SAN FRANCISCO VILLAGE CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF NEW COMMUNITY SPACE
Move Represents a Developmental Milestone for the Eight-Year-Old Non-Profit as it Deepens its SF Roots
San Francisco – Oct. 5, 2017 – San Francisco Village (SFV) today announced the grand opening of its new home, an intergenerational community space located at 3220 Fulton Street in the Richmond district.
Since its inception, SFV had been co-located at the Institute on Aging (IOA), and in 2016 discovered that it would need to secure new space as the IOA required additional room for its own employees and program expansion. The move, while initially daunting, presented an opportunity for SFV to step out from under the umbrella of the IOA and establish itself as an independent leader, building a community that dignifies aging.
A grant from the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative, run by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), the Mayor’s Office on Housing and Community Development and the Northern California Community Loan Fund (NCCLF), as well as support from the Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) enabled SFV to sign a long-term lease at an affordable rate, a feat in San Francisco’s competitive real estate market. Tenant improvements and renovations necessary to comply with ADA requirements were completed in August and SFV programming began at 3220 Fulton St. last month.
“We envision this new space as an innovative social model, demonstrating what’s possible when a village grows from a fledging start-up into a long-term community asset,” said Kate Hoepke, executive director, San Francisco Village. “We’re extremely grateful for the unique public-private partnership that’s been established between our organization, the City of San Francisco and NCCLF. It has enabled us not only to stay in San Francisco but to increase our capacity to serve older adults in this city.”
“It has been a privilege helping San Francisco Village secure their transformative 2,500 square foot space,” said Todd Rufo, Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD). “Under Mayor Lee’s leadership, the groundbreaking Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative is easing real estate pressures for important organizations like San Francisco Village so that they can focus on delivering impactful services to the people of San Francisco.”
With 2,500 square feet of newly renovated, accessible space, SFV is now able to host all of its programs at the same location, schedule multiple events at one time, hold open houses for potential members, and provide members with an informal gathering space that facilitates community building and increased social connection; which is so vitally important to older adults’ health.
SFV members have enthusiastically embraced the change – dropping in early before lectures to chat with staff, and engaging in discussions about the origins of civilization, the latest in technology and new developments in Alzheimer’s research.
Weekly meditation, a program near to many members’ hearts, has now grown to include 20 people, many of whom linger long after class ends to catch up over a cup of tea and deepen their burgeoning friendships.
San Francisco Village warmly invites everyone to attend its grand opening celebration, which is taking place on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at 3220 Fulton Street. To RSVP, please visit: https://sfvillage.org/events/?eid=6303.
About San Francisco Village
Founded in 2009, San Francisco Village is a non-profit, membership organization that helps San Franciscans navigate the transitions of aging through the provision of volunteer services, proactive educational and social programs, and referrals to a professional provider network. An intergenerational community, SFV includes 375 older adults, living in 22 different San Francisco neighborhoods and 175 non-member volunteers, all ranging in age from 16-96. To learn more, visit www.sfvillage.org.
About the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative
Launched by Mayor Ed Lee in 2015, the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative (NSI) ensures access to vital services and resources by helping nonprofits thrive and grow in San Francisco. In its first year, the NSI seeded acquisition of 26,000 SF of new, nonprofit-owned space and stabilized 36,000 SF of leased space for neighborhood services throughout the city. The program is administered by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development in close partnership with Northern California Community Loan Fund, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, and the San Francisco Arts Commission. To learn more, visit www.oewd.org/nonprofits.
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Contact:
Maya Kamath
San Francisco Village
maya@sfvillage.org
(415) 966-2913
Sara joined the team in 2018. She brings with her 20 years of experience in community development, philanthropy, and organizational management. She completed her bachelors at George Washington University and her masters at UC Berkeley. Her career focus has been on evaluating how community groups run from year-to-year and strengthening daily processes to increase institutional success. Sara loves travel and global development issues, particularly a non-profit she founded 10 years ago focusing on students’ access to school in Cambodia. Sara is raising her family here in San Francisco.
Maya is a public relations and communications professional with more than a decade of experience; her expertise includes consumer products and technology PR, as well as event management and content development. She has been a pro-bono consultant with the Taproot Foundation since 2012, and has participated in three service grants to date. Maya attended the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and graduated with a BA in mass communications and a minor in political science.