St. Anthony's Young Professionals Council (SAYPC)
"By joining SAYPC, I'm an active participant in my community, and am able to get a real understanding of homelessness in San Francisco."
Living in San Francisco, poverty is something seen first-hand on a daily basis. Witnessing members of our community unsure of where their next meal will come from, lacking access to clean bathrooms, or living in tents on the street is heartbreaking and eye-opening, and we invite you to take action with us. SAYPC is a creative and passionate group with a diverse background that volunteers time and skills to extend the mission of St. Anthony's and change the conversation around poverty and homelessness.
If you're passionate about your local community and are craving more involvement, join SAYPC. Writers, designers, developers, advocates, public servants—everyone has a unique background and skill set that will add tremendous value to our group. Apply by submitting your application here.
Want to know more? Check out our Facebook page, or drop us a note!
Rachel Bayuk
Associate Program Manager, Salesforce (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: I started volunteering at St. Anthony's in the Dining Room as a way to connect with my community and proactively give back. The more I volunteered, the more I saw the amazing services St. Anthony's provided the guests and knew this was a special organization. I connected immediately with the guests and fellow volunteers and wanted to do more. SAYPC is the perfect spot to connect like-minded individuals to bring other young professionals into the St. Anthony's family and the work being done to help our neighbors living in poverty.
Katherine Chung
Sales Strategy & Operations Analyst, Salesforce (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: Serving on the SAYPC allows me to further St. Anthony's mission to empower and provide resources/support to some of our city's most vulnerable residents.
Lauren Fendel
Program Manager, YouTube at Google (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: Everyone deserves a place to call home.
Molly Marsh
Problem Solving Specialist: Coordinated Entry, Episcopal Community Services (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: San Francisco is the greatest city on the planet! Unfortunately, we also have a huge gap between the rich and poor that no one should ignore or sweep under the rug. I joined SAYPC to engage, invest, and empower the community around me that deserves the equity it's been deprived of for far too long. We are a beautiful, creative, and intelligent city, and I want to help our young people get on the same page of wanting compassionate and dignified care to be an unquestioned part of everyday life in San Francisco. I serve because I love this city and everyone in it!
Lili Polastri
Consultant, Beyond Blue Consulting (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: I had my first experience serving in the St. Anthony's Dining Room at a very young age and it's been near and dear to my heart ever since. Volunteering and joining the SAYPC enables me to be an active participant in my community, and obtain a deeper understanding of the growing issue of homelessness in San Francisco. I have lived in San Francisco for almost a decade, and one of the reasons I love it here is because of places like St. Anthony's that care deeply about the residents of this city, and treat all individuals with dignity and respect.
Albert Pan
Private Equity Investor, Vector Capital (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: After moving to SF, I knew I wanted to do something to help the underprivileged members of my new community. St. Anthony's is an amazing organization, and volunteering gives me the opportunity to connect with many of the city's wonderful residents. However, it hurts me to know that a lot of people in SF misunderstand the homeless crisis, leading them to unfairly stigmatize certain communities and certain neighborhoods here. I joined SAYPC so I can educate myself and other young people about what's actually going on and what we can do to build a more compassionate city.
Gillian Pressman
Senior Director of Development, Peer Health Exchange (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: St. Anthony's brings dignity, compassion, and connection to San Francisco's most neglected. The downside of San Francisco's growing cosmopolitanism and global outlook is that we may often ignore our own city's local struggles and inequities. St. Anthony's not only provides the highest quality services to local residents, it invests in advocacy, communications, fundraising, and volunteering to engage the broader community in solutions to local poverty. As a newer member of the San Francisco community, I feel called to connect locally and give back. I can't imagine a better organization to invest in than St. Anthony's!
Stephen Sih-Choi
Investment Analyst, Endowment Office at Santa Clara University (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: I grew up in the Bay Area and have watched San Francisco develop into the prosperous, technological hub it is today. As a young professional who has benefited from the uplift our city has seen, I think it is important to give back to those who have not been as fortunate as me. Through the SAYPC, I hope to foster a sense of community between people of all different backgrounds.
Justin Reyes
Accounts Payable, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: When I moved to San Francisco after college and saw how much poverty has increased, I had two things on my mind. First, I wanted to make a difference. Second, I wanted to do it with St. Anthony's, specifically SAYPC. Serving on SAYPC allows me to experience that same passion I had when I volunteered in high school, make a difference, and work with a great group of people that share the same values.
Cara Walden
Director of Chapter Relations, Girls in Tech (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: I was introduced to St. Anthony's by a former coworker. Her passion and commitment to this organization convinced me that it was something that I had to investigate on my own. I decided to volunteer for International Women's Day and immediately understood why she felt the way she did. What impressed me most is how St. Anthony's takes a holistic approach to supporting the homeless and low-income community in San Francisco. I walked away from the experience feeling like I had met amazing people doing important work who are invested in the community the way I want to be.
Katie Weller
Marketing Communications Writer, Fistula Foundation (LinkedIn)
Why I serve: My journey with St. Anthony's started when I was a college student. I spent a summer interning here and saw first-hand how the loving and inclusive community embraces everyone like a family–guests, volunteers, and neighbors alike. When I moved back to the city as a young professional several years later, jumping back in was a no-brainer. I'm thankful to be a part of SAYPC, and I'm proud of the work we do to connect our peers with the important conversations happening around poverty and homelessness in San Francisco.