HOLIDAY FUND: At St. Anthony's, no questions asked HOLIDAY FUND: At St. Anthony's, no questions asked (December 03, 2003)

By John Flood

Special to the Almanac

They come to St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room near Menlo Park after standing for hours in a line waiting for a day job that never came. Some are just out of jail and need clothing, a hot meal and a reassuring word; and some -- former landscape gardeners, pool cleaners and construction workers -- bring their entire families.

Whatever their situation, when a person comes to St. Anthony's for a meal, no questions are asked; no one is turned away.

"We have people coming in from everywhere and all nationalities," says Max Torres, operations manager at St. Anthony's. "We accept everyone. The only requirement is that a person be hungry.

"We're a stepping stone for people to get better."

Founded in 1974 by Brother Dominic Pereira, St. Anthony's began as a traditional soup kitchen for the needy. Today, the organization has 10 full-time employees and 168 volunteers who serve 540 complete meals every day, six days a week, says Mr. Torres.

Since its inception, St. Anthony's has served over three million meals, he says. And the demand for help continues. In 2002, the dining room served about 120,000 meals; in 2003, 160,000. By 2004, the demand is expected to approach 180,000 meals, says Mr. Torres.

But St. Anthony's isn't just serving hot meals. The organization provides free clothing, sleeping bags and toiletry kits to 800 men, women and children each month.

Every holiday season, St. Anthony's conducts a toy giveaway for 2,000 children, with assistance from the Menlo Park Fire Department. A public health nurse is available one day each week. And one day each week, the organization distributes bags of groceries with canned goods and food staples.

But the downturn in the Bay Area economy has forced St. Anthony's to make difficult decisions.

"We've seen a sharp decline in donations," says Mr. Torres. "We've reduced our food giveaway program from three to one day per week. We've had to cut back."

The organization runs on contributions from individuals, foundations and community-based organizations. It also receives food donations from grocery stores and markets.

Volunteers make the difference, says Mr. Torres.

"Many of us are just a paycheck away from where these people are," says Mr. Torres. "At St. Anthony's we found more than a place; we found a family."
INFORMATION

For information on St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room, call Max Torres at 365-9665. Your contributions to the Holiday Fund help St. Anthony's.

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