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From the desk of our
Executive Director:
Winter has arrived - finally - with its typical chill, welcomed rain, shortened daylight hours and lengthy shadows from the low-hanging sun. Many would find this sun-starved time of year rather depressing were it not for the holidays that unite us with seasonal music, creative light displays, savory food and shared, festive traditions.
At Maitri one of our own cherished seasonal traditions is our annual
Holiday Open House
. If you were not able to attend this year's open house, know that you missed an amazing "spread" of holiday-themed food and treats prepared by our hardworking kitchen staff and a joyful series of live seasonal musical performances. We welcomed over 250 guests to the December 12th event this year, our highest attendance ever. It was an absolute joy seeing long-time supporters and those new to Maitri come together with our residents to celebrate the loving spirit of the season. If you've somehow managed to miss our Holiday Open Houses, I strongly encourage you to make a point of joining us next year!
If you have not already done so,
please consider making a year-end gift to Maitri to help ensure that no San Franciscan struggling with advanced AIDS ever has to suffer alone. With your continued support, we look forward to many more joyous holidays at Maitri
until there is a cure.
Warm regards,
Michael Smithwick
Executive Director
Here's what we have for you in this issue:
Please consider forwarding this newsletter to a friend who may not yet know us. As always, thank you so much for your generous support of Maitri's programs benefiting our residents who struggle every day with advanced AIDS.
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 New Staff at Maitri
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Allison Moss - LVN
Allison recently joined the Maitri staff as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). She is a Bay Area native with a passion for San Francisco and all the sparkle and magic it offers. Allison changed her career to nursing from sales to have a more soul-fulfilling purpose. She has volunteered for numerous LGBT nonprofits over the years. Allison received her LVN license from City College of San Francisco, and is currently in a RN program at Mendocino College and hopes to graduate in May 2016. Her focus lies in is HIV/AIDS nursing and palliative/hospice care. Allison makes a wonderful addition to the nursing staff, and Maitri is very fortunate to have her on the team.
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Employee Spotlight:
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Enid Navarro - Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)
Enid has been a CNA at Maitri for almost a year. She is known for her nurturing, caring and loving attention to the residents of Maitri. Enid is the mother of 2, son and daughter, one in high school and one in college. Her biggest dream is for her kids to graduate college and have families of their own. Enid is beginning to study for her certification in massage therapy and hopes to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Maitri appreciates Enid's dedication, beautiful smile, compassionate spirit and hard work.
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Volunteer Update
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Volunteer Training Group in October 2015
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Volunteers are at the heart and soul of Maitri. During this season, we are so thankful for volunteers that assist our residents and bring cheer to our community.
Volunteers help with all facets of life at Maitri, including taking residents on outings and to medical appointments, sitting with ill or dying residents, helping with administrative projects or fundraising events, and volunteering in our community garden.
Please consider making a personal New Year's resolution to become more deeply engaged with Maitri as a volunteer. Our next Training Weekend for new volunteers is April 15-17. For more information about volunteering, or to get started sooner, please contact Volunteer and Activities Coordinator Madeleine Mulderrig.
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Fall Events in Words and Photos
Bliss Thank You Reception and Dinner
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In October, Maitri hosted a special
Thank You Reception and
Thank You Dinner for our major sponsors of Bliss 2015. While dining we enjoyed performances from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Maitri's Executive Chef Ann Kong and staff prepared the reception dishes, and Chefs Matthew Metcalf and Jordan Eaton prepared the dinner event cuisine.
Several of Maitri's residents spontaneously decided to speak to our dinner guests about how appreciative they are for Maitri and how their lives have been changed for the better. All hearts were touched.
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Executive Director Michael Smithwick with Steve Adams
(Senior Vice-President of Sterling Bank & Trust) and Lino Fritz
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Executive Chef Ann Kong and staff
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Board Member Mark
Wallace, Sponsor Michael Winningham,
Board Members, Jill Stockwell and
Christina Raymond
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The Bridgemen
Special thanks to the
Bridgemen for volunteering to paint Maitri 's exterior.
They did a wonderful job, and Maitri says a big "thank you"!
