 30 Ellis and, two dining rooms, the main dining room, and then a dining room for seniors and adults with disabilities. And since a pandemic we've taken our entire operation and it's now outside, right in front of GLIDE, we're serving Alfresco the line still forms at the same spot.

But we have a couple of tables right out in front of glide where we're serving our community. We asked the city to close off the 300 block of Ellis to traffic. So, you know, on occasion we can put tents out in the street. We can put shares out there. Practice of course physical distancing, everybody wears a mask. You know, everybody's doing the right thing and. Yeah, you know, going from inside the dining room or inside the building to out on the street.  You know, earlier this summer we formed a partnership with a company called Gategourmet you may know them from airline food. And at the height of the summer, they were donating and delivering some 10,000 meals a week that we would in turn serve to our community and then you know, give to some other partner organizations that just didn't have the resources that GLIDE has. So, it's impacted us in some pretty big ways. I'm sure you've heard of GLIDES's grocery bag giveaway typically. We would give away 2000 bags you know, traditional holiday bags of groceries.

In front of GLIDE and you know, through our glide on the go program, we would take the other 2000 and deliver them to some partner organizations that would then pass them out to their communities. This year, we actually rallied and put together 5,300 traditional holiday bags, delivering them to 19 different partner organizations throughout eight or nine different neighborhoods in the city. So, you know, we’re, still serving hope. But you know, we're doing it in completely different way.

George: Thank you. That's quite an impact, that many bags. So that's probably what about 20,000 people? Something close to that? If not more.

George Gundry: Yeah, I should. I should've mentioned each bag was you know, set up for at least a family for.

George: Wow. So, I'm going to turn to you Ken. And since you are really the senior director of all the programs at glide, could you share with the audience a little bit about how COVID-19 has really impacted glides ability to provide its amazing services, especially not only to its Tenderloin neighborhood, but the San Francisco greater community.

Kenneth Kim: Yeah. I mean, there's been such significant needs. I mean, in terms of food security before the pandemic, you know, it's, it's known that one in four or San Francisco families were struggling with food security after the pandemic, you know, four out of 10 black and Latin X families are struggling with food security.

A Lot of folks don't realize, and they usually think about the free meals program and that it's serving those that are homeless or in shelter. But we also serve a lot of the working families who do meet the poverty line. And so, a lot of times folks will come for our breakfast to supplement their income.

And so for us as the pandemic hit, it was really important to make sure that, you know, safety was foremost for both our staff and the folks that we serve, but also the consistency of access. The fact that we do serve 364 days a year really demonstrates the consistency. And the only day that we close is, is New Year’s Day.

And so, the team has done an amazing job of just constantly innovating and pivoting as needed, working with other community partners, working with city agencies to just make sure that the food is there. One of the things that came to our attention very quickly in the early weeks of the pandemic was as shelter in place came to a close a lot of the folks that relied on panhandling or, you know, low-cost restaurants, you know, those were treats for them. If they were able to get a hold of the money that they can actually enjoy a nice dinner at a small restaurant. With those restaurants being closed with less foot traffic you know, our ability to provide that food security as well as something that feels communal and nourishing was incredibly important.

The other thing that we've done in terms of pivoting is just an amount of integration and collaboration that's happened across all the programs. The Meals Program in some ways almost feels like the kitchen at the home. It's like where we gather and come together. And so, our harm reduction program, our family resource center our women's center.

There hasn't been one activity that's pivoted that hasn't included the meals program. And I think even furthermore, as an organization a lot of our staff that provide administrative support and those roles have also come together with the Meals Program. The loss of our volunteers was significant, and it was just great to see not only the operational changes we needed to make to be efficient, but also to see some of our folks in our finance department and in our you know, human resources be right there, side to side with our meal staff, providing those meals and really welcoming the community here has really been an important piece of us responding to the pandemic. And then lastly, I would say we've had the opportunity with our efforts with Matt Haney's office to turn our block into a Tenderloin Resource Hub.

And so that means that the 300 block of Ellis is actually closed during business hours, from Sunday through Friday. And now we're actually welcoming different community partners like Lava Mae, Project, Homeless Connect. And then the COVID testing that we're doing in collaboration with DPH is also an important element. So that means that folks that normally come in to get food at GLIDE can go right across the street and get COVID testing as well. And we'll, we're really working together in collaboration to try to get a lot more health services on our block for that reason.

