LGBTQ+ Digital Mental Health Program

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A citywide pilot program managed by Curry Senior Center to provide equitable access to mental health care for marginalized and underserved older adults and those with living disabilities within the LGBTQ+ community. Eligible Participants are connected to compassionate, culturally competent Mental Health Providers for short-term individual and/or group counseling (also referred to as therapy or psychotherapy) provided via Telehealth, a tablet for video sessions and technology training and support when needed.

Mental Health + Technology

Our program reduces barriers to care by connecting the community to Mental Health Providers and the technology support necessary to make Telehealth services attainable. During the Participant referral and screening process, we include specific questions to evaluate the level of need for each Participant including WiFi connectivity, device ownership, digital literacy, etc. Once program eligibility is confirmed, we connect Participants to our Technology Navigator if needs have been identified. Our goal is to expand the possibility for connection and support in a digital world.

Support Professionals

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Therapists

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Mental Health Information & Resources

Questions about the LGBTQ+ Digital Mental Health Program?

Contact the Program Manager at lgbtqprogram@curryseniorcenter.org

Made possible by funding from the City and County of San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS).

Tax ID: 23-7362588

SUD Certificate 380091BN (Expire February 29th, 2024)

 

 

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NEWSLETTER

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Welcome to the LGBTQ+ Digital Mental Health Pilot Program!

We’re currently in the early stages of the pilot program launch after months of development. Limited referrals from select partner organizations are now carefully being processed and we’re recruiting Providers.

We hope to have a fully funded program in the near future so we can open the referral opportunity to more partners and their Participants.
 
Stay Tuned!
 

Out of the Closet

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Rhianna Borra-Croft | rborra-croft@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Every Tuesday 9:00am to 10:00am
Where: Stepping Stone (930 4th Street)

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Ageless

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Ruby Cleggett | rcleggett@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Every Thursday 2:30pm to 4:30pm
Where: Curry Drop In Center (333 Turk Street)

A weekly TGNC social program that brings Trans and Gender Nonconforming folks together to check in with each other while highlighting stories of TGNC existing in cultures around the world with food served.

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Shooting Stars

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Alex Ray | aray@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Thursday 1pm to 2pm
Where: Stepping Stone (930 4th street)

Gay, LGBTQ, and ally space for particpants to express their thoughts and feelings.

Learn more about our partner organization:

Stepping Stone | Your Path to Health and Independence (steppingstonehealth.org)

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Arts & Crafts

Category: Drop In
Staff Contact: Rashaad Bess | rashaad.bess@sfdph.org 

When:  Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 10:30am to 11:30am
Where: Curry Drop In Center (333 Turk Street, 2nd floor)

Tons of art activities such as painting, collage, and sketching.

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Radical Acts of Gardening

Category: Arts and Culture
Staff Contact: Humberto Pinon | hpinon@curryseniorcenter.org 

When: Wednesday 2:30pm to 3:30pm until March 8th, contact Humberto Pinon for the dates and times that follow
Where: Drop in Center (333 Turk St.)

Radical Acts of Gardening, a garden club, is a space where anyone, no matter their previous knowledge, can come and learn about plants, their care and how to propagate them. Participants help grow plants for display around the Senior Center, to take home or give to a friend and even save a few plants for employees to take.

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Trans Life

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Soroush  | sfadaeinejad@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Wednesdays 2:30pm to 5pm
Where: SF AIDS Foundation

Support group for all trans and gender non-conforming community members.

Home – San Francisco AIDS Foundation (sfaf.org)

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Resilience

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Ruby Cleggett | rcleggett@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Wednesday 1pm to 2pm
Where: Stepping Stone (930 4th street)

A group centered around community and transgender history where participants can discuss their interests.

Learn more about our partner organization:

Stepping Stone | Your Path to Health and Independence (steppingstonehealth.org)

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Lunch Bunch

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Alex Ray | aray@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Every Wednesday 11:30am to 1pm
Where: Curry Computer Lab (315 Turk Street)

A weekly social program for LGBTQ+ men/male-identifying folks to connect, share stories, offer peer support, and enjoy delicious cuisine.

