that we have with the department of public health. in addition to rebuilding come up we are renovating clinics all over the city. -- rebuilding, we are renovating clinics all over the city. this involves a lot of collaboration and innovative projects. under the management of his team -- joe chin and edgar lopez -- we are building a world-class a hospital for the citizens of san francisco. the hospital will use an estimated 20% less energy, 40% less water than regular buildings around san francisco. it will be a rooftop garden.

we have light-reflecting roofing material. this is not only for the patients and there families, but to reduce the like which keeps our city cooler. we will use 30% less water to keep the hospital looking green. with today's economy, the part of the project we are most proud of is mayor lee has made it his main goal, but is creating jobs. we have over 140 local enterprise contractors involved with the project. it will be awarded at over $59 million. the project overall is tracking 30%, and with our contracts,

that is at 41%. [applause] this partnership has also successfully placed graduates into the various jobs including bricklayers and ironworkers. a lot of jobs happy to be here. and finally, our collaboration exemplifies the vision. is started with mayor lee. a big hand for our former director. we partner with the community and the city family. and here today, we do the best job we can. i want to thank you all for having us here.

we will be on time and on budget and the hospital will be ready. thank you very much. [applause] >> i want to recognize the chief of our fire department. the director of the mayor's budget and policy office. we have the director of the mayor's office of disabilities, carla johnson. the director of public finances. i would like to give her an extra thank you for all her work. the acting sheriff. the deputy chief -- thank you for being here today. thank you so much. we could not build the hospital without the builders. i would like to introduce the senior vice president of our builders.

>> you know, it is quite something to stand here and get a chance to reflect and look up at what this is really going to be. i would say three or four years ago when we were thinking about that, we did not have any specific ideas except we knew what we really wanted to accomplish. we knew we had to accomplish something great. if you think about those existing buildings that are here, they were built over 100 years ago. what really cured people back then was some light and fresh air. we had very few things to worry about on the design side. 100 years later, we have so many more things that can cure and help and benefit the community, and our hats go off to all those who have been a part of that. truly, from the architect and the engineering side and the entire engineering staff -- all the conditions, all the issues

that come together to provide the world class opportunities and facilities that are here. coupled with that our partners, dpw, the department of public health. it is really a collaboration above and beyond any single project. that is what makes the difference in some of these ceremonies. i have been to a few of them. this one will have a special place the cause of, it will be there, not only when it is needed with regular emergencies, but true emergencies. and the city has gone through those in the past. when you think about it -- the next earthquake, the ball bearings this is sitting on keeping the building will move as much as two and a half feet either way. when that all settles out and there are the needs and the demands pressed on the hospital, this hospital will be here to serve. to serve the community, the people who need it. that is why we are here today. something much larger than all

of us. thank you to the engineers, the designers, are partners at dpw. this was really a team effort. if a guy is standing up here in a suit, the guy's not in the suits in the background are the ones really doing the work. we look for the next couple of years to finishing at. thank you. [applause] >> to complete the building, we are taking the nation's. we have the san francisco general hospital foundation. they have been working very hard looking for donors. we want to acknowledge the board president, some of the board members. connie shannon, jennifer bilko, and all of there supporters.

we want to recognize them. they are going to help us finish. i would like to introduce the chairman of the board of directors for the san francisco general hospital foundation. she has just been working really hard seeking those donors to complete this project. >> [laughter] the concept of a moving building is a little -- terrifying. and wonderful. always when i'm out in the community, i feel so proud. and i really hope all of you do. the guys from the city and the fire department -- because this hospital is preeminent in every field in every way.

we care for patients in a compassionate and cutting edge way that is just phenomenal. 84% of the people in the city voted for a bond measure, and whoever heard of a bond measure passing the first time, let alone with 84%? it was a resounding "yes" vote for all of the people who do smart, capable, and compassionate work. i am so proud of the hospital. i am so proud. i am glad we're not stopping work for 1 minute. i am so proud and we're building this building on time and ahead of schedule and i want to thank everybody. thank you.