Grass Roots Gay Rights Generosity
Executive Director Michael Smithwick pictured above receiving a group check from Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation.
Maitri received $2,500 from GRGR this year and is most grateful for their longstanding support.
Thanksgiving Celebration
Executive Chef Ann Kong prepared a special feast for Thanksgiving at Maitri, featuring an impressive menu that residents ordered from...
just like in a fancy restaurant. Residents were encouraged to invite family and friends to join them for the meal. As always, Thanksgiving
at Maitri was filled with lots of warmth and love.
Holiday Open House
Maitri's 2015 Annual Holiday Open House on December 12 was a big success. A record number of more than 250 friends and supporters attended to enjoy
live seasonal musical performances by vocalist C.S. Riley, Oakland East Bay Gay Men's Chorus and JoyousLee Violin and Piano Studio (hard not to feel
cheery when listening to school children play holiday tunes on violin and piano!). Jonathan Campbell was our very convincing Santa Claus (yes, that it a real white beard!) and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence played convincing elves. Executive Chef Ann Kong and her staff laid out a fabulous holiday feast for all to enjoy.
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| Former staff member Enver Rachmanov and a resident |
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| Santa Claus showing love to one of our residents |
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State Senator Mark Leno and Michael Smithwick
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Santa Claus (Jonathan Campbell) and
a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence.
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Oakland East Bay Gay Men's Chorus
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Kristen's Annual Bake/Jam Sale
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Michael Smithwick, Kirsten Havrehed and Jerry Wilder at Kirsten's annual holiday sale on December 12.
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Much beloved Kirsten Havrehed again hosted her annual holiday sale offering jams, jellies and baked good with 100% of the proceeds to benefit Maitri. Kirsten is a former In Home Care Provider who has supported Maitri for many many years. Maitri is very grateful to Kirsten for all of her support over the years.
She is truly an inspiration!
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Axel Craig Osterberg - Artist
Axel recently took brush in hand to extend our wonderful lobby landscape art out to our exterior entry vestibule. In addition to his artistic talent, Axel He is a playwright, author and, actor and artist. His column ASTROLOGIK appears in a number of local periodicals. His Living arts collective,
All Tribes Playhouse, encourages people to play nicely together. Axel lives in SF with his dog Lovey and has been a friend of Maitri for many years. We thank Axel for his generous donation of artistic talent to help make Maitri even more visually inviting to our staff, residents, volunteers, guests and passersby.
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James Schenk - Destino Chef/Owner
Recently James was the featured chef at a Maitri fundraiser/birthday dinner ( "Dinner at Maitri" ) for supporter Terry Clark and 18 of his friends. Over the last 16 years, native San Franciscan James Schenk has applied his personal vision of the "Modern Latino" lifestyle and consistently ended up on the cutting edge of culinary trends. From opening the Bay Area's first upscale Peruvian restaurant, Destino, in 2000 to creating Pisco Latin Lounge (the first pisco bar in the U.S.) in Fall 2008, James has earned a loyal, local following and several people's choice awards for venues that feature a winning combination of flavors, presentation and ambiance. We thank James for supporting Maitri in this creative and most appreciated way.
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Matthew Metcalf - Chef/Owner of Creative Culinary Concepts
Along with friend and fellow chef Jordan Eaton, Matthew was the featured chef for Maitri's
Bliss 2015 Major Sponsor Thank You Dinner in September. Chef Metcalf spent five years as the Executive Chef at Annabelle's Bar & Bistro, a California themed restaurant in the Union Square area of downtown San Francisco. He is also a recent member of the American Culinary Federation and is pursuing his Certified Executive Chef accreditation. Over the last two years Matthew has been doing restaurant consultations, private catering and finding some time to play golf on the side.! In October 2015 he moved to Hidden Valley Lake, 25 miles north of Calistoga. He plans to open a casual Italian restaurant in the area in 2016. We are grateful to Matthew for remaining generous to Maitri in this creative way even though he has relocated to the north bay.
