Short Takes

Food SHARE-ing at Bethany
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A national food distribution program called SHARE -- for people of all income levels -- has come to Bethany United Methodist Church on Sanchez Street.
Here's how you participate: At the first of the month, you pay $14 and agree to do two hours of community service. Then on the last Saturday of the month, you'll receive $35 worth of groceries. Food stamps are accepted as well as cash.
SHARE participants can choose any type of community service they wish, as long it is "something you do for someone else that you don't get paid for," says Bethany SHARE coordinator Marilyn Herand. "One service people may want to do is to participate at our warehouse in [the city of] Richmond, where we do the bagging and boxing of groceries. There's all this beautiful food and all different people volunteering there."
The food includes fresh produce and staples, plus monthly recipes. Boxes of groceries are available for both omnivores and vegetarians. SHARE purchases the food on the open market -- none of it is donated. Herand points out that the group is able to buy food cheaply because over 10,000 people in the Bay Area are already participating in the program.
Now that Bethany is a SHARE site, people can pick up their groceries at the church at 1268 Sanchez St. (near Clipper). To sign up, call Bethany Church at 647-8393.
Demos Debate June Ballot Issues
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The Noe Valley Democratic Club will meet on Wednesday, April 8, at 7 p.m. at the Noe Valley Ministry for its annual vote on June election endorsements.
According to Democratic Club President Dave Monks, the group is expecting speakers to address some of the hotter ballot measures, including the de Young Museum bonds, the future of Treasure Island, housing in the Presidio, salary increases for the Board of Supervisors, and a water rates freeze.
Judicial candidates Ron Albers, Carol Waggy, Nancy Davis, and Dorothy Von Beroldingen will also be on hand. They are seeking municipal and superior court judgeships. Monks also hopes representatives from the Democratic candidates in the state governor's race will attend.
The Noe Valley Ministry is at 1021 Sanchez St. near 23rd Street. Everyone is welcome to this neighborhood meeting.
Two Art Shows to Check Out
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A new art show will be unveiled on Easter morning -- Sunday, April 12 -- in the upper hall of the Noe Valley Ministry. The show, called "Meeting Spring -- A Celebration," is presented by the Arc, an agency serving seniors with developmental disabilities. The exhibit, which will be up through April, will feature a variety of paintings and drawings by the agency's clients.
"Our clients really enjoy artwork," says Matthew Petta, an Arc activities instructor, "and I really consider them artists." The Noe Valley Ministry is at 1021 Sanchez near 23rd. Easter Sunday services begin at 10:30 a.m.
In a different part of town, several Noe Valley artists will showcase their work in the Spring Open Studio put on by the Artists of Hunters Point Shipyard on May 2 and 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Local artists Amy Blackstone, Michael Griffith, Wynne Hayakawa, Ellen Into, Sharon MacDougall, and Judy Schavrien will be among the 95 participants in this year's show, which will focus on environmental issues. The Open Studio will hold workshops on such topics as nontoxic printmaking and how to create fine art from waste and recycled materials. The event will also include activities for children, outdoor exhibits of garden art, and free refreshments.
Parking is plentiful and free. For a schedule, maps, and directions to the shipyard, call Estelle Akamine at 822-3809.
Have a Super Recycling Day
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Are you storing a lot of junk you'd love to get rid of, but you just don't have the energy to hold a garage sale? Well, haul it out to the curb, because SuperRecycler Day is coming to Noe Valley.
This pickup program, cosponsored by Golden Gate Disposal and Sunset Scavenger, allows folks to get rid of bulky items that don't fit in their trash cans or recycling bins. On your designated day, trucks will drive down your street and pick up those old appliances, broken metal objects (under 4 feet long), yard trimmings, unusable furniture, electronic items, and wood piled neatly at the curb by 6 a.m. Any items that cannot be recycled or composted will go to a landfill. Do not include concrete, plaster, dirt, hazardous waste, or tires.
Keep your eyes peeled for a flyer from the disposal companies. Noe Valley is scheduled for pickup through April 8, but the flyer will tell you the exact date of your block's SuperRecycler Day.
For more information, call the Scavenger program at 330-1300 or the city's Hazardous Waste Hotline at 554-4333.