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Current Events (Vietnamese)

Category: Community Programs
Staff Contact: Trang Ngo (tngo@curryseniorcenter.org) & Anh Tran (atran@curryseniorcenter.org)

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30am to 12pm
Where: Curry Senior Center

A gathering of Vietnamese speakers discussing cultural interests along with the news in the US and abroad.

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Current Events (Lao/ Thai)

Category: Community Programs
Staff Contact: Ngao Theppanya | ntheppanya@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Tuesday 10:30am to 12pm
Where: Curry Senior Center

A gathering of Laotian and Thai speakers sharing resources and discussing news topics both in the US and abroad

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Documentaries

Category: Drop In
Staff Contact: Rashaad Bess | rashaad.bess@sfdph.org 

When: Everyday at 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Where: Curry Drop In Center (333 Turk Street, 2nd floor)

Daily viewings of documentaries that range in topic from nature, to history, to wellnes, and more.

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Fluid Friday

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Will Simpson/Andrea Horne | wsimpson@curryseniorcenter.org; ahorne@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Friday 10:30am to 11:30am
Where: Fluid Coffee (La Cocina Municipal Marketplace, 332 Golden Gate Ave)

A weekly meet and greet where participants are provided free coffee in a local LGBTQ+-owned and operated cafe.

Learn more about our partner organization:

Fluid (fluidcoopsf.com)

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News and Discussions

Category: Drop In
Staff Contact: Rashaad Bess | rashaad.bess@sfdph.org 

When: 8:30am to 10am, Everyday.
Where: Curry Drop In Center (333 Turk Street, 2nd floor)

Open discussions regarding the news of the day and current events.

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Bingo

Category: Drop In
Staff Contact: Rashaad Bess | rashaad.bess@sfdph.org 

When: Mondays and Saturdays at 10am to 11am
Where: Curry Drop In Center (333 Turk Street, 2nd floor)

Traditional Bingo loved by all.

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Vietnamese Knitting Class

Category: Arts & Culture
Staff Contact: Trang Ngo (tngo@curryseniorcenter.org) & Anh Tran (atran@curryseniorcenter.org)

When: Mondays 2pm to 4pm
Where: Curry Senior Center

A collective of Vientamese speakers sharing in the joy of Knitting and crochet.

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Current Events (Russian)

Category: Community Programs
Staff Contact: Tanya Khotinets | tkhotinets@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Monday 11am to 12pm
Where: Curry Senior Center

A welcoming group of Russian speakers sharing insights and discussing current events.

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Tech Tutoring for Cantonese Speakers

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Judy Siu | jsiu@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Mondays 9am to 10:45am
Where: Curry Computer Lab

Supportive, one-on-one, technology tutoring sessions for clients whose primary or only language is Cantonese.

 

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LGBTQ+ Tech Support

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Roberto Alvarez | ralvarez@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Drop In Hours: Mondays 9am to 12pm Shanti Project (730 Polk St.); Tuesdays 10am to 12pm Shanti Project (3170 23rd St), 1pm to 4pm at Curry; Wednesdays 9am to 12pm at OpenHouse (65 Laguna St.); Thursdays 9:30am to 12pm Shanti Project (730 Polk St.); Fridays 9:30am to 12pm at Curry; appt based support sessions
Where: Curry Senior Center, Shanti Project at 730 Polk Street, Shanti Project at 3170 23rd Street, and OpenHouse at 65 Laguna Street

A tech support program for the LGBTQ community that provides one-on-one tech support, tablet training, and assistance with telehealth appointments.

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Curry Tech Support

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Angela Hudson | ahudson@curryseniorcenter.org

Drop In Hours: Mondays 9am to 12pm, Thursdays 9am to 12pm 
Where: Curry’s John Staley Room, Curry Senior Center

A tech support program for low-income older adults that provides drop-in tech support, personal tutoring, and a tablet training program for those in need of a device.

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Senior Vitality

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Jose Picazo |  jpicazo@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Cohort 9: Mondays 10-11am 
Where: San Francisco Senior Center and Curry Computer Lab  (*Registration is required)

A 1 to 2 year program dedicated to tech training, health management, and loneliness reduction.

