Day 3: St. Anthony’s

Today, the mission group met at Saint Anthony's in the Tenderloin District to sort and distribute clothes that have been donated to those in need through a free clothes program for those in need.  A few things stood out when we first arrived at St. Anthony's: how they had security at the entrance and how all the doors were locked.  Next, a bulletin board was placed directly opposite the front door containing posters labeled "MISSING" with a different person's photo below.  The volunteer work consisted of sorting clothes that we deem quality enough to wear ourselves into bins, and distributing those clothes to guests in need.  The sorting was split into 5 jobs; the first group was sorting clothes into separate piles: men's, women's, and children's clothing, shoes, and discard (undesirable clothing). Once the clothes had been sorted, the second group would place them into smaller bins sorting them more specifically (ie. shirts/tops, pants, jackets, etc).  The third section was quality control before the clothes were placed onto a rack preparing them for the store.  Once the clothes had all been sorted and placed onto a rack by the fourth station, the people at the fifth and final station placed clothes from the racks in the sorting room to distribute to guests of St. Anthony's and others.  Some members of the group also volunteered in the store working directly with the guests who were looking for clothing. After we finished at St. Anthony's, the group walked up Jones Street to Grace Cathedral where we had a discussion about what we had done so far and what we saw in the Tenderloin, ate lunch, played cards, and tossed a football for the rest of the day.  Overall, it was a very interesting experience being in a part of San Francisco we rarely experience, and interacting with those who live in the neighborhood.  It was rewarding knowing that the work we did today directly impacts those in need and that the clothing we were providing would maintain the dignity of those who wear it.

—John & Will