News
2024/11/04
Thanksgiving Pie Drop Off
Thanksgiving is around the corner and we are once again seeking folks to join us for our Thanksgiving 2024 pie drop off event. Unfortunately this year we will not be getting our usual 40 pie donation from Uhuru bakery that we have been getting for the last several years, so we need the martins community… Read More Thanksgiving Pie Drop Off
2024/10/19
Martin’s Annual Memorial – Sunday, November 3rd at 2pm
Dear Friends of Martins: We are so grateful to all of you our beloved family who have so faithfully helped us keep the flame of Martin’s alive during these uncertain and turbulent times. As we move further into Autumn, we also burrow deeper into ourselves and wonder how we can keep hope alive with all… Read More Martin’s Annual Memorial – Sunday, November 3rd at 2pm
2024/10/13
Martins is Reopen!
Dear Supporters of Martin de Porres, We hope this message finds you well. We are excited to announce that Martin de Porres has officially reopened following our recent renovations. The renovations have been both incredibly beneficial and much needed. They have significantly enhanced our space, creating a more welcoming and functional and inclusive environment for… Read More Martins is Reopen!
2024/09/10
Construction Update
Due to many unexpected delays in the renovations to Martin’s kitchen and dining room we are now predicting that our new opening date for full service will be MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th. In the meantime, Martins has been providing grab and go bags for breakfast and lunch since Monday, September 2nd and will do so until… Read More Construction Update
2024/04/10
Martin’s Spring 2024 Donation Drive
Dear Martin’s Community, We are reaching out to you about our Spring 2024 Donation Drive, calling for contributions to support our expanding services at Martin de Porres House of Hospitality in the Mission District. Since the start of 2024, we have significantly expanded our support to the community, providing essential services including breakfasts (Tue-Fri 6:30-8:00),… Read More Martin’s Spring 2024 Donation Drive
2023/11/21
Thanksgiving Newsletter 2023
How beautiful when a whole tree is like one great fruit, full of ripe juices, every leaf from lowest limb to topmost spire, all aglow, especially if you look at the sun! – Henry David Thoreau Dear Martin’s Family, What a year it has been! Martins is, at last, transformed into a fully functioning soup… Read More Thanksgiving Newsletter 2023
2023/11/06
Thanksgiving Pie Drop-Off
It’s that time of the year and, once again, we are seeking volunteers for our Thanksgiving Pie drop-off event. We are looking for folks to bake 1 or 2 homemade pies of your choosing (Pumpkin, Pecan, Apple, Berry, or your families favorite Fall pie) Drop off will be Tuesday November 21st from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.… Read More Thanksgiving Pie Drop-Off
2023/06/20
Summer Updates
Dear Friends, This week we celebrate the first day of summer, the summer solstice. Which, of course, for us, often means more fog and wind but we celebrate the long days and our sheltered garden bursting with flowers. It feels, for the moment, as though we have hit our stride. We have made few major… Read More Summer Updates
2023/05/03
May Blanket Drive
Please help keep our guests warm! Martins needs blankets to give out to our guests. During the month of May Martins will be conducting a blanket drive. All clean, used or new blankets will be welcomed. Please drop them off between 9:00 and 2:00 on weekdays or call 415-552-0240 to make arrangements for a different… Read More May Blanket Drive
2023/03/27
Spring Update
Hello friends, volunteers and supporters, Last week was the three year anniversary of the day we closed the kitchen and began serving bag lunches in response to the news about COVID-19. That day we made and served 265 bags and it wasn’t until March 1st of this year that we, finally, discontinued filling bags and… Read More Spring Update
2023/01/28
Post-valentine Hot Tamale All-Volunteer Potluck 2/19
Hi everyone! Please join us on Sunday, February 19th at 5:00PM for a potluck to celebrate our volunteers! Please bring a dish to share. Martins will provide homemade tamales courtesy of Jimmy Ryan. Come on Sunday morning for a couple of hours (10:00-noon) if you wish to assist Jimmy in making the tamales. — The Martins family
2022/10/20
Martins’ Annual Memorial: Sunday, November 6th at 2pm
Dear Friends of Martins: We are so grateful to all of you who have so faithfully helped us keep the flame of Martins alive during these uncertain and turbulent times. As we move into Autumn, we also burrow deeper into ourselves and wonder how we can keep hope alive with all that we are facing. So much… Read More Martins’ Annual Memorial: Sunday, November 6th at 2pm
2022/10/13
Fall Update
Here we are moving into fall. COVID-19 is still very much with us even if it appears to be less virulent in most cases. The virus has hit close to home causing several key volunteers, including our beloved Charlie, to isolate at home for a week to 10 days. For the time being, we strongly… Read More Fall Update
2022/08/24
Update: Opening up the Dining Room
We are very happy to announce that Martins will be open for indoor dining on September 5th, Labor Day. We are so pleased to, finally, be able to welcome our guests into our dining room! This feels like the final step in this phase of recovery from the limitations imposed upon us by the pandemic.… Read More Update: Opening up the Dining Room
2022/07/05
Summer Update
Dear volunteers, supporters and friends, We just want to give you a quick update on how things are going at Martins. Basically, things are going along very well. The hybrid move to bring guests into our yard but not yet into the dining room has been successful and workable. More and more of them are… Read More Summer Update
2022/04/13
Back in Business!
