Interview of Susan Napoliello

David Cowen interviewed Susan Napoliello about her work with Bayview Mission in San Francisco:

How did you initially get connected with Nina and Bayview Mission?

My husband and I were living in Malaysia where I was an elementary principal at an international school in Kuala Lumpur. Instead of renewing my contract, we decided we needed to be closer to family. We agreed to take a ‘pause’ from our professional careers and devote ourselves during the first six months of re-entry reconnecting with family and engaging in community service. We chose San Francisco as our home base, as I was born here and we had spent four years in San Francisco prior to seven years overseas. During our last year in KL, I came to San Francisco on business, and one morning I decided to walk up the hill from the Hyatt to attend a service at Grace Cathedral. As I sat in the choir stall and listened to Nina give a homiletic about Bayview Mission, I knew we’d found a place to hang out during the ‘pause!'


I was told you used to work in a part of the Mission called "Produce Land." Please tell us more about this.

On our first day, we were given a choice of assignments: inside the garage packing groceries or outside in ‘Veggie Land’ sorting and bagging produce. It wasn’t a tough choice, as we both enjoyed exercise and fresh air. Soon we were lifting produce bags and boxes, counting the contents and estimating distribution quantities all under the loving supervision of Hal, the ‘Boss of Veggie Land’, as we affectionately called him. After making a ‘test bag’ of produce ranging from melons to cucumbers (It was a different assortment of produce every week depending on the donations we received from the Food Bank), we set-up assembly lines that could accommodate the arrival of volunteers throughout the morning. By noon, we had 5 bins of plastic bags filled with produce ready for distribution.

You started the homeless ministry with the Mission. Please tell us how this came into being and the kinds of work you do with the homeless.

Before I began volunteering at Bayview Mission, Nina had collected supplies for homeless which included hygiene products (mostly toiletries from hotels), backpacks and blankets. Items were distributed as requested by clients. As the number of volunteers working in ‘veggie land’ grew, I looked for other ways to support the Mission. I approached Nina about developing a formal outreach to the homeless who were living in the area. By that time, my husband and I had been volunteering at Bayview for about a year. We’d given up the ‘pause’ for a new way of life focused on service. In addition to Bayview we were involved in several community projects geared toward the homeless, including SF Project Homeless Connect. As ‘client escorts’ during Connect events, we learned the value of getting to know our clients and calling them by name.

At Bayview, we began the formal ministry by learning each person’s name and by asking specifically what they needed, rather than simply handing them a pre-packed bag of toiletries. As several clients requested soups with pull-tops, we began adding extra food to the ‘hygiene bag.' Nina started putting aside donations like underwear and socks that were being requested. Beginning as a small ministry in terms of clients and donations we now regularly see 20-30 ‘friends’ every week and distribute hygiene and food bags, underwear, shoes, clothing, coats, towels and blankets. Knowing our clients by name and giving them what they need creates an atmosphere of dignity and friendship. Every Monday, I go home having shared and received a ‘million smiles!'


I understand you are at the School for Deacons. What in particular are you studying and how far along are you?

I have just finished the first semester of a three year program that includes academic study (courses like Old Testament and Church History), liturgical study (knowing and practicing the Episcopal liturgy, including homiletics), Social Ministry (practicum in service like Bayview Mission) and Spiritual Formation (clarifying and responding to our Baptismal Covenant).

Once you are finished, do you envision carrying on with the kind of work you have done with Bayview Mission.

At this point, I am certain of one thing, service has become a way of life. The School for Deacons compliments what has already been carved in my heart.

WE'RE ON YOUTUBE!!!

San Francisco Bayview Mission presents to you this magical experience in cinematic history:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqqHiaME_6s

"Velvet Box in My Heart"

The following reflections were written by Susan Napoliello in response to the death of Bayview Mission client Margurite:

The ‘velvet box in my heart’ was filled this week with memories of a client who had been killed.