George: I know this is really a huge question, because of the legacy of GLIDE in our community, but Ken back to you and then I'm going to ask you George, the same question. What do you feel has been the biggest impact of GLIDE’s programs on not only in a Tenderloin, but greater San Francisco, especially with youth and families?

Kenneth Kim: I think trust is the foremost. I mean, the pandemic has really put a lot of fear in, especially into the families, families who are very protective of their children and not knowing where they could go. One of the collaborations between the Meals Program and our Family Resource Center was not only providing ready-made meals that we've done, but also to establish a Food Pantry. And so, a lot of those families who do rely and, you know, because of their culture we serve a lot of folks who are also Muslim immigrants who need halal food.

So being able to give shelf stable food was, one of the innovations and pivots we needed to make to make sure that those families don't go hungry. And, you know, it's been really rewarding actually for that collaboration, but also how grateful the families are. The Family Resource Center has also been helpful in getting families who do test positive for COVID-19.

We've actually used Instacart and had to kind of help them learn how to use apps in that service so that food can actually be delivered to them. And I think that's just one example of the kind of impact that's necessary and that without that trust that we have with the community, that's been long standing I think it would have been a lot harder to, you know, create innovative ways of getting food access for those, folks.

George: And George, same question for you.

Kenneth Kim: You know, you said it earlier that GLIDE has been around for so long and so many people in this community rely on GLIDE that's you know, for me, just, just being here being here for our community, when, you know, all of our lives are, you know, we're kind of up in the air for a while. And especially for folks that are you know, more marginalized, than most, you know, just being here, being able to provide three meals a day, healthy, nutritious delicious meals you know, a huge impact. We all know when you're hungry, you know, really nothing else matters. So, the fact that GLIDE stepped right up step right in, you know, really, really makes me proud.

George: George over the five years that you've been doing the, free meals program. Could you share a story of perhaps, one of the folks that you provided food for or one of the staff members?

George Gundry: Yeah, sure. You know, I probably have a whole bunch of stories. You know, one that comes to mind right off the top is a gentleman named Ralph. Ralph lives out on the street. It's got a tent right around the corner from us. Super nice gentlemen and every day, normally before the sun comes up, you'll find Ralph out on the street with, you know, a couple of hundred yards worth of hoses that he buys himself and he's cleaning and sweeping in front of a GLIDE in front of our, neighbors here, just making the street look good.

You know, the, compassion that our, community shows to one another, you know, just blows me away. I think of a gentleman we affectionately call him Kumar from Concord shows up here a couple of times a year he'll call me, ask me what I want, he'll go to Costco, show up here with a truck and he'll have it filled with chicken, with milk, vegetables, bananas, pizzas. And he just, wants to contribute. He just wants, are people eating healthy, he just wants to be part of it. You know ask nothing in return except, you know, to do good, you know, for a community that needs it. So, those are the things that just warmed my heart and inspired me every day.

George: And Ken, same question for you. You obviously, see not only the impact, but I'm sure have lots of stories from multiple programs at GLIDE.

Kenneth Kim: Yeah, it really is hard to pick one. yeah I guess kind of keeping with the theme around the collaboration and integration that's been happening you know, like a lot of places in the city, we had an encampment of folks that are unhoused and unsheltered you know, living across the street for some time.

And we, you know, we're approached by the city to try to help move them to one of the safe sleeping villages. And so, you know, I think there was some questions about whether we would be willing to do that, and we were all for it, as long as we could do it in a compassionate and caring way. And what we're able to do is actually engage those folks across the street.

And just to kind of you know, demonstrate what the collaboration comes from. Our Harm Reduction Team met with those folks who accessed our syringe access program and already had a relationship with them. Our Safety Team, we're also very familiar with folks that utilize our services, including our Free Meals program.

And so, when the morning came that, you know, the city's HSOC program and the Department of Public Works needed to clean the area up, it was our Meals Staff and Safety Team that were very familiar with them across the street. And the Meals Staff actually took the meals to them across you know, to their tents.