Last week, after two years of serving bag lunches to-go, we opened the Martin’s garden and yard for our guests to enjoy sit-down lunches. In addition to the ability to eat and relax with fellow guests and volunteers, guests now have access to our newly renovated bathrooms and showers. The transition has been amazingly smooth… Read More Back in Business!
2022/01/18
Reopened After the Holiday Break
Dear Martin’s family, We are very happy to announce that Martins has reopened after our Covid-19 closure and our Holiday break. It has been quiet because many of our guests didn’t know we were reopened but our numbers are increasing each day. We will continue to safely serve our guests to-go meals for as long… Read More Reopened After the Holiday Break
2021/12/18
Temporary Closure through the New Year
Dear Martin’s family, What an end to another difficult year! Like the rest of the world Martin’s is reacting to the news of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, with a mixture of pandemic fatigue and concern for the health of our guests, our community and really, the whole wide world! If you read our last… Read More Temporary Closure through the New Year
2021/12/12
Martin’s Temporarily Closed due to COVID-19 Exposure
Dear Martin’s Family, We’ve had a good run during these past 2 years of pandemic and haven’t had to close even once but unfortunately, our lucky streak has ended. One of our key volunteers tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, and all of our core members have been exposed to the virus. The San… Read More Martin’s Temporarily Closed due to COVID-19 Exposure
2021/12/07
Holiday Cookie Drop-Off
Dear Martin’s family, It’s that time of the year and, once again, we are seeking volunteers for our Holiday Cookie drop-off. Yes, you heard correctly, cookies, not cupcakes this year! We want to thank everyone who participated with our special Thanksgiving pie drop-off recently. The pies were a hit with our guests. This year we… Read More Holiday Cookie Drop-Off
2021/11/11
Thanksgiving Pie Drop-off
It’s that time of the year and, once again, we are seeking volunteers for our Thanksgiving Pie drop-off event. We want to thank everyone who participated with our special cupcake events this past year and last year’s Thanksgiving pie drop-off, the special treats were a hit with our guests. This year we are planning a… Read More Thanksgiving Pie Drop-off
2021/10/17
Thanksgiving 2021
Dear Martin’s family, On September 22nd, in addition to our usual quart of soup, fruit, bread and eggs, we gave out close to 300 beautifully decorated cupcakes, handmade by our homebound volunteers to celebrate Martin’s 50th Anniversary! Each guest was told that these treats were made, with love, especially for them. The majority of them… Read More Thanksgiving 2021
2021/10/17
Martin’s Annual Memorial
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH @ 2:00 PM Dear Friends of Martins: We are so grateful to all of you our beloved family who have so faithfully helped us keep the flame of Martin’s alive during these uncertain and turbulent times. As we move further into Autumn, we also burrow deeper into ourselves and wonder how we… Read More Martin’s Annual Memorial
2021/09/07
Martin’s Turns 50!
Martin’s is turning 50! We want to commemorate Martins 50th anniversary by holding another cupcake drop off. To Celebrate this Golden Anniversary we are seeking volunteers to bake homemade Gold/Yellow themed cupcakes. There are endless possibilities both in flavor (Lemon, Pineapple, Apple, etc) and decorations and we can’t wait to see what you all come… Read More Martin’s Turns 50!