Yesterday, a fellow volunteer called to tell me about the death of a client we served. A little over a year ago, I took over a ministry at Bayview Mission working with people who live on the streets or in temporary shelters in the Bayview area. I’ve had many poignant moments with clients, but none as profound as those I shared with Margurite.

Not the easiest of clients to work with, she would send volunteers scattering in her wake. She often announced her presence with shouting and would confound the most patient volunteer with her peculiar lists of dos and don’ts. Noticing her coming from a block away, volunteers would shout my name, hoping I would be able to contain her rantings and prevent a conflict with other clients. As a group, we learned to read her moods and amateurishly diagnose her symptoms in an effort to rationalize her actions and respond appropriately. We shared stories to help us humanize Margurite’s daily life and bring compassion to our hearts. We celebrated moments when she seemed happy and made an effort to bring joy to her life by little kindnesses that paid attention to her compulsions and phobias.

Hearing her story about being robbed outside the check cashing business where she was pushed and shoved to the ground breaking her arm, brought tears of sympathy. Six weeks later, after she tore off her cast too impatient to let it heal properly, we feared that the swelling would lead to a permanent disability. We came to see her belligerence as a way of coping with life, and she came to trust us, knowing on some level that we cared, that she mattered to us. We knew she didn’t want to be touched, she would pick a fight verbally if she thought you were disrespecting her and she didn’t want people to know she was getting food from the pantry.

Nina tells all volunteers not to judge, to take each client as they come. Margurite challenged us and taught us to embrace Nina’s ethos. She was just as much a God-given gift to us as we were to her. I remember the first time I asked for her name and she told me that I wouldn’t be able to pronounce her real name, so she gave me a name I could master, Margurite.

I think of the last time Margurite came to our ‘new church’. She arrived late, after we had closed the door. Shouting through the garage she announced her name, “It’s Margurite.” As I rose to speak with her, I noticed loving looks from the volunteer, some who had 12 months ago rolled or averted their eyes when Margurite walked up the hill. When I came out, she was sitting on the steps to Nina’s house, just like she owned it, I commented that her arm seemed to have healed and in response she waved it around to demonstrate her new-found flexibility. When I returned with her bag, she lit up when I told her it contained two cans of clam chowder (a passion we all knew about). After I said good-bye and closed the door, she shouted again indicating she had one more request, “Do you have any jeans in my size?” I told her I would try to find some for next week and she seemed pleased. On Monday, one of my fellow volunteers brought a pair of jeans for Margurite and a belt in case they were too large. Margurite never came, and on Monday, I found out why. Over the weekend, she had been walking on a freeway, struck by three cars and killed.

Though I am saddened by Margurite’s death, I am heartened that Bayview Mission, a new church of volunteers and clients, is a mature group, one that has grown over time to transcend appearances and transform judgment into love. I am not worried about how we will all respond on Monday when we meet together. Through the grace of God, Margurite came into and touched our lives. We are stronger as a group and more able individually to see the face of God in our clients. She brought us that! Though I mourn her loss, I am blessed with many treasures in my velvet box that are marked Margurite, the name I can pronounce.

Police Report on Margurite

The Bayview Mission was terribly saddened by the news of the death of a long-time client of the Mission's food pantry by the name of Margurite. Margurite was killed by a hit-and-run driver on I-280 in San Francisco.

The following police report was published in the San Francisco Chronicle on October 10 of this year:

   (10-09) 11:53 PDT SAN FRANCISCO --
The California Highway Patrol is looking for a hit-and-run driver who
struck and killed a pedestrian on Interstate 280 in San Francisco.
The victim was hit just after 10 p.m. on southbound I-280 north of
Ocean Avenue, said CHP Officer Shawn Chase. The motorist didn't stop,
but two other drivers who subsequently hit the person did, Chase said.
The victim has not been identified. The damage to the body was so severe
that it was not immediately clear whether the person was a man or woman,
Chase said.  The victim was struck just moments after the CHP received
reports of someone wandering on the shoulder and walking in and out of
traffic, Chasesaid.  Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP at
(415) 557-1094.