our we doing, everyone? -- how are we doing, everyone? >> we have an incredible relationship with cfs. we have leaders from the hiv/aids fight. many of them have become administrators and the health department. and soap ,ucfs -- and so ucfs has been an incredible partnership for department. [applause] >> thank you. it is such an honor to be here today, to represent the over 2000 employees who work here on this campus and come here every day to provide the best service

people can in partnership with the city. it is one of our major sites, not only for delivering health care, but also for teaching the bank in all of these schools -- the school of medicine, the school of nursing, the school of pharmacy, and the graduate school. this is a site that is important to all of us in terms of having cutting edge research. we have over $250 million on this campus as well as 800 people who work here doing research that will lead to the improvement of our health and the future. so, with this partnership, i am just so pleased looking out on this wonderful crowd to be here and to also say thank you for all the work that you dare.

thank you. >> i would like to recognize the vice counsel of planning and who is working with us throughout this process. it is such an honor to work with the honorable mayor ed lee. we have been given the initiative not only to get jobs, but also to work hard for the service. mayor lee has been nothing but a tremendous supporter of the department of public health. with the last budget, the department came out with no cuts in the budget. [applause] we are extremely grateful to him and his commitment to health. honorable mayor ed lee. >mayor lee: thank you, barbara.

good afternoon, everyone. this says "sweet." scott has his on. dennis is looking for an orange 1. i want to reiterate my thanks to everyone on the stage and in the audience. the team effort is really going on your. that is also effective in our economy does -- that is picking up. it is akin to attitude of the p.w. -- the can-do attitude of dpw. in everything that we're doing, there's a positive result if we all work together. that is the message here.

if i can add to this, two things. i want to continue thinking our san francisco general hospital foundation. as this building goes up, there'll have to be a lot of expensive equipment that goes in there. judy has a wonderful team and all the board members are here, to fill it with the most modern, lifesaving equipment, the greenest technology there is to make the best hospital so we take pride in that. why? because it is for these kids. they are going to be the future doctors, the future nurses, the future hospitals administrators. is all for you that we are doing this. because it with this team effort the promise was made, the promise with our board of supervisors was made a couple years back. we promised to create the best hospital. hopefully, for all of our future kids so they can work get it,

they can be there to be part of a wonderful community that is san francisco. that is why this is a wonderful opportunity to top off with the most fantastic -- it is the largest, as barbara said. but it is worth it, to have a world-class hospital for world- class city. everyone sharing in, this moment, this milestone to top off. the graffiti that we have here today is, for all of us to share in this very moment, is a great, great test to thank everybody for getting here, and we look forward to being here in 2015. so, we will do little sign i andage and have the last -- signage and have the last bean put in.

shall we say thumbs-up? we will sign at first and then give thumbs-up. with that? are you ready? all right. >> 3, 2, 1. [applause] [cheering]

[cheers and applause]

[cheers and applause]

>> good afternoon, i'm lisa van krekin and chair of the board of directors for the legal aid society here in san francisco. and i'm so pleased that you are all here to be a part of today's celebration, and i also thank you all for sustaining this fantastic institution and for making the critical work that we do possible. today, as you heard, we're recognizing and celebrating the 96th consecutive year of the legal aid society, providing free legal services for poor people. so first, please join me and raise your glass to toast the legal aid society. i have an empty glass but you all should have a little wine in your glasses. it's a good excuse to have some wine this afternoon. and help me toast to the 6

years of putting justice -- 96 years of putting justice to work. so to the legal aid society. thank you. during this past year, the society's attorneys, staff and volunteers have served literally thousands of clients and families throughout the bay area and their achievements have been numerous and really quite inspiring, as i'm sure most of you know. >> i'd like to share one achievement in particular in a title ix lawsuit filed on behalf of four low income high school girls denied equal treatment and benefits in their high school's athletic program, particularly the girl's softball team. you may not know the legal aid society is focusing on title ix work which is really exciting. after a 10-day trial in federal district court, the judge down in southern california held that the high school had violated title ix and found

that the inequalities demonstrated at the trial should have been rectified years before by the school and that promoting compliance with title ix is important societal value. he emphasized which is this wonderful quote that equality and justice are not luxuries, they are essential elements woven into the very fiber of this country and codified in title ix. title ix just celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, and its impact has been astounding. but progress at the high school level and below the high school level still remains painfully slow and i personally am so proud that this organization has taken the lead in standing up for high school girls and enforcing compliance with title ix at high schools in california. along with all of the other amazing work that the organization does, it's something which deserves great praise and great appreciation. i don't feel like -- [applause]