2021/08/02
Annual Potluck and General Meeting postponed
Dear Martin’s family, Those of us who continue to hold down the fort here at Martins have arrived at the difficult but, what we think is, prudent decision to postpone indefinitely the proposed Martin’s Annual Potluck and General Meeting which we had planned for Sunday, September 12th. In the face of rapidly rising numbers of… Read More Annual Potluck and General Meeting postponed
2021/07/13
Summer Updates, Annual Potluck & General Meeting
Dear Martin’s family The question, now, on everyone’s lips is: “When is Martins going to reopen and return to normal?” There is no easy answer! The good news is that with a skeleton crew of 7-8 people we were able to remain open in some fashion and serve nutritious meals to our guests throughout this… Read More Summer Updates, Annual Potluck & General Meeting
2021/06/12
Pride Cupcake Event
Dear Martins Family, With the success of pie and cupcake drop-off events this past holiday season, we have decided to do something special for our guests this month. To celebrate Pride month this year, we are seeking volunteers to bake homemade Rainbow/Pride-themed cupcakes. Drop off will be Tuesday, June 22nd from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. If… Read More Pride Cupcake Event
2021/03/18
A Year into the Pandemic: Roses to Bloom Again in our Garden
Today is the anniversary of Martin’s transformation into a takeout only soup kitchen in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. At that time, of course, we never dreamed that we would still be reduced to the same skeleton crew serving bag lunches at the front gate one whole year later! But here we are. The roses… Read More A Year into the Pandemic: Roses to Bloom Again in our Garden
2021/02/07
Holiday Cupcakes!
Our holiday meal was a huge success and we had so many beautiful cupcakes to share with our guests. Thank you to everyone who was able make homemade cupcakes for us to share! Here are some photos we took before they were all gone.
2020/12/16
Holiday Cupcakes and updates
Dear Martin’s family, Last month’s pie drop-off was a massive success! Dozens of volunteers participated and were happy for the chance to mingle with other Martin’s friends. We received 100+ homemade pies and hundreds of books for our free library. We served 265 delicious Thanksgiving meals to our very appreciative guests. There was so much… Read More Holiday Cupcakes and updates
2020/11/24
Thanksgiving 2020
Dear Martin’s family, On March 18, 2020, the core group at Martins, subsequently dubbed The Pandemics, reluctantly made the decision to temporarily discontinue both allowing indoor seating for our guests and accepting outside assistance from our many dedicated volunteers. At the time, of course, no one had any idea how long we would need to… Read More Thanksgiving 2020
2020/11/05
Thanksgiving and Pie Monday update
As you all know the holidays are approaching and a very different holiday season it will be this year. We will miss the giant celebration that is our annual Thanksgiving meal, due to the pandemic. We will miss our volunteers and we will miss serving our guests while listening to music and dancing together. The… Read More Thanksgiving and Pie Monday update
2020/10/24
Weathering the storm, updates, and Annual Memorial
In all the uncertainty and tension of these times, here at Martins there is one thing that never fails, the guests continue to show up and we continue to offer them a lovingly home-cooked meal and whatever comfort being welcomed and greeted warmly can bring. The skies in San Francisco which were, one day, so… Read More Weathering the storm, updates, and Annual Memorial
2020/08/18
Back to work after August Break
Hello to all volunteers from the Pandemic 7! “The seven” enjoyed a restful August break and here we are headed into fall and there appears to be no possibility of significant change in the way that Martins serves our guests during this Pandemic. We continue to explore ideas of ways in which we can include,… Read More Back to work after August Break
2020/06/04
Another 40 Days
Hello fellow Martin’s volunteers, Another 40 days have passed since we gave you our last update. As far as the service that we core members are providing, approximately 200 bag lunches per day handed out at the gate, nothing has changed. However, as you all know, much is changing in the world around us. We… Read More Another 40 Days
2020/04/23
40 days in Quarantine and Continuing to Serve
This Saturday Martins will reach the 40th day of serving only bagged meals. 40 days is the medieval limit of quarantine, however, we will continue to serve this way until we feel that the safety of our guests and volunteers will not be compromised by increased physical proximity and contact. We will base this decision… Read More 40 days in Quarantine and Continuing to Serve
2020/03/26
Update from Martin’s during this tough time
Hello fellow Martin’s volunteers! We are holding down the fort here and thought you might like an update on what we are doing and how our guests are faring at this time. We are serving food bags out the front gate 7 days a week. Tuesday through Saturday we serve from 12:00-2:00 and the bags… Read More Update from Martin’s during this tough time
2019/12/19
Fall 2019 Newsletter
Dear Martin’s family, 2019 has been a year full of change, growth, answered prayers and upgrades at Martins. We have weathered many challenges, bidden farewell to several beloved members of our community who have moved on either to the Great Beyond or to new earthly homes and watched helplessly as our guests have become increasingly… Read More Fall 2019 Newsletter