For 25 years, Chantal (who is using a substitute name) has lived at Mary Elizabeth Inn, a United Women in Faith National Mission Institution in San Francisco, California.
“Most of the people in San Francisco who manage any housing at this point in time are very wealthy,” the 84-year-old said. “The people who run Mary Elizabeth Inn don’t have wealth as their priority for being landlords, but basically, that’s what they are. They are landlords with big hearts.”
Those big hearts give Chantal and more than 70 other residents a safe and affordable place to live with supportive services to help clients achieve emotional, financial, and housing stability.
111 Years of Service
Founded by Lizzie Snyder Glide, Mary Elizabeth Inn has been transforming the lives of women since 1914, offering them a secure haven free from violence. It is one of the few residences just for women in San Franciso, and the only one that can accommodate women who are physically disabled.
“Our mission remains steadfast: to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness for women in the Bay Area, empowering women at all stages of life to achieve self-sufficiency and security,” explained Tanquiesha Kairy, executive director.
Kairy has been with the organization for 18 years, starting as a desk clerk and rising through various roles. She explained that rent is set at 30 percent of a resident’s income, so most residents pay an average of only $213 monthly and no one pays more than $503 monthly.
Supportive Partnerships
Shavone Watts, director of housing at MEI, said various programs include daily breakfast, weekly food runs (to collect food donated by local businesses), a food pantry, walking groups, a gardening club, a support group, and “Ask the Nurse.”
It’s good experience for third-year nursing students Emily Tu and Gigi Segala.
“We actually talked to a woman today who expressed to us that her concerns for her health weren’t being heard out by her own primary doctor, and just by talking to us, she was able to feel validated in her concerns and even get references to resources that are nearby here,” Segala said.
“That’s the whole reason why I went into this career, to make a difference, even if it’s as small as talking to someone,” Segala said. “Women who stay here, they deal with a lot, and so often they get pushed to the side or they get ignored. So being able to be someone to listen to their concerns and ease whatever they went through during their day or the other day, it’s really fulfilling.”
Vital Support
Though the nursing school partnership and other programs are successful, MEI still faces challenges.
“We’ve had a lot of cuts, and just our grants, our donors, you know, are not coming in as they used to,” Kairy said.
She explained that federal funding administered by the city and county only covers the unit costs and wages for employees.
Our kitchen and meals program operates solely on donations, so it’s really important that we receive donations throughout the year to make sure we have the cost to cover our meals program.”
Kairy said it takes about $1.6 million annually to operate the building.
Support from United Women in Faith comes in the form of annual grants, members on MEI’s board of directors, individual gifts from members and churches, and prayer.
United Women in Faith, Kairy and Watts said, is part of the MEI family.
Your Generosity Supports Educational Efforts
By supporting the World Service Fund apportionment, you help agencies like United Women in Faith provide grants for community ministries. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the World Service Fund Apportionment at 100 percent.
excerpt from a story by Nile Sprague, California-based photojournalist. Audrey Stanton-Smith is the editor of response.
This story shows the impact of the World Service Fund—one of seven apportionment funds of The United Methodist Church—to connect our hearts and resources in mission around the world. Through this fund, the Church supports global ministries, discipleship, evangelism, education, and social justice work that transform lives and communities. Together, we share the love of Christ across boundaries and bring hope where it’s needed most.
When your church contributes faithfully to the World Service Fund, you help the whole Church live out God’s mission in every place.