Bee Busy at Bayview

(Photos by Victoria Holt and the Rev. Nina Pickerrell)

For two weeks, from Monday, August 10 to Friday, August 21, Bee Busy at Bayview Mission was in session. This is an annual vacation Bible school led by the Rev. Nina Pickerrell. For the first week, the camp was held at Grace Cathedral; the second week took place at the Bayview Mission. Ms. Pickerrell has hosted this camp for about 5 years. A number of kids from throughout the San Francisco community played games, did arts and crafts, took tours of the cathedral, and engaged in a number of activities that would not be possible anywhere else in the city.


During the first week, the Rev. Nina, the 20-plus kids, and a number of youth and adult counselors occupied the dining hall at Grace. This location enabled the group to tour various sections of the cathedral, some of which would normally be off-limits to guests, including the nave, the columbarium, the bishop's office, and various basement rooms. Several cathedral staff also talked about Grace's history and secrets to the campers. The kids were additionally given the opportunity to walk the labyrinth in silence and to sing "Amazing Grace" in the cathedral, the latter being a stunning musical experience! In between these tours, the kids had ample space to do such crafts as beading, drawing, and crocheting, as well as to play with balls, frisbees, and hula hoops in the courtyard. Both breakfast and lunch were provided daily.

In a question and answer session with some of the campers, it was revealed that eleven languages are spoken among ten of the kids. Most of the kids also play at least one musical instrument and participate in multiple sports.

During the second week, the campers of Bee Busy came to Nina's house in the Bayview, otherwise known as the Bayview Mission. Again, the kids engaged in such crafts as beading and painting. Breakfast and lunch were again provided. They also got into a circle everyday and were read to by youth counselors. They additionally partook of some activities that they had not gotten to do at Grace Cathedral. That Monday, the camp coincided with the weekly food pantry at the Mission. The kids all worked together to fill backpacks to be given out to other children from the neighborhood. They also got to keep one backpack of their own. A few of the campers and counselors remained to assist with the food pantry after the day of camp was over. On Wednesday, a family from a farm in Petaluma brought farm animals, which included a small petting zoo of chickens and rabbits, as well as two horses and a pony that could be ridden by the kids-and even a few adults!

The fun continued on Thursday and Friday with an inflatable pool and seven-foot tall slide that the kids made use of enthusiastically, in spite of the cool, overcast San Francisco weather.

The Rev. Nina feels confident that she had the only 7-foot shark pool in the Bayview that day. "It was a joy to watch the children experience water play on a summer day!"

Victoria Holt Interview

David Cowen interviews Victoria Holt about Bayview Mission

You have been involved at Bee Busy at Bayview Mission every summer for a number of years. Did you attend the camp as a child?

I attended the camp back when it was Vacation Bible School at the cathedral, but it was much more of a religion-centered thing back then. I was very young and so have only vague memories, but I remember arts and crafts, making popsicle buildings and playing with Nina's amazing collection of stamps. We had the same awesome tour of the cathedral that the kids still have today, and I remember having a really good time! We used to have it in the Boys' School's classrooms, and we'd play out on the playground. We'd always learn a song and sing it to the congregation at coffee hour the following Sunday. Because Bayview Mission is only a recent development (at least when we compare it to when I was at VBS), I never got to experience the type of camp the kids get to have today, when they can enjoy Nina's backyard and the farm animals and so on. It's been wonderful to see it evolve over the years!


Describe some of the work you do to help out with the kids at camp.

For a few years, Nina would always describe me as the sort of Program Director of the camp, but all that really meant was choosing which activities we did from her amazing assortment of goodies in the barn. :]] Nina is the true mastermind behind this wonderful camp. I've mostly been a counselor-type of figure for the kids, letting them know what the plan is for the day and what their activities will be. When it's at the Cathedral, and more structured, I help to keep the kids involved in what we're doing, if its a tour or a slideshow or meeting with the Seniors. But when we're at Bayview, we can all relax, and I truly feel that I get a chance to get involved and have fun too. I know that I get as much of a kick out of being at Bayview Mission as the rest of the campers. :] This year I also helped a lot with the crafts planning and purchasing of materials. I really enjoyed that, working with Lizzy Compean, to think up some fun ideas and help the kids create such things as decoupage vases, paintings on canvas, animals made of toilet paper rolls, wizard hats, and so on.