So, they didn't have to worry about leaving their things and they could actually, you know, continue their effort to gather up their things without it being thrown away or discarded. And just that level of attention and care, it's so simple, but yet so impactful that they [could, not feel like they have to, you know, wait in line and be anxious.

And I think all of those elements of utilizing our relationship, but also thinking and being thoughtful of what their needs are. You know, I believe it actually prevented us from having any escalations that didn't require the police to be called or, you know, someone to get cited or arrested for that.

And we were able to do that with our ongoing effort, but that day went off as smoothly as possible. And I think it was a real highlight in demonstrating not only the kind of response that was needed, but that, you know, taking a compassionate approach into a very difficult action by having to move some folks over can be done. And I just think that it is really about the heart of our team that allowed that to happen. But that, definitely resonates with me and still stays with me. And I keep it as my North star, anytime, we're approached to take on another project or effort. I try to remember, how good that felt to work together and be compassionate.

George: So much of it is about treating people as you would want to be treated yourself.

Kenneth Kim: Exactly.

George: So, George Can you share with the audience, how can people engage? I mean, it's pretty difficult to volunteer these days, given that we're all locked back down again and you've got staff, but, how can folks, support the free meals , program and , the other glide programs?

George Gundry: Sure, you know, first I will say that you know, we are in a situation where, you know, we're not, welcoming volunteers, but we will come out of this at some point. So please you know, remember GLIDE in the days to come you know, when we're a little bit more, able to do such things. But in the meantime, you know, it's simple things like you know, homemade cookies. We have a school group that makes fresh bread and delivers it, uh, you know, one day a week.

We have had other school groups make little notes, you know, little notes of hope and love that we could put in with a meal. So, you know, little things like that, I think go a long way. I know that it inspires our staff when we receive those kinds of, you know, donations from folks and you know, I know our community loves it. And you know, as always, you can always go to glide.org/donate.  So, thank you.

George: And Ken, I'm going to turn to you and ask, what are some of the programs that are going on that really need support at this point?

Kenneth Kim: Yeah. I mean, all of them really need support. I think everything, you know, as like George mentioned, if you go to our website, there's a volunteer page that also has a really nice instruction kit on how to donate just basic goods. And that's something that our Women's Center utilizes you know, having, little children’s kits in them are also going to be helpful for our families who aren't able to get coloring books and other items. So that, is incredibly helpful and just kind of being creative around things you can do at home to volunteer. But yeah, as George said that the donations are incredibly helpful. Our Walk-In Center you know, has before really supported a lot of folks with basic needs as well as shelter reservation, and they've pivoted to supporting more of the health access programs.

And so, they're incredibly crucial for our COVID testing. And so that includes you know, doing outreach and engagement, so people understand what's going on. So, they feel informed about getting tested and then hopefully we'll also be supporting with the vaccine distribution around outreach and engagement for that.

So, your donation, another example that'll give is between, our Family Resource Center and our Walk-In Center in order to engage Latin X families we had, a Halloween holiday event where we had about 30 families sign up and then come and get tested. And once there were testing available for children, this was our first effort, and it was key for us to make that into an event.

So that meant that we were able to give away pumpkin’s decorations and again, little family kits that allowed them to have activities at home to do. So, the effort to even get, you know, COVID testing you know, access for families those dollars go a long way and just us being able to make it accessible.

And again, you know, really relying on our trust. But I think the heart of all of these efforts, that there is a bit of celebration in everything that we do. And something austere, as COVID testing I think is going to be the key for us to really you know, make a change and make sure that there's equity and access for everyone, especially in the Tenderloin.

George: Thank you. Final question for both of you, I'm going to start with George and then go back to you Ken, and that is, out of the pandemic and, financial meltdown, what do you feel like are some of the positive things that could come out of the crisis to support GLIDE’s, free meals program and other GLIDE programs?

George Gundry: Sure. You know, we are in a difficult time right now and, you know, I'm blown away at how people step up, and support, I mentioned, you know, little things that people are doing, you know, we're certainly still getting huge donations. But you know, really, it's just the, you know, the homemade things and the small little gifts that people are bringing in just keeps us going every day.  And I think about, you know, one of Cecil's longtime friends, Joe Betz owns the House of Prime Rib and, my five years here, it's been my responsibility, to call Joe up you know, as we get closer to Christmas Eve and, you know, engage the conversation about his donation of 3000 pounds of prime rib.