A Bridge from Alvarado to Lick
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Many local kids will soon be graduating from Alvarado Elementary School and moving on to James Lick Middle School. That's why the San Francisco School District is sponsoring a Building a Bridge workshop and panel discussion as part of its Parent Empowerment Conference on Saturday, April 4.
Parents hope to "build a bridge" between the two schools to make sure kids get continuous education programs as they move from fifth to sixth grade. Attendees will have a chance to meet the administrators, teachers, parents, students, and neighbors who are working to create this K8 neighborhood program.
The workshop, which is just one feature of the all-day conference, will take place from 10 to 11:15 a.m. at the Cathedral Hill Hotel at 1101 Van Ness Ave. near Geary Boulevard. The event is free and childcare will be provided. The workshop will be held in English, Chinese, Spanish, and sign language.
For more information about the Parent Empowerment Conference -- from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 4 -- or to sign up for the Building a Bridge workshop, call 648-6462. Advance registration is preferred.
Writing for Moms with Cancer
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You could make a big difference for a mother living with breast cancer by volunteering with the Mothers Living Stories Project. This Bay Area pilot program helps moms who have breast cancer record their life stories for their children. Each mother is paired with a writer. Volunteers commit to a one-year program that includes training and about four hours of service per week.
Volunteers should be compassionate listeners, have experience with children, be tactful and respectful of differences, have a personal understanding of death and illness, and possess English writing and editing skills.
Training classes will meet April 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., April 25 26 and May 2 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and May 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. Trainees must be able to attend all sessions and commit to bimonthly Tuesday night group meetings in the East Bay. Group size is limited. For information call 510-466-5053.
Volunteer Training for Hotlines
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Are you a good listener? If so, two San Francisco based hotlines need your help. Both services especially need bilingual volunteers.
The California HIV/AIDS Hotline is seeking volunteers to provide information about AIDS, referrals, and peer coun-seling in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. A four-day training will be held on May 2, 3, 9, and 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. For more information, call the Volunteer Line at 487-8080 before April 22.
The San Francisco Suicide Prevention (SFSP) crisis line will start a new training class on April 15. SFSP provides 24-hour telephone counseling free of charge. Many callers are suicidal or in need of emotional support. People of color are especially encouraged to apply. Trainees should plan to attend class on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays during the day. For more information, call 984-1900.
Considering Adoption?
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San Francisco is full of kids who need a loving family to adopt them. Couples and individuals interested in becoming adoptive parents will have a chance to find out more at an informational meeting April 14, 6 to 8 p.m., at the local offices of the nonprofit S.F. Child Project.
Most of the kids who need to be adopted are between the ages of 2 and 12 and are from diverse racial backgrounds. Some need to be adopted along with their brothers and sisters, and some have developmental problems because of in-utero drug exposure. All these children have lost their birth parents through neglect, abandonment, abuse, or death.
The S.F. Child Project tries to place each child with the best possible home. The organization also provides post-adoption services and conducts in-home visits and training seminars. For more information and the exact location of the meeting, call 1-888-SFCHILD.
Alzheimer's Support Groups
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Many folks associate Alzheimer's disease with severe memory loss -- but many people who have early-stage Alzheimer's experience only mild confusion and forgetfulness. Starting in April, the Family Caregivers Alliance (FCA) and the Alzheimer's Association are launching a new San Francisco program for people in the early stages of the disease.
Participants will have a chance to focus on their remaining capabilities and talk about issues that come up for them -- such as employment, driving, increasing dependency, and changes in their relationships with family and friends.
Family members of early-stage Alz-heimer's patients will meet in a separate support group at the same time and place. They will focus on how to restructure household responsibilities and cope with a loved one's illness.
The first meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on April 14 at the FCA's downtown office. For more information about this or other FCA programs, please call 434-3388 or 800-445-8106.
Apply for a Friends' Grant
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Last month the Voice ran a Short Take announcing that the Friends of Noe Valley planned to present a grant totalling $1,000 to a nonprofit group (or divide the money among several groups). The money should go for a project that in some way benefits Noe Valley.
Since then, the Friends have received a few applications, but they have decided to extend the deadline for applications to April 30 so that more nonprofits can apply. To get an application or find out more, call Cecile Lozano at 584-8442.
This month's Short Takes were written by Erin O'Briant.