Check out Senior Vitality’s YouTube Channel for hundreds of videos on tech training and health management:

Senior Vitality Youtube Channel

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Maintenance Program

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Jose Picazo |  jpicazo@curryseniorcenter.org

When: 2x a month on Zoom, 11:30am on 4th Mondays at SFSC, 3pm on 3rd Tuesdays at 315 Turk St.
Where: Online, in-person at San Francisco Senior Center, in person in Curry Computer Lab

An advanced Tech program for Senior Vitality graduates where they continue improving their technology skills and connecting with their community.

Check out a recent article on all the Maintenance Program has to offer:

Curry Senior Center Tech Program

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Rainbow Lunch

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Andrea Horne | ahorne@curryseniorcenter.org

When:  Monday 11:30am to 1pm (bi-weekly)
Where: at Open House (65 Laguna St,)

Bi-weekly lunch sponsored by Open House for LGBTQ+ Older Adults

Learn more about our partner organization:

Openhouse SF

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Arts with Elders

Category: Arts and Culture
Staff Contact: Judy Siu / Lalaine Favis
siu@curryseniorcenter.org/ lfavis@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Thursdays 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Where: Curry Senior Center

Art instructor, Min Lee, teaches clients how to draw and paint using various techniques

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Zoom Hangout

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Will Simpson/Andrea Horne | wsimpson@curryseniorcenter.org; ahorne@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Friday 11am to 12pm
Where: Online

A virtual gathering every Friday with an array of topics and activities.

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SF Public Health

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact: Andrea Horne |  ahorne@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Fridays
Where: Virtual

Support group for Black Trans Women.

Learn more about our partner organization:

Home – San Francisco AIDS Foundation (sfaf.org)

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Richard Sullivan

Richard Sullivan is a member of Curry’s Finance Committee and has served on Curry’s board for 33 years in which he has held all of the Board leadership positions. Richard’s involvement in public service includes being a former Board member with the Hunters Point Boys and Girls Club, and being a member of the City and County of San Francisco’s Treasury Oversight Committee.
Richard retired from the City and County of San Francisco’s Tax Collector office after 42 years of service, in which he spent 6 years as the Director. Richard currently runs a tax consulting business in San Francisco’s Bayview District and is a lifetime member of the NAACP, California Society of Enrolled Agents, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.

 

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Shirley Quitugua

Shirley Quitugua is a graduate from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking and brings 42 years of career and financial expertise with her to her role as the Board President of Curry Senior Center. In addition to Curry, Shirley also serves on the Board of Directors for Good Shepard Grace Center and has dedicated over 15 years of community service to San Francisco.

Shirley’s true love is for her husband John and their family. They have 2 sons and a beautiful daughter-in-law, but feel the most precious blessings from God are their 3 young grandsons who are responsible for opening their hearts to the simple things, reminding them that time is a precious gift and sharing that time with family and others is what truly fulfills their lives.

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Brittany Kuykendall

Brittany Kuykendall is the Executive Assistant to the Founder & CIO of SoMa Equity Partners.

Brittany grew up in the Midwest and moved to the Bay Area over 10 years ago. She found her footing in the city and previously worked at Bain & Company where she gained significant interest in local non-profits. Brittany now helps run the SoMa Scholars program, manages relationships with organizations in SoMa’s philanthropy portfolio, and is proud to be a Curry Senior Center Board member. Brittany lives in San Francisco with her fiancé as well as dog, Gus.

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Ja Eun Guerrero Huh

Ja Eun Guerrero Huh (they/she) is a Senior Program Manager of Worldwide Public Sector Cloud Innovation Programs with AWS. She has a MSW from University of Michigan School of Social Work, and a BA from Emory University in English and Women’s Studies.

Ja is a licensed clinical social worker by training, with a focus on housing, homelessness, public health, and behavioral health. She volunteers with Curry Connections, and enjoys hiking, electronic music and exploring the city with her family.