I understand you do a lot of photography. What kinds of things do you
like to photograph? Have you taken pictures for the Mission?

I mostly photograph portraits that are framed within an interesting environment. It's sort of a very literal type of environmental portraiture, where through my compositions, I frame the subject so that it's interacting with its background, rather than just posing in front of it. That's my favorite, but I definitely enjoy all types of photography. I also really love band photography, both portraits and live shots of concerts. Just today I had a photoshoot (one of my first official ones with artists that aren't just my brother and his friends, haha) in Oakland that went really well, for a friend's new CD project. Over the years I've taken a ton of photos at Bayview Mission, some of which Nina has used early on for cards and so forth. It's mostly just stuff that she can save to remember the evolution of the place. Once I came over and shot photos of the house and barn before changes were made to both. And I shot the shed a lot before they had it taken down. Just archival stuff for keepsake. And every year at camp I've loved the opportunity to shoot the kids having so much fun!

Did helping out at the Mission fulfill any credit hours when you attended
high school at the Bay School?

I don't remember my school literally requiring credit hours... we did a lot of community service through our classes or as a group on special outings. I used Bayview Mission for a community project where we were told to go to another community we were unfamiliar with and interview someone who is involved there, then write a story from their perspective of one of their experiences of living there. It was a strange assignment but turned out great when I interviewed Nina. She told an amazing story of some of the things she's witnessed living in Bayview, and at that time I felt I truly was a part of the community at Bayview Mission. It's been such an honor to be able to be involved in a place I would probably never venture on my own for safety's sake. It truly enhances cultural empathy and is an experience all young adults should have!

You just completed a year of college up in Seattle. What school are you
attending?

I go to Seattle University, the Jesuit school in Seattle. It's a wonderful school with a great Core Curriculum based on the Jesuit values of a strong central education along with whatever the student chooses to major in. I'm really enjoying it!

Have you declared a major yet? If so, what are you studying?

I am studying for a BFA (Bachelor's in Fine Arts) in Photography. I knew while applying to colleges that I wanted to study photography, so I was looking at a lot of art schools. But in the end I chose a liberal arts school, because I decided that I greatly value a good general education. My major's department head says it best, that art cannot be created from a vacuum. I also appreciate the option to change my mind, should I decide to. :] I'm loving it so far though!

Else Holt Interview

David Cowen interviews Else Holt about her work with Bayview Mission.

How long have you been involved with Bayview Mission?

I have the privilege of being involved in Bayview Mission from the very beginning and in fact visited the site with Rev. Nina as early as 2001, long before the food pantry came into existence.

How did you initially get interested in helping out?

Having known Rev. Nina since 1996 there had been many conversations about her desire to begin a program to help her neighbors in Bayview. As soon as she took possession of her property there were numerous opportunities to assist in making her dream become a reality.

I see you at the food pantry every Monday. What kinds of work do you do?

I have the distinct pleasure of creating child-size "fun" bags for the children of the clients who come to the food pantry each Monday. Each week I sort out the donations of children's items that have come in during the week. Books are sorted by age-range and then stamped with the Bayview Mission "stamp". Snacks, juices and small toys are sorted and put into small brown paper lunch sacks in batches of five bags at a time. Crayons and construction paper are added, along with any available small toy. Each week I typically make up to 80 bags, often with lots of help from other Bayview volunteers. There's also a monthly "work party" on a Sunday afternoon, and that's a great time to sort out the seasonal donations such as for Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In addition, I have helped organize and staff the annual "Bee Busy at Bayview" two-week summer camp for neighborhood children.