And this year I was feeling very apprehensive about it. You know, his restaurant's been closed down for the longest time and you know, he called me. He reached out to me and said, how come you haven't called me? Where are you? So, for 27 straight years, he is provided GLIDE with our community's favorite holiday meal you know, prime rib, everybody looks forward to it.

And you know, for me, it's just during the toughest of times how people are stepping up in little ways and huge ways, you know, for a community that needs it. So, we are ever so thankful for that.

George: And Ken?

Kenneth Kim: Yeah, I would agree that it's the watching people step up. And for me, I think it would be around the collaboration the shared effort where different community members other community agencies. And well, the city agencies, I think the effort to really bring us together and think together around how to find, you know, solutions for this. I think the level of coordination has improved greatly. The making room for community voices has also been really great to see. I was appreciative of, you know, one of the COVID outreach efforts, where for the Tenderloin. We actually had five different kinds or actually more than that, but it was I think, posters and efforts that really reflected each neighborhood.

So, the one for the Tenderloin, there were at least five different posters that tried to reflect the diversity of the community here. So, I hope these are things that don't require a pandemic to remain. I think the communication and effort that's happened of us really coming together is you know been what we've wanted for a long time.

And I think there's been a lot of progress and there's more challenges ahead. So, I think, you know, with the economic impact, that's only going to grow from this pandemic. It's going to take this kind of effort of us showing up and, really giving and being courageous as much as we can.

George: Thank you very much, George and Ken for sharing GLIDE's Daily Free Meals program and all of the other wonderful programs and your wonderful work today. We'll make sure that the listeners and viewers have your contact information website and social media so that folks can follow GLIDE's programs and hopefully get engaged and continue to support the mission. Please stay safe and healthy through this new, crazy normal.

George Gundry: Thank you, George.

Kenneth Kim: Thank you.

Episode Outro - Show Host George: That’s it for this episode of voices of the community. You have been listening to the voices of George Gundry, the Director of the Free Meals Program, and Kenneth Kim, Senior Director of Programs of Glide Foundation and Memorial United Methodist Church. To find out more about Glide’s holistic approach to supporting both the Tenderloin neighborhood members and San Francisco along with how you can get engaged in providing family and children kits please go to glide dot org

Kenneth mentioned community partners Lava Mae and Project Homeless connect participating in Glide’s Resource Hub to provide support to Tenderloin Neighborhood members. You can find out more about Lava Mae’s radical hospitality in our interview with founder Doniece Sandoval and Chief Program & Strategy Officer Kris Kepler in Episode 3 and you can hear about Project Homeless Connect’s comprehensive work to connect community members to San Francisco’s ecosystem of social services in our interview with Meghan Freebeck in Episode 9

Ken also referenced the HSOC Program which is the Healthy Streets Operations Center. The center was created to coordinate the many agencies within the City of San Francisco involved in addressing homelessness and unhealthy street behaviors to improve the condition of San Francisco’s public spaces and improve the connection of community members to social services.         

Series Outro: We hope that you enjoy the insights, points of view, and personal stories from the voices of change-makers and their nonprofits and small businesses featured in this series. To find out more and get engaged with the nonprofits, small businesses and staff members, featured in this series please go to my web site george koster dot com and click on Voices of the Community to find links to the extended versions of these interviews and to listen to the entire series. After listening to these stories we hope that you will consider making a donation and volunteering to provide a hand up to your fellow community members.

Series Credits: I want to thank my associate producer Eric Estrada, and Kasey Nance at Citron Studios, along with the wonderful crew at the San Francisco Public Press and KSFP.

Voices of the Community is a member of Intersection for the Arts which allows us to offer you a tax deduction for your contributions. Please go to George Koster dot com and click on the donate link to make a donation to help us provide future shows just like this one. While you are on our web site you can enjoy our archived past shows which feature community voices working on solutions to critical issues facing Northern California communities, and sign up for our newsletter to find out about our future shows as well as shows and events from the organizations that our included in our episodes

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