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Wendy Zachary

Dr. Wendy Zachary is a Board Certified Internist and Geriatrician. Hailing from South Carolina, she attended Duke and the Medical University of South Carolina before moving out west to complete residency at California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) and then a Geriatrics Fellowship at UCLA. She was a hospitalist at CPMC for over 17 years.

In her time as an attending there, she founded Sutter Health’s Hospital Elder Life Program, which is now a American Geriatric Society CoCare Center of Excellence. She was also director of CPMC’s Acute Care of the Elderly Unit, which services some of San Francisco’s most delightful and at risk patients. She was medical director of the Pacific Inpatient Medical Group hospitalists at CPMC’s Mission Bernal Campus, as well as Vice Chair of Medicine with work focusing on promoting DEI. She is now the Medical Director of Geriatric Consult Services at UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Medical Center.

She is a board member of the Curry Senior Center In her time away from the hospital, she is a dedicated daughter, wife, and mom to two girls and a dog.

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Jim Illig

Jim Illig has had a 45-year career in San Francisco’s nonprofit health and social services, from clinician to executive, advocate to commissioner, and grant seeker to grant maker. Jim’s contributions include directing community health strategies and investments for Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco and San Mateo; 18 years with Project Open Hand where he managed government relations and brought senior meals to Curry 25 years ago; serving two terms on the San Francisco Health Commission including as President; Executive Director for Baker Places and Continuum HIV Day Services in the 80s and 90s; and serving on the boards of many nonprofit organizations such as IHSS Public Authority, St. Mary’s Medical Center, and La Casa de las Madres.

As an advocate, Jim founded and led coalitions of service providers in the HIV/AIDS Provider Network, Human Services Network, Tenderloin Hunger Task Force, and worked with Curry’s leaders for decades to strengthen the Coalition of Agencies Serving the Elderly (CASE).

Jim lives in Bernal Heights with his partner of 35 years, Larry Dotz, and Ava, their rescued German Shepherd. Jim still officiates for weddings at City Hall as a volunteer Deputy Marriage Commissioner, and the County Clerk has estimated that over 30 years, he has joined over 13,000 couples in matrimony!

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John McKinnon

John McKinnon is a Northern California native that began his career in the advertising business in Los Angeles. After working for 10 years on national broadcast campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, he relocated to New Orleans to focus on large scale events at Dietrich Destination Consultants.

John’s trend of excellence continued after Hurricane Katrina with a move back to San Francisco where he has been responsible for exclusive meetings & events in the City’s most beautiful venues, with an additional focus on the Napa Valley to the North, Monterey & Carmel to the South and Lake Tahoe to the East. In 2011 he formally launched Voila Events, which has also become a leader in the incentive market for their high-end experiential events.

He’s been a member of the San Francisco Travel Association since 2005 and was appointed to their Tourism Council in 2022 to promote the San Francisco region as a top global destination.

He has served on the Curry Senior Center’s Board of Directors since 2015 and was the President of the Board from 2017 to 2019.

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Kealy Spring

Kealy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#93512) in the state of California and a Leadership Coach. She graduated in 2002 from USC and continued her studies, obtaining an M.A. in Communication from University of Colorado at Boulder and a M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Dominican University in San Rafael. Having worked in corporations both in the US and Australia, she now works with driven professionals often struggling with perfectionism, imposter syndrome, anxiety and depression in her therapy practice. As a coach, she works with new and emerging leaders to build their leadership skillsets. Kealy is a small business owner in SF with two companies: Spring Family Therapy Inc. and Spring Ahead Coaching. She has been member of the Curry community for over a decade and looks forward to continuing her support of the organization in her current tenure on the Board of Directors. In her free time, Kealy enjoys hiking, gardening and travel.

