so, thank you. (applause) >> as we said, we want to make sure that we're reaching everyone in a culturally competent way through the program. to speak to that, the partner has done a lot of that work reaching up and down corridors like this one here. that's martin lam from good will. so, martin, if you could come up and speak. >> thank you, thank you very much. (applause) >> hi, on behalf of good will industry, i would like to -- i'm very honored to thank mayor ed lee and supervisor carmen chu for setting aside $400,000 to help local businesses to become a-d-a compliant. we filed with supervisor chu's office in the past to make sure we get the word out, make sure they know how to do the a-d-a -- more update for the a-d-a. and a lot of our businesses, most of our neighbors in this community are small businesses, mom and pop stores and who don't have a lot of cash flow every month. so, we are very grateful for the mayor and supervisor's office for giving us the

support. as you know, lawsuits can mean for a business that they have to close down if they don't have the cash to defend themselves hiring a lawyer. so, this past year alone, a lot of the small businesses actually have to move out of the city because of people doing drive-by lawsuits. here at the good will industry we are very grateful and one of our mission is to help people to create job opportunities for people who come here and work. so, one of the things that we care for is creating jobs in the city and preserving jobs in the city. so, last year we were able to have about 7,000 people just to come by and to shop for us and to provide job opportunities and training opportunities throughout our missions and our [speaker not understood]. once again, i want to thank the mayor and carmen chu for helping us to get this funding.

thank you. (applause) >> thank you all again so much for coming out. as you can see, this is a team effort so we can have the most and strongest collective impact in corridors like these and like the one investing in the neighborhoods program. i know the supervisor was very excited to get this program up and running right away. she'll be joining with the job squad member who has recently come onto the investing neighborhoods team, members of the office of small business to make sure we're getting the word out about this program right now. so, i just want to say thank you to all of you, to rob black from the restaurant association, benny yee to being here, our merchants, our neighbors and all the city partners who really believe in supporting the businesses and of course to todd from the office of economic and work force development, supervisor chu and our mayor ed lee. thank you so much for this opportunity to help out our small businesses in our community. thank you very much and we'll be available for questions later on. thanks. (applause)

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>> well, thank you, everybody. and welcome. happy thanksgiving and happy season of sharing and caring for each other. i just spent a wonderful morning with the inter-faith council and their 15th anniversary of breakfast with quite a host of wonderful, wonderful people who care about the city and about the world. and while the theme was articulated as a very rich greening theme, i think we found out from many, if not all of the speakers, that the way we care about our earth is reflected in the way we care for each other first and foremost. and that's really important. and, so, today i'm standing with people who have demonstrated their highest level of care for people, people who work and live and breathe the social safety net for everyone in our city. and i could not ever do my job

as the mayor, nor i suggest any member of the board of supervisors, elected office who also have responsibility for caring about the quality of life for everyone, unless we had a caring leadership in our social safety net. so, thank you, everyone, for coming and being part of this season of giving and a season of caring and sharing with everyone. you know, this year our season of giving campaign i'm focused on highlighting organizations that really work on the ground with our domestic violence victims, our youth, our seniors, our veterans, and certainly our homeless. and that's almost everybody. [laughter] >> but we definitely have a very specific programs that we have created with their help because we believe that targeting our efforts with each and every one of these groups has helped us over the many, many years getting past the rhetoric of simply saying that

we care and into real programs that change people's lives and get them into our system of help and support. this year we're also wanting to send a message with not only our social service provider but our whole business community. please help the victims of hurricane sandy on the east coast. their need, the winter here is relatively mild compared to what they're experiencing on the east coast. those harsh winters is the reason why i did my four years of college and i came right back to the west coast. [laughter] >> but they, again, reflect a high level of need out there. and i hope everybody who is listening on both the government channel and the wonderful media that we have, the multi-cultural media that we have, please do your best and go to sf gives back.org. the website, and find out how you can join our american red cross who is here today to help