[applause] >> i would also like to extend my appreciation to first and foremost, our incredibly talented and dedicated staff at the legal aid society who work long hours with passion and with commitment to meet the urgent needs of the clients and the communities that we serve. i'd also like to thank the 200 volunteer attorneys, law students and interpreters who manage the help lines and staff, the five workers rights clinics that the legal aid society runs, the many law firms, including all of you who provide us with a wide range of pro bono advice and counsel, our many donors, businesses and members of legal communities, foundations and individuals. and the attorneys who designate the legal aid society as recipients of the fund and finally our committed colleagues on the board of directors who help steer the society with their leadership. finally, i'd like to express

special thanks to the 17 firms who are recognized on the screen and also in the program book who continue to participate in the time-honored addition of per attorney giving to the annual fund. that tradition and commitment is especially meaningful in these economic times when people have been cutting back a little bit on donations. thank you very, very much for joining us. and now please welcome my fellow board member, the tireless and hard-working esteemed chair of the luncheon committee, the very honorable james l. warren. [applause] >> i'm the guy that sends you all those emails saying thank you. and i mean it. i am jim warren, the chair of the committee, and it's my pleasure to welcome all of you here with everybody else.

we have more than 900 people in this room, law firms, corporations, public interest groups, judges, we have over 28 judges. i understand we have virtually every court, the superior court, the court of appeals the supreme court, the district court, the ninth circuit, but justice roberts had another conflict and couldn't make it. but i'd like to echo what lisa just said about the people who have committed so much money to making this organization functional. and i'd like to honor specifically certain of our donors who have contributed way above and beyond the call of duty. i'd like to honor odett and partners. [applause] >> lef cabraser. [applause]

>> latham and watkins. [applause] >> scad and arps. [applause] >> cooley. [applause] >> morrison and forester. pillsbury. and simpson thatcher. [applause] everybody here has contributed and these have made a special contribution which we want to honor separately. i also want to thank tracy jennison of kirkland and ellis for doing whatever she needed to do to get the fine wine donated by duckhorn wine company and shea lure. you should have bottled of that on your table right now. we're also grateful to mark richardson and merrill corporation who contributed the

printing of our luncheon program and menu, and i want to personally thank our friends at the recorder and "the daily journal" for their pro bono support in leading us up to today. i also want to thank the committee that worked on this and the honorary committee, all those people contributed to is. and now the only reason you really want to hear about from me is that i'm the guy that gets to give away presents. for the first time this year, we have compliments of our former chair, ken gurnsey, a silicon valley jawbone jam box. i don't know what it is. but i've been told by people who do that it's really wonderful. so what i'm going to do is draw -- hopefully you can put your name in here. i'm going to draw a name with

the person whose name i draw simply stand up and raise your runners come out and present you with your present. here it is. wow, it's heavy. it's got a picture of a boom box on it and the cover says "that was then." this is now." and this is now goes to danielle johnston from nixon peabody. where is danielle johnson? [applause] and second, as we have for several years, thanks as usual to doug clark from wilson, saw, and seeney. i have an ipad. but i won't have it for long.

because it's going to go to travis manfreddy of severi and severi. where is he? there you go. [applause] >> and now it's my pleasure to introduce what i always consider one of the high points of this program, our director of litigation, denise hewlitt will talk briefly about some of the things the legal aid employment law center does, and if these stories don't move you , bless you. >> good afternoon. as we gather to celebrate our 96th anniversary and recognize the generosity of the many people who contribute to our mission, the entire staff of the legal aid society wishes to acknowledge you for your

financial contributions, for your pro bono assistance, for volunteering in our law clinics and for providing organizational leadership. we recognize those contributions not as simple gestures of charity but as acts of justice. because in the eloquent words of nelson mandela, overcoming poverty is an act of justice. it is the protection of a fundamental human right. the right to dignity and a decent life. poverty, he said, is man made, and it can be overcome by the acts of human beings. now, the low-wage workers, they come to us in circumstances that are among the most precarious, and yet the most fixable of all poverty related conditions. what they require is a decent wage, health care, disability accommodations, and relief from

discrimination and financial exploitation. some of our clients are particularly vulnerable to poverty because they don't fit precisely in the categories of people the law protects. so, for example, when a woman is fired from her job, not because of gnder or race but because she's a victim of stalking and domestic violence and then is subsequently denied her unemployment benefits, we ensure that those benefits are restored and her income is protected. still, other victims of poverty fall into that vulnerability because of a health crisis such as the woman who was fired literally one day before she underwent mastectomy surgery, losing both her income and her health benefits on the same day. both have now been restored.