What are some things you most appreciate about Bayview Mission?

Bayview Mission first and foremost is a safe, inclusive, welcoming environment for all who come here. Rev. Nina makes everyone welcome, and no one is ever turned away. Homeless people are welcomed and treated with the utmost dignity. The food pantry operates solely on the donations of generous donors and there is zero administrative overhead. Every donation is for the benefit of the neighbors of Bayview, and nothing goes unused. The local children have a city garden, a safe-haven, where they can come and play care-free. Holidays are celebrated with free costume giveaways at Halloween and gift-giving at Christmas. Bayview Mission volunteers understand and appreciate the service they offer to the community, and they work very hard. The volunteer community is very kind and loving and support each other in many ways. Bayview Mission offers us an opportunity to directly give back to a community in need.

Do you find the work or the environment challenging at all?

The work of making up the childrens' bags is not in itself challenging. Creating an adequate work-space in which to complete the necessary tasks can sometimes prove challenging. The volunteers are very resourceful, and the work gets done no matter what. Our goal is to eventually have dedicated program space where we can spread out and have dedicated areas for each type of activity.

What do you do for a living when you’re not helping out at the Mission?

I'm currently employed as Assistant to the Head of School at The Bay School of San Francisco, a start-up high school in the Presidio of San Francisco.

Christine Hendrickson Interview About Bayview Mission

Here is the second in a series of interviews with volunteers at Bayview Mission: David Cowen interviews Christine Hendrickson.

You help out with the food pantry every Monday. What kinds of work do you do there?

I help with the preparation of the bags, organize the pantry, dump runs when needed, prepare lunch for the volunteers and shop for needed supplies (anything that we may be short of). I enjoy working at all the different stations. There are many different ones to choose from. We have produce, setting bags up, loading bags, breaking down boxes, loading shelves, preparing/handing out children’s bags, preparing/handing out homeless bags, going through donation bags, checking I.D., line control, and handing out clothes.

What do you find most rewarding about the work?

I really enjoy the smiles that come from the people’s faces. They are so thankful. It makes me feel good inside, knowing that you put the smile on their face, especially the kids. They cannot get the kids’ bags quick enough! They open the bag and look to see what is inside. Then the big smiles come out.

What is most challenging about it?

There are times when you come across a few people that are having a bad day. Something has triggered them, and it makes it difficult to help them. All you can do is let them know that you want to help them and that you care. What they do with it is up to them at that point. I have learned that you cannot take it personally.

You spent a lot of time mentoring a few children this summer. How did you get involved with them?

When my mom moved into the house, we met a few of the neighbors. The neighbor that was a little hard to warm up to ended up being a really great person. Her two brothers had children. I met the kids a couple of times. Just a “hi” here and there.

About a year later I moved into my mom’s house. I would wave to the neighbors and say “hello.” As time went on, the children would come and talk to me and call me by my name. The kids saw that we had toys and fun things at the house. They really did not have much. I remember their Auntie would come over and stay with us when they played in the back yard. As time went on, they would come over by themselves. They enjoyed doing art projects and playing in the yard. The father of the two children never questioned me on when then kids would come home or where I was taking them. As long as their Auntie knew that they were with me then it was OK with the dad. Their cousin also would come over. Now every summer they come out. It has become a yearly tradition that we hang out on Mondays.

What kinds of field trips did you take them on?

It started out with going to the beach or taking my dogs to Fort Funston. They loved taking my dogs and just running around and playing in the ocean. It did not matter how cold it was. Then, as the kids got older, they enjoyed walking around the mall, going to the movies, going to a restaurant, and hanging out at my new house. When I would need to run an errand they would want to come with me, even if it was otherwise boring to them.

I heard they referred to you as a “second mom.” How did that make you feel?

It made me feel really good. The kids mean a lot to me, and I am pleased that they are happy too. At first it was funny. The kids would call out in the store or wherever we were and yell “mom where are you?” They would giggle and give me a hug or just stick by my side. They truly are great kids!

