Building Connection Is an Act of Hope
Neighbors helping neighbors across San Francisco
Why Connection Matters Now
At a time when so much feels uncertain, Community Living Campaign continues to find hope in everyday acts of kindness: neighbors checking in on one another, sharing meals, learning together, and building community across differences.
Across San Francisco, older adults and people with disabilities tell us again and again: these programs help them stay healthy, connected, independent, and hopeful. They are not extras. They are part of what allows our neighbors to remain active and engaged in their communities. Connection is not a luxury; it’s essential to aging and thriving in our City.
This work matters now more than ever, but funding is not keeping up. Government funds are increasingly under threat and foundation support is stretched thin. At the same time, loneliness, affordability challenges, and social isolation continue to affect people across our city. More neighbors are reaching out to CLC for connection and support.
We are keeping community and connections at the heart of everything we do:
- creating welcoming and inclusive spaces,
- empowering neighbors to contribute their voices, skills, and leadership, and
- strengthening social health through connection, belonging, and mutual support.
"This is the way we stay connected and support each other.”
Welcoming Spaces Help Communities Thrive
For many older adults and people with disabilities, finding welcoming spaces to gather can make the difference between isolation and belonging.
Through our Community Connector Networks across San Francisco, neighbors come together for group exercise, dance, Tai Chi, healthy aging classes, creative activities, celebrations, technology support, and conversation. These gatherings create familiar places where people see the same faces week after week, build friendships, and feel part of something larger than themselves.
Connection grows through simple moments: neighbors sharing a meal, laughing during a dance class, learning how to use Zoom, or welcoming someone new into the room.
This year, we expanded bilingual and culturally responsive programming, including a new Chinese-focused Connector day in the Inner Sunset and additional bilingual support in Cayuga, Crocker-Amazon, and the Inner Sunset. We were also able to expand in-person Tech support and learning opportunities into more neighborhoods in English, Chinese, and Spanish.
Connection grows through simple moments: neighbors sharing a meal, laughing during a dance class, learning how to use Zoom, or welcoming someone new into the room.
Creativity Builds Community
“There is so much joy shared among participants when creating and sharing our projects.”
Creative programs offered neighbors a chance to express themselves, stay active, and connect with others–even across generations.
Writing groups, Drama with Friends, collage, music, and Chinese dance groups create space for storytelling, movement, laughter, and shared experience. In many cases, program participants share their talents by teaching, organizing, performing, and helping shape the classes.
These creative gatherings are about more than the arts. They help people try something new, build confidence, develop friendships, and feel part of a community.
Learning and Tech, Side by Side
Staying connected today often means using technology — and learning it is easier when you are not doing it alone.
This year, we expanded in-person tech help and classes by bringing patient, skilled staff directly to Connector sites and the upgraded tech lab in our main office. Neighbors sit side by side, ask questions, practice together, and help one another learn new skills.
With support from CityBridge, we expanded in person tech training into more neighborhoods. These sessions supplement our online offerings and help neighbors build confidence, stay connected to family and friends, participate in online programs, access services, and feel more comfortable navigating daily life online.
CLC also continues to play a leadership role in the San Francisco Tech Council. The Tech Council’s Digital Inclusion Summit brought together community organizations, public agencies, and advocates working to expand digital access for older adults and people with disabilities across the city. About half of the summit participants worked directly with older adults and adults with disabilities, with many others representing organizations shaping policy, services, healthcare, and digital equity efforts across California.
“It’s been helpful, and it’s fun to get to know others through the weekly Zoom meetings.”
Our Neighbors Are Part of the Solution
CLC knows that older adults and people with disabilities are part of the solution, not problems to be solved. They are neighbors with experience, skills, creativity, and leadership to share.
Across programs, neighbors stepped into roles as volunteers, teachers, advocates, artists, organizers, and community leaders. Some helped distribute groceries. Others taught dance classes, welcomed participants, led neighborhood events, or supported peers through technology learning.
Through Neighbor-to-Neighbor activities, residents beautified parks, hosted community potlucks, led walks, and organized gatherings that helped people meet neighbors and strengthen trust across communities. Over the year, 730 neighbors participated in 80 Neighbor-to-Neighbor events, contributing more than 2,500 volunteer hours.
Our annual Good Neighbor Awards celebration brought folks together from across the city to recognize the volunteers, organizers, and community builders who make our city more connected and caring.
Over the year, 730 neighbors participated in 80 Neighbor-to-Neighbor events, contributing more than 2,500 volunteer hours.
Speaking Up Together
"We built this city. …don’t forget about seniors.”
This year, neighbors, staff, and community partners came together to advocate for the programs and services older adults and people with disabilities rely on every day.
Through the Dignity Fund Coalition, budget actions, leadership development opportunities, and postcard campaigns, participants spoke directly about what these programs mean in their lives. Together, we reminded City leaders that older adults and people with disabilities deserve to remain visible, valued, and connected in San Francisco.
Hundreds of community members joined together at City Hall and helped deliver more than 1,500 handwritten postcards describing how transportation, food, employment, and community programs help people remain healthy, connected, and independent.
Community members also participated in advocacy and leadership training opportunities that strengthened organizing skills and deepened engagement across neighborhoods.
Meaningful Work, Purpose, and Stability
Through SF ReServe, older adults and adults with disabilities worked in paid, part-time, community-based roles with nonprofit and community partners across San Francisco.
