St. Anthony’s Dining Room in the heart of San Francisco’s Tenderloin district serves 3,000 hot lunches 365 days a year. In San Francisco, one in five adults lacks the resources to provide food for themselves or their families. In the Tenderloin, that number is as high as one in two.
Bread & Roses has been bringing free, live music to the diners for 20 years. Many different types of people including veterans, seniors, the working poor, homeless, low-income residents, the mentally ill and those in recovery, get the respite of entertainment with their one healthy meal a day.
Performer Mitch Woods pays them an annual visit, bringing his boogie-woogie music and rocking his 88 keys. Often people will dance and sing along, and sometimes a diner will pull out a harmonica or other instrument to join in.
Other musicians who do annual Bread & Roses shows at the dining room are the Lick Wilmerding High School Jazz Combo. These students see first-hand how their music uplifts the spirits of a diverse population.
We are proud to partner with 125 facilities in the Bay Area, spreading joy and making a connection with our neighbors in need.
By Carolyn Gauthier: Vice President, Programs