St. Anthony's SF Has Fed the Tenderloin for 75 Years. Here's What They Need Now.

St. Anthony's serves over 2,400 meals daily and runs SF's largest free clothing program. Here's how giving specific goods reaches the people they serve — with photo proof.

St. Anthony's Foundation opened its dining room in San Francisco's Tenderloin in 1950. In the 75 years since, it has never turned a guest away for lack of food. Not once. Through six recessions, the AIDS crisis, two earthquakes, a pandemic, and a homelessness crisis that has reshaped the city, 121 Golden Gate Avenue has remained the safety net below the safety net. Today, St. Anthony's serves over 2,400 meals every day, runs SF's largest free clothing program, operates a medical clinic, a hygiene hub, a tech lab, and addiction recovery services — all without charging their guests a dollar. Givelink, a Transparent Giving Platform that connects donors to verified U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits with photo proof of delivery, partners with St. Anthony's to connect donors who want to give something specific to the needs that are specific and real. Here is what that looks like.

Key Takeaways

• St. Anthony's serves over 2,400 meals daily, with more than 1 million meals served annually across programs (St. Anthony's data, 2025).
• One in two Tenderloin residents lacks reliable food access — the highest food insecurity concentration in San Francisco.
• St. Anthony's Free Clothing Program distributes clothing to thousands of guests every month; stock must be constantly replenished.
• In-kind donations address item-level gaps that cash donations can't predict or fill in real time.
• Givelink provides photo confirmation so donors see exactly what happened to their gift — not just a receipt.

The scale of what St. Anthony's does

The numbers are large. But behind each number is a person.

The Dining Room at 121 Golden Gate Avenue has operated every single day since 1950. It serves over 2,400 free meals daily — up 17% from a year ago as economic pressure on Tenderloin residents has intensified (SF Standard, 2025). More than one-third of guests rely on these meals as their only source of food for the day. The dining room has never turned a guest away.

The Free Clothing Program gives clean, dignified clothing to guests who arrive with nothing. Not donated castoffs — curated, organized clothing given with the same respect you'd show in a retail environment. Staff help guests find things that fit and feel right, because dignity is not a luxury.

The Hygiene Hub provides showers and basic hygiene products to people who have nowhere to bathe. The Medical Clinic serves patients who can't access the traditional healthcare system. The Tech Lab gives guests access to computers, internet, and job search tools. Addiction recovery programs have operated continuously for decades.

Together, these services make St. Anthony's not a single program but an ecosystem — where a person can arrive with nothing and leave with food, clean clothes, healthcare, a shower, and a job application submitted.

What "the Franciscan tradition" means in practice

St. Anthony's was founded by the Franciscan Friars, rooted in the same tradition of radical hospitality — give to whoever asks, without conditions — that St. Francis of Assisi practiced in 13th-century Italy.

That tradition has a material consequence: St. Anthony's welcomes everyone. Veterans and recent parolees. Seniors on fixed incomes and young adults in crisis. Working poor families who simply ran out of month before they ran out of bills. Immigrants. People in addiction. People in grief. Anyone who comes to the door.

"Philanthropy. A Greek word meaning 'friend of humanity.' Somehow we reduced it to charity. An obligation of the 1%. A tax write-off. A PR strategy. It's none of those things."

At St. Anthony's, philanthropy means exactly what it should: friendship with humanity. No conditions. No requirements. Just the door, open.

Why specific goods matter alongside cash

St. Anthony's is a well-resourced organization for its sector — it has a 75-year track record, strong corporate and individual donor relationships, and a committed volunteer base. But "well-resourced" at this scale means: enough to keep the doors open, not enough to eliminate every gap.

The Clothing Program specifically depends on in-kind goods. When a donor gives a specific item — "25 men's socks, size L-XL" — those socks go to guests who need them. They don't compete with the heating bill or the food procurement budget.

The Hygiene Hub similarly depletes its stock of travel-size toiletries, razors, feminine products, and shampoo at a rate that cash donations don't automatically replenish. Item-level giving through Givelink fills these gaps in real time — and tells the donor exactly what arrived.

What St. Anthony's needs from donors right now

Program	Specific Items	Who They Reach
Free Clothing Program	Socks, underwear, T-shirts, jeans (all sizes)	Anyone who walks in — 300+ guests/week
Hygiene Hub	Travel hygiene kits, razors, shampoo, feminine products	Guests who have nowhere to bathe
Dining Room	Shelf-stable food items, serving supplies	2,400 meals/day, every day
Medical Clinic	First aid supplies, OTC medications	Patients without healthcare access
Women's & Children's	Diapers, wipes, children's clothing	Women and families in crisis
Tech Lab	Notebooks, pens, charging cables	Job seekers rebuilding independence

Why this matters in 2026

The SF Standard reported in late 2025 that St. Anthony's was serving 17% more meals than the year before — driven by SNAP benefit disruptions during the federal government shutdown, rising rents, and deepening poverty among working Tenderloin residents. The need is accelerating. The foundation's capacity to meet it depends on donors who show up consistently — not just at Thanksgiving, but every month, with specific items that address specific gaps.

Givelink donors give 60% more times per year than traditional platform donors (Givelink data, 2026). Not because they're richer. Because they've seen the photo. Because giving that feels real produces giving that repeats.

Givelink in action with St. Anthony's

A tech worker in SoMa used Givelink to give men's socks and hygiene kits to St. Anthony's Clothing Program. Eleven days later, a photo arrived: the socks folded on a shelf in the clothing distribution room, ready for guests that week. She forwarded it to her team Slack. Four colleagues gave the same day. That is the thread between two lives. Browse St. Anthony's wishlist on Givelink and give something that arrives in the Tenderloin this month.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I donate clothing and supplies to St. Anthony Foundation SF?

Through Givelink, you can browse St. Anthony's specific wishlist, choose exact items (socks, hygiene kits, clothing), and give with photo-confirmed delivery. Your gift is tax-deductible and you receive an IRS-compliant receipt from St. Anthony's after confirmation.

What does St. Anthony's need most from donors in 2026?

Clothing program items (socks, underwear, basic clothing in all sizes), hygiene products for the Hygiene Hub, and shelf-stable food items for the Dining Room are St. Anthony's most consistent in-kind needs.

Is St. Anthony Foundation San Francisco legitimate?

Yes. St. Anthony Foundation is a verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has operated since 1950, is vetted by Charity Navigator, and is one of the most established human services organizations in San Francisco. Their Givelink profile displays independent evaluation data.

Can I give goods to St. Anthony's without dropping them off in person?

Yes. Givelink coordinates delivery directly to St. Anthony's programs. You select items online, Givelink handles fulfillment from vetted U.S. suppliers, and St. Anthony's staff confirms delivery with a photo that is sent to you.

Give something to the Tenderloin that arrives this month

Browse St. Anthony's wishlist on Givelink, pick something specific, and receive the photo when it arrives at 121 Golden Gate Avenue.

Stay Human.

---

Panos Kokmotos is Co-Founder and COO of Givelink. He lives in Berkeley and works to connect Bay Area donors to the specific needs of the nonprofits keeping San Francisco human.