all those victims. we have done so with not only our city's finest in our response network, but i know all these folks here have sent their volunteers, as well as utility companies who are helping them restore, even today, vital utilities and have their volunteers come and report back. and we will learn lessons about what has happened there and how we can, again, help ourselves by increasing our opportunities to be even more ready for our expected challenge of the earthquake. please, cecil, please come on up, yes, yes. please join us. i was just introducing both of you. [laughter] >> janice, for being part of our wonderful, wonderful world of connectivity. thank you very much for being

here. >> thank you. >> so, i'm also just wanting to go through some of the groups that have joined us this morning . the salvation army. [speaker not understood], cathy black is here. certainly michael and rita from the inter faith council who i had a chance to be with all morning. cheryl davis from more magic and operation impact, thank you for being here. brenda story from the mission neighborhood health center is here. from lock and youth street, thank you for being here. sister from st. anthony's is here. tyler and miller from hunters point family, you're here. thank you very much. ella wolf graham, center for young women's development is here this morning to join us. [speaker not understood] the good samaritan family resource center. paul from sf food bank are also here to join us.

and i'm sorry if i've forgotten anybody else, but you're as valued to us as everyone here today as well. i would also encourage that we use the newest ongoing evolving technology of the city to access the list of organizations that people can help connect up with. also, what other programs, if you're with much more resources, please go to our 311. i know nancy is here, the great leader of that organization, that talent. but also go to sf mayor.org as well to find out what other information you might want to have in order to reach out for more of the needy and help them in every way you can. i also want to say as part of this campaign that i'd like to announce that we again will be hosting snow day here at city hall. sometime in the month of december, the date hasn't been decided yet, but it will be

continuing a very great tradition, not only of welcoming the tree of hope, but also asking people to bring in nonperishable items that can be donated to people in need during these holidays. and bring them here to city hall as part of a great celebration that we have that unites everyone. it will be free. it will be youth and family oriented and again, it will be supporting our food bank. with that, i know that they're going to be happy today because i'm delivering 100 turkeys. [laughter] >> and that will make me happy in doing so. and i want to again suggest to you that part of this morning's cherish time was really understanding how helping other people can really help ourselves with our own spirits. this is what we do. this is the character of san francisco. we help others. it lifts up the spirit of this city. it's like winning a world series. and, so, again, part of today

was about bringing people who have cared for so many others in our city together with our city hall, represent how much we love and support them in what they do every single day. we can't fathom sometimes some of the deep, deep frustration and sympathy that goes on on a daily basis when people are met up with folks that are hurt and are the victims of their need. but at least we can take a moment to thank them and to provide them with an opportunity to talk about what they're doing and how they can ask others who were helping to be successful in the city to help more people become successful in their own lives. with that, i'd like to introduce some speakers this morning who will talk about their attention to giving and to providing for others. and i'll begin with somebody who i really have come to love and work with as a city employee and who has penetrated all of our wonderful

bureaucracy to help open us up even more. that's, of course, our director of the red cross. harold. come on up, harold. (applause) >> now that i know i'm a city employee, i'm hoping for a big pay raise. [laughter] >> you know, any time you're in a room with ed lee, you know that there are going things going on. what a wonderful leader he is for the city of san francisco and the entire bay area. we're so very fortunate to have in this the best place on the planet, some of the best leaders on the planet, without any question. i got a call from joaquin torres saying ed lee wanted me to be part of this program. i told my wife, we'll start vacation later. [laughter] >> i am honored absolutely to be a part of this. when i am in the room with

janice and cecil williams and rita semmel, it's hard to get better than that. i mean, these are people who have shown us the way, how to lead, how to put that compassion to very good work. so, i am honored to be here to say i want to make sure that all of you support the season of giving. we are only able to do the things we do as the red cross back at super storm sandy because we have neighbors helping neighbors. we served about 160 people to help out with that terrible storm back east. and the words i'm getting back from our volunteers and staff is, this is a horrific disaster. we're learning many, many lessons that will be translated into, god forbid, anything that might happen here in the bay area. so, know that we are always going to help our neighbors because it's the right thing to do. but it's also an opportunity to