Photo at left is of Chef Matthew Metcalf and Chef Jordan Eaton
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If you or someone you know has a musical talent, culinary talent or artistry that you would like to share with Maitri and its residents,
please contact Toni at [email protected]
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Upcoming Event in 2016
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2016 Gala - Academy of Friends
Maitri has been selected as a major beneficiary of the 2016 Academy of Friends Oscar Night Gala. The 2016
Academy of Friends (AOF) Oscar Night Gala is being held on Sunday, February 28, 2016 in the San Francisco Design Center Galleria, located at 101 Henry Adams Street (near 8th & Townsend). Please join us for some of San Francisco's best food and wine while you watch the 2016 Oscar's being hosted by Chris Rock. 100% of the proceeds will benefit Maitri. Please mention Maitri when
purchasing your ticket.
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BLISS 2016 Update
Mark your calendar now! BLISS 2016 will take place Sunday, May 1 at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center beginning at 4 pm. We're thrilled to announce that Emmy award winning actor/comedian, Leslie Jordan will be our most fabulous MC/Host for the gala 2016. We will also be most fortunate to have ballet troupe, Man Dance Company and Oakland jazz vocalist, Branice McKenzie entertain us with their amazing dance and vocal talents. The food and libations at BLISS 2016 will again be prepared by our good friends at Mission Bay Conference Center in their spacious and delightful venue that we have enjoyed for the last three years. Our silent and live auction offerings will be sure to please. Bliss 2016 sponsorship Packages start at $1,000 and individual tickets are available for $225. We encourage you to purchase your sponsorships and tickets early, as last year's event was SOLD OUT.
We will be proudly celebrating 29 years of service at Bliss 2016. If you would like to be a sponsor, donate to our live/silent auction, or volunteer, please reach out to
Toni Newman, Maitri's Development Manager.
We hope to see you all at this inspiring event, the proceeds of which go directly towards the compassionate care of Maitri's residents.
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Maitri Wish List for the Holidays
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Gift Ideas
- DVDs
- Couch
- Dre-Comfort Compact Blanket Warmer
- KitchenAid Standing Mixer (4.5 qt. size)
- Desk
- Microwave Stand
- Small Refrigerator
- Armoire
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- Jigsaw puzzles (the harder the better-1000 piece and 1500 piece preferably)
- Robes
- Slippers
- PJs (warm bedclothes)
- Scarves
- Hats
- Winter gloves
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Gift Cards
- Safeway
- Target
- Starbucks
- Ross Stores
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"
Maitri is like sitting on a lotus flower, which to me,
is very warm, beautiful and compassionate."
Before arriving at Maitri, Sorrita had been living in San Francisco for almost 28 years, and was homeless for many of those years. She was a heroin addict, finding shelter and lodging where she could until her health began to deteriorate. "My heroin addiction kept me on the streets, and I had no place to call home," says Sorrita.
When Sorrita was diagnosed with advanced AIDS, a Nurse Practitioner from the Methadone Clinic told her about Maitri. "She said Maitri is a hospice, but that it also provides medical stabilization for people like me. She said it was a place I could get the care I needed to get back on my feet and keep living. Maitri has been very supportive, and I am so happy to say I am now stronger and looking forward to being independent again." At Maitri, we are giving Sorrita who spent so many years on the streets the compassionate care she so desperately needs.
"Maitri is like sitting on a lotus flower, which to me is very warm, beautiful and compassionate," says Sorrita. "The services at Maitri are first class, and I am truly grateful for all the love and compassion I have received since I have been here. I feel whole once again and excited to resume my life with a positive spirit and renewed health."
Join us in giving others like Sorrita, who bravely face a life and death struggle with late--stage AIDS, a second chance at a full and independent life.
Please consider making a tax--deductible donation today to support Maitri's good work for both our hospice and medical respite residents.
Maitri has faced increased demand for our services this year, making your gift all the more critical-and impactful. Thank you so much for your generosity and for remembering Maitri's residents during the holidays.
Michael Smithwick,
Executive Director
P.S. Maitri Compassionate Care is a 501(c)3 organization. Please consider making your donation before December 31 for 2015 tax deductibility purposes.
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