Like many of us, Larry Zabo was surprised to learn that he could develop new and loving friendships late in life. “I was overjoyed to reach 80,” he said, “but then came a new reality of vulnerability at my age, and mortality.” As a single gay man without children, he knew that being part of a community that offers support and connection would help him live into the old age he wanted.
Since joining San Francisco Village, Larry has discovered that he can share his experience, talents and vulnerability with people who understand what he’s going through. Most importantly, he’s learned how to ask for help. When he found out that he would need major surgery, he reached out to members of his Neighborhood Circle for support. Their wholehearted responses have blown him away.
These new friends, whom he now considers family, have offered to drive him when needed; to shop and prepare meals; to provide recovery tips; and even spend the night when he returns home from the hospital. For Larry, these gestures of kindness and support have made a lasting impression on his sense of security and confidence.
But, as Larry points out, belonging to San Francisco Village is so much more than getting help when he needs it. “It’s deeper than that. It’s sharing my life with others, laughing together, commiserating about the vicissitudes of aging, being there for one another, and knowing that I am loved.”
During the past 12 years, San Francisco Village has become a trusted companion for thousands of older San Franciscans. We invite you to join us and discover for yourself the difference community makes.
Want to know more about San Francisco Village membership? Please click here or call us at 415-387-1375 x 2.
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.