These opportunities helped people earn income, build confidence, and stay connected while contributing their experience and talents to their communities.
ReServe provides flexible, meaningful work for older adults and adults with disabilities who are often excluded from traditional workforce systems. Participants described the program as a source of income, stability, purpose, and connection.
"This program is everything to me.”
Accessibility, Belonging, and Advocacy
Accessible Community Teams invited neighbors to walk their neighborhoods, learn about accessibility, and identify barriers affecting daily life.
In 2025, supported by a grant from AARP, more than 400 residents and 135 volunteers participated across nine neighborhoods, identifying more than 50 accessibility issues. Participants also shared how much they valued the opportunity to connect with one another and strengthen their sense of community.
Disability Pride Month activities and Treasure Hunt events invited neighbors to explore disability history, accessibility, and inclusion together across San Francisco. This year’s celebration included more than 22 hours of programming developed with support from 20 partner organizations.
"My friend and I take short walks for ACT. We feel good making things better for our neighbors."
Connection Supports Health
Connection is essential to our health, as important as physical and mental health. It is part of what keeps us stable, active, and able to remain in our homes and communities. For many neighbors, CLC programs are their primary way to leave the house, see others, access resources, and stay engaged in community life. Without these supports, isolation increases — and multiple studies show that isolation affects both physical and mental health.
Emergency Preparedness
Trusted relationships and neighborhood connections also help communities respond during emergencies. Through Connector sites, neighborhood gatherings, and citywide outreach, CLC’s Emergency Preparedness Team shared practical preparedness information while building trust and familiarity across communities.
In 2025 alone, the team reached nearly 3,500 neighbors through 124 events. Over four years, they have connected with more than 13,600 neighbors across nearly 560 events.
Home-Delivered Groceries
In the OMI neighborhood, our Groceries Network expanded significantly this year, bringing our total neighbors served across all neighborhoods to over 300 households.
These networks not only provide nutritious food, but also regular human connection and care for those unable to attend a food pantry.
Neighborhood Buddies
Neighborhood Buddies will partner with healthcare providers to connect volunteers with older adults for regular check-ins, shared activities, and support. We are particularly focused on reaching isolated neighbors who are leaving the hospital, recovering from illness, or otherwise in need of connection.
Transportation Assistance
Our transportation program helped neighbors complete essential trips, including rides to medical appointments, physical therapy, grocery stores, and community activities.
"It’s these programs that get me out of the house, keep me from being alone, and keep me in shape."
"Community is everything in a disaster. This is what we plan for, and it worked."
"As they say, strangers change into neighbors, and neighbors into friends.”
Meeting the Moment
At a time when many older adults and people with disabilities are facing uncertainty, Community Living Campaign is continuing to adapt and build new partnerships that strengthen connection across San Francisco.
As public funding becomes less predictable, we are working creatively to sustain and expand the programs that neighbors rely on every day. That includes building healthcare partnerships that support social connection, expanding collaborations with neighborhood organizations and libraries, strengthening volunteer and peer leadership opportunities, and continuing to advocate alongside community coalitions.
New partnerships are already helping us bring more multilingual technology programs into neighborhoods and launch new efforts like Neighborhood Buddies, which will connect volunteers with older adults for regular check-ins, shared activities, and ongoing support.
As we move forward, we remain focused on creating welcoming and inclusive spaces, empowering neighbors to share their skills and leadership, and strengthening the social connections that help people stay healthy, engaged, and supported in their communities.
Individual donations play an important role in this work. Flexible community support helps us respond to emerging needs, say yes to promising community-led ideas, protect at-risk programs, and keep activities free and accessible for neighbors across San Francisco.
Help Build Connection Across San Francisco
Connection grows by intentionally creating welcoming spaces, opportunities for shared experiences, and a culture that encourages neighbors to look out for one another. Your support helps make those moments possible. We are incredibly grateful for your generosity, whether you give a few dollars each month or have the capacity to support a larger opportunity like the ones listed here.
Bring Tech Help Into the Neighborhood $2,500–$3,500
Support a season of in-person tech help and digital learning at one Connector site, helping neighbors stay connected with family, access services online, and feel more confident using technology in everyday life.
Support a Season of Creative Gatherings $2,500–$3,500
Fund several months of creative programming such as writing groups, movement classes, collage, dance, music, or Drama with Friends.
Grow Opportunities to Give Back $5,000–$10,000
Help older adults and people with disabilities build skills, gain experience, and contribute to their communities through a new SF ReServe volunteer pathway.
Grow Connection One Neighbor at a Time $5,000–$10,000
Support a Neighborhood Buddies social prescribing pilot cohort matching volunteers with older adults for shared activities, regular check-ins, and ongoing connection.
Fuel CommunityDriven Ideas $5,000–$10,000
Support staff and community microgrants that help launch neighborhood-led projects, creative activities, and new ideas responding to local needs.
Strengthen Leadership and Advocacy $5,000–$10,000
Support community organizing, advocacy training, leadership development, and neighborhood-based engagement opportunities for older adults and people with disabilities.
Our Heartfelt Thanks
Thank you to the neighbors, volunteers, community partners, advocates, staff, foundations, funders, and donors who help make this work possible.Your support keeps our programs free and open to everyone, so cost is never a barrier to connection, dignity, health, or belonging.
Together, we are building a San Francisco where people of all ages and abilities can remain connected, valued, and engaged in community.