learn from the latest things that are happening around the country and the world so that we know when something happens here that, a, we're going to join up with our partners from catholic charities, salvation army, the city, the county, and make sure that people are going to be cared for in the best possible way. we are honored to be a part of this fabulous community, and know that we are in such good company with the people arrayed here in this room. so, mr. mayor, again, thanks so very much for the privilege of being a part of this with you. >> thank you. (applause) >> thank you. you know, harold, all of the employees that i'm hiring have to take a pay cut. [laughter] >> so, be prepared. you know, we often refer to our city as a world class city. we have world class parks, world class restaurants.

we have world class sports teams and events. people from all over the world come and they seek out this great, great city. we also want to make sure people know that we are developing world class hearts in our city. and i can't think of anyone other than a couple who has been working on this world class heart for many, many years, have i think one of the best representations of that. that's william and janice. thank you for being here. please say a few words. (applause) >> stay right there, be comfortable. >> okay, thank you very much, mr. mayor. ed lee is first class, no doubt about it. his perception, his understanding, his work ethics, what he does for this city is unbelievable. and he will continue to do that. we know that.

there's no doubt about it. the season of gifts is so critical because what we do is reach people that are unreachable many times. people that are in great need and we would be utterly surprised at how many folks we have in just our city that, that are hard to reach. but to get to them and to let them know that we care and that san francisco is the city that really cares is something that is very colt cal. -- critical. so, we feel very strong little that we are not only serving one of the most important directions in regards to reaching people, but also meeting the needs of people. none of us is immune from disaster. all of us could go through disaster that would hurt even

those of us who have. so, we're trying to put the haves and the have nots together so that in what we do, the gift of love and the gift of courage and the gift of understanding and the gift of meeting others, this is a diverse city and we need each other. it's so critical. so, thank you very much. this is the time for the season of giving, reaching out to everybody. >> thank you, thank you. (applause) >> i just want to say it's an honor to be among such a group of champions. living in a city of champions. and i think having a champion mayor is so critical. and a take on the team of the giants who said we're a team, we do it together, we cannot do it without each other. and in this season of giving, i think we should be reminded that none of us can accomplish

what we accomplish alone, and that we as a team can accomplish what we want to in terms of giving and in terms of sharing our resources. because of the season of giving, we have been able to house and to prevent homelessness for over 500 families and individuals with rental assistance and also they have -- this is a phenomenal, phenomenal effort. again, thank you, san francisco, for helping us be a real team that are world class champions. >> all right. (applause) >> in the past week we have been treated to a public dialogue about something called mvp. if i were to look back at this year and note for our city someone who has been very special in working with me to

create over 5,000 jobs for youth, i would send an mvp for eric mc donald the united way for bay area. he's been bold, he's been penetrating, and he knows, too, it isn't just about jobs. it's about caring for our youth and making sure the doors of opportunity are open. and now he's working with me and with the rest of the city on how to go beyond jobs because people who aren't ready for jobs will continue their habits that might end up in violence. and, so, he's helping me establish relationships on the ground level with everything from religious organizations outreaches, to community outreach. but, eric, today i want to thank you again for stepping up on behalf of both united way and all of the different organizations you represent and being part of the season of giving. come on up, eric. (applause) >> thank you, sir. so, thank you, mr. mayor. it's certainly a privilege to stand with you and the rest of my colleagues who are champions and advocates in our community.