Cheryl Hendrickson Speaks About the Bayview Mission

This is the first in a series of interviews with people involved with the Bayview Mission in San Francisco. In this edition, Cheryl Hendrickson shares some perspective on her work with the mission after a conversation with David Cowen

"I think ... in the beginning, we just listened to mom's dreams. She was so excited and very eager to get into our grandparents house, otherwise known as Bayview Mission. I remember visiting my great grandparents there in the 80's. I was living in England when Mom moved in, and I remember being quite worried. My grandmother wanted her to install alarms and put up mechanical gates. I could not do much, so I would just listen when mom would call and give me updates.

I played a more active role when the mission first started serving food. I attended monthly board meetings and, as a teacher in Bayview, offered advice, which usually was quite cautionary.

I tend to work behind the scenes. Mom is one of those people who attracts many helpers. I never had to worry that she did not have enough help on the days she served food to the public. I enjoy being a gopher, whether it is fidgeting with the computer or listening to a sermon or proofreading a document. I spent a great deal of time organizing and gardening when I was living at Bayview mission. I love providing a space for my mom to do her ministry.

I have seen the mission grow into a community. I remember when mom was feeding 30 people. She would spend part of Monday working and she had a crew of about 5 volunteers. Pretty soon she was handing out clothes and books, and then she started feeding more people. She began taking large donations, and soon she was feeding 150 people plus. No longer was Food Pantry Monday a Monday gig. Mom could be heard filling bags the night before. Now the mission feeds well over 350 people. The mission also supplied homeless bags and children's bags. I remember when we tried out our first Halloween party about 5 years ago, it is still growing strong. Other events have become annual, the gift exchange at the Christmas party, the book bag hand out, chicken hand out at Thanksgiving, Easter baskets at Easter and Vacation Bible School, which takes place at the Mission as well as Grace Cathedral. My husband meets the kids in Bayview and takes them up to Grace Cathedral via a cab!

I realized early on that mom was creating community. I remember when the Christmas party moved from Bayview Mission to the Opera House. I was scared. The Opera house lies east of Jerrold. Many of my students lost uncles and brothers on Kirkwwod and on the corner of Palou, which is east of Jerrold. The police shared my feelings of worries and sent the sheriff to parole the party. The Bayview Christmas Party catered to all of Bayview, which is a divided neighborhood. The Opera House has paid witness to plenty of meetings where city officials have yelled and argued, cursed and walked out, even damned each other. The adjacent streets are battle grounds at times. A place where some people shop and converse, but also a place where people have been hit by "drive-by's" and where some shoot-up drugs. But on the day of the Christmas party, the community lined up and waited for Hard-Knox fired chicken and marconi and cheese, listened to the San Francisco Gay Men's Choir and were given hand wrapped gifts. The community was trusted and the community enjoyed each others company.

Hard-Knox has become a staple in the Bayview Mission diet. The volunteers go there each year to celebrate their triumphs and state what they are thankful for, even joke about what drives each other crazy about each other. The owners of Hard-Knox donate the money that has been given as an offering to the big fat buddha statue at the front of the restaurant.

I have watched the intricate workings of community, listened to a dialogue that only occurs when diverse people work together, when diverse people try to figure out how to tolerate and serve each other.

Bayview Mission is a community that will continue to grow. I hope it will be able to grow into a building. Right now, it is run out of a garage, barn and a backyard. It often leaks into the Bayview Opera House. I would love to see a school start on the property. I have worked for 4 years with students who classify as "emotionally disturbed," but actually, I would say that I have worked with kids who have seen and witnessed too much. I can honestly say that at times I can empathize with my students' sense of hopelessness. I am often overwhelmed with feelings of anger when working in communities that experience violence. I am forced to reconcile feelings of hopelessness as well as naive optimism. It scares me when my students talk of revenge and I have seen how paralyzing the role of the victim can become. I would love to provide a place for students to cope with the struggles that are apparent when violence is not only a reality but a daily worry."