Fun prizes donated by your favorite area merchants.
A zippy custom cocktail by the mixologists at Blackbird.
Can't make it, but still want to support the party? Donate online.
Come For The People
Who are the volunteers we are celebrating at our Annual Social on November 16? Volunteers like Harry Breaux, Castro Ambassador.
Harry sees sharing his personal knowledge of the gay rights movement as his contribution to the welfare of the neighborhood, a neighborhood that is sacred to him. Being a volunteer "...makes the Castro a more warm, friendly and inviting place."
HARRY BREAUX
One of his most memorable moments as a Castro Ambassador was with an English woman and her two adolescent children. “I gave them directions to the Seward street slides. She came back later and told me their story. Her husband, the children’s father, had talked about visiting the Castro and enjoying the slides. He was a wonderful father, she told me, but he died of AIDS. He was gay. It meant so much for the kids to go to this place where their father had been.”
The "Care" in Castro Cares
Castro Cares is a unique, community effort that builds on the city’s baseline services.
The program supports homeless outreach teams to connect people living on the streets and at risk with the city’s social service system. At the same time, Castro Cares supports increased law enforcement with Patrol Special Police foot patrols.
$160mm/year is spent housing 9k formerly homeless individuals.
$80mm is spent providing health care, shelter, food, outreach, and subsidies to the 20k people experiencing homelessness in SF each year (7.5k is only the number on one night).
Thanks to these investments, San Francisco has seen a slight reduction in homelessness while Oakland, LA, Seattle and most every city on the West Coast saw double digit increases. Although this is a move in the right direction, it certainly isn't enough.
What This Means For Castro Cares
Castro Cares is doing interviews and site visits with other Community Benefit Districts, government officials, and groups providing care. We want to learn from them. We also want to coordinate our efforts.
You'll see in the CBD 2016-17 Annual Report what we've accomplished. Come to the Annual Social on November 16 to get a print copy. It will also be published online and linked to in our next e-newsletter and in social media.
The Annual Social is our only Castro Cares fundraiser in 2017. Your support is essential for our operations. Can't make it, but still want to support the party? Donate online.
“We all care deeply about the people that live on the streets,” explains Chase Chambers, general manager of The Apothecarium. “We want to make sure they have access to the services available. At the same time we love this crazy, colorful neighborhood. We want to make sure it remains a great place to live.”
Brittney Beck, general manager at Beck’s Motor Lodge, has noticed the change since Castro Cares launched in April, 2015. “The Castro is a small community,” she explains. “Everyone wants the neighborhood to feel clean and safe. Castro Cares helps.”
Invest In Our Neighborhood
We're not just talking about a financial investment. We mean a personal investment, too. Castro Cares reflects the generosity and commitment to the Castro we all share.
We are featuring our Annual Social on Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to show our sponsors some love online, at the party and when you see them in the neighborhood.
“Right after we came to San Francisco, we immediately fell in love with the city and the Castro neighborhood,” said Mat Schuster, founder and executive chef of Canela. “This is the neighborhood where we started our own family and have built our life together.”
We're grateful to Blackbird for being our venue for this year's Annual Social.
Their mixologists dreamed up a citrusy, light, and refreshing drink with a hint of elderflower just for the occasion.
Last month we asked you to share this newsletter with your friends, neighbors and colleagues in the Castro. Our goal is do DOUBLE our e-newsletter distribution by the end of this year.
To make our goal, we need your help. Please share this month's newsletter.