in many respects it's such an exciting time here in san francisco. so many amazing things happening as we continue to build on this world class status that we have, from new business, big tech, new teams, and the like. and at the same time in many respects it's kind of a tale of two cities. while all of that amazing stuff is happening, at the same time reverend williams pointed out there are folks in need who are still challenged and struggling to meet basic needs of food and shelter and clothing. so, this is a wonderful time, especially in the season of thanksgiving. i would offer to be grateful for the opportunity to actually give back, to be grateful for the opportunity to help others who can't help themselves. so, certainly as united way has committed self to cutting poverty here in the bay area, we are proud to partner with the mayor and the rest of these, again, amazing individuals and organizations who are trying to ensure that we have a not just a safe net, but a strong safety net that enables folks to not only meet their basic needs, but then begin to thrive. it's great that you can, again,

find food for a day and find shelter for a day, but more important that you can find a path that leads you towards prosperity. and, so, we're thrilled to be here. i would challenge everyone, i could do three things. one, give what you can. two, advocate for those who don't have voice. and then three, volunteer as much time as you can to community and ensure folks can meet their basic needs. mr. mayor, thank you for having me here and helping in your leadership in this effort. (applause) >> all right. during the giants world series celebration, i ran into a lady that many of you might be familiar with. she during the giants game, she's up in the stands dancing and she's the dancing grandmother. rosalie alioto. and i had a chance to meet her. of course, i've got to tell my joke because i'm a jokester. so, the first thing i said to rosalie was, you know, i just want to let you know, because i'm going to keep saying it, i bet you you can run the bases faster than prince fielder. [laughter] >> and make it around before

buster posy gets you. is that's the respective for our seniors who are active and supporting us like rita semel and others who are helping so much reach out. and a person that i've just admired for so many years and had a chance for some years to represent her constituents when they had legal problems of evictions, and now it's about nutrition and about health and that's annie chung for the elderly who continues to be a voice for our seniors and joining in to say let's not forget those that promised we would have good housing, good nutrition, safety in our streets. allow them the respect that's due in their years forward. and we join everybody here today to make a commitment to our seniors that will be there to help you and never abandon what years of sacrifice you had for our city.

annie chung from self-help for the elderly. (applause) >> hello, everybody, and thank you, mayor, for leading the way to let our san franciscans know that the season of giving is also a season of miracles. i think those of us here in this room with you always feel that, oh, my god, that's not enough turkeys for the food bank, for the needy families and that's not enough food for the hungry seniors that come through our meal site at many of our social service agencies. but yet every time, every time around this year thanksgiving and christmas, we find very, very generous donors and check suddenly appear like mayor will be delivering 100 turkes, 150 turkeys to the school for that we are very thankful. mayor, we are celebrating thanksgiving with 3,000 of the very low-income seniors in chinatown.

and as of now i think that we got all the turkeys covered. thank you very much. [laughter] >> and the gratifying thing is we have a lot of volunteers this year. we have so many volunteers that we had to put a stop last friday and say, we have no more space to put you. so, i think that people feel that around thanksgiving and christmas is not just a time to spend with our own families, but really a time to give back to the community. so, i urge all of you to pass the word that there's a lot of needy elderly and youth and families in the community that is waiting for a little bit of assistance so that they're well on their way to leading a full and productive life. so, we need to all reach out and dig deeper into our own pockets and find the spare change that we can find this season and turn them into small and big miracles so that people that are in need will have a wonderful thanksgiving and a

wonderful christmas. and mayor, thank you for being our passionate leader. and every year gather us around this time to remind people holidays is not just about gift buying, but it's about gift-giving. thank you very, very much. (applause) >> see, as you can see in everybody's remarks, it's really moving to be part of the giving that all these organizations are part of. we'll be getting ready for thanksgiving. i'm excited that tomorrow i'll be carving turkeys at salvation army in st. anthony's and we'll be handing out turkeys to the needy at mission economic development group and the center for young women's development. and then i'll also be enjoying myself prepping meals for thanksgiving at glide memorial. so, we have thousands of people that got to be helped and served. again, we can't do it without everybody's help.

and i ask everyone, please have listen to the people here, you've seen their sacrifices. they are doing god's work. i want to make sure that we have the information given out to the rest of the public how to join in this wonderful effort, how to make san francisco the character of serving and sharing as it should always be. and, so, again, please call 311 or go to our websites. i direct you for all of that and for continuing this wonderful holiday spirit. but most importantly, for caring for each other. thank you very much and have a happy holiday. thank you. (applause) ...