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Isis Spinola-Schwartz

Isis Spinola-Schwartz is a real estate development executive with over fifteen years of experience implementing sustainable real estate development strategies across various asset classes. She is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Forge Real Estate Development and is enrolled in the MSc of Sustainable Urban Development at the University of Oxford, England.
Isis began her career as a landscape architect and urban designer and is passionate about the development of affordable housing solutions, and the attainment of UN Development goal with a focus on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. She is committed to the mission of Curry Senior Center because of its mission to “Provide wellness, dignity & independence for seniors”. In her free time, she can be found kayaking on Richardson Bay, or hiking around San Francisco.
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Diane Sklar

Diane Sklar is a semi-retired physician living north of San Francisco in Marin County. She spent her working career as an OB/GYN for Kaiser San Francisco. In 2020, she retired from Kaiser and began work part time for UCSF doing inpatient obstetrics.
Dr. Sklar has a strong commitment to community service both locally and globally. She has participated as a mentor to underserved youth locally, and participated in over 30 medical missions abroad. She has been on the Board of Directors for Curry Senior Center since 2016 . She is currently the Secretary and is part of the Executive Committee. In Dr. Sklar’s spare time, she enjoys bicycling hiking swimming and playing tennis and bridge. She also enjoys playing piano and quilting.
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Women of Wisdom & Wonder (W.O.W. Group)

Category: LGTBQ+
Staff Contact:  Rhianna Borra-Croft | rborra-croft@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Every Wednesday 1:30pm to 3pm
Where: Curry Computer Lab (315 Turk Street)

A weekly social support program for Senior LBGTQ+ women to share stories, make connections, and learn about LGBTQ+ Women’s History 

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Diane Dwyer

Diane is a proud board member at Curry Senior Center and has emceed this fundraiser for 10 years. Diane’s mother-in-law, Katie Sharp, was a nurse at Curry for years: the love for Curry runs in the family!

Diane’s also a two-time Emmy award winning journalist and has worked in television journalism in the SF Bay Area for 25 years. She grew up with six brothers and sisters and credits the Irish gift of story-telling with her success in journalism, teaching and — now — real estate. She wears many hats and loves all of them!

· Faculty member at the Haas School of Business, University of California (her alma mater)

· Realtor with her sister, Patty, at Compass in Burlingame

· Media/PR consultant and trainer for Chief-level executives

Diane also serves as emcee, auctioneer and advisor for more than two-dozen other non-profits including De Marillac Academy in SF’s Tenderloin, Asian American Donor Program in Oakland, CORA in San Mateo, German Shepherd Rescue and the California Alumni Association.

 

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LGBTQ+ Tech Support

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Roberto Alvarez | ralvarez@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Drop In Hours:   Fridays 9:30am to 12pm
Where: Curry Senior Center

A tech support program for the LGBTQ community that provides one-on-one tech support, tablet training, and assistance with telehealth appointments.

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LGBTQ+ Tech Support

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Roberto Alvarez | ralvarez@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Drop In Hours:  Thursdays 9:30am to 12pm
Where: Shanti Project at 730 Polk Street

A tech support program for the LGBTQ community that provides one-on-one tech support, tablet training, and assistance with telehealth appointments.

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LGBTQ+ Tech Support

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Roberto Alvarez | ralvarez@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Drop In Hours:  Wednesdays 9am to 12pm
Where: OpenHouse at 65 Laguna Street

A tech support program for the LGBTQ community that provides one-on-one tech support, tablet training, and assistance with telehealth appointments.

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LGBTQ+ Tech Support

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Roberto Alvarez | ralvarez@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Drop In Hours: Tuesdays 10am to 12pm Shanti Project (3170 23rd St), 1pm to 4pm at Curry
Where: Curry Senior Center, Shanti Project at 3170 23rd Street

A tech support program for the LGBTQ community that provides one-on-one tech support, tablet training, and assistance with telehealth appointments.

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LGBTQ+ Tech Support

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Roberto Alvarez | ralvarez@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Drop In Hours: Mondays 9am to 12pm 
Where: Shanti Project at 730 Polk Street

A tech support program for the LGBTQ community that provides one-on-one tech support, tablet training, and assistance with telehealth appointments.

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Chair Exercise

Category: Drop In
Staff Contact: Rashaad Bess | rashaad.bess@sfdph.org 

When: Every Sunday at 10:30am to 11:30am
Where: Curry Drop In Center (333 Turk Street, 2nd floor)

Low impact movements to improve circulation, balance, and overall well-being

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Spanish Class

Category: Drop In
Staff Contact: Rashaad Bess | rashaad.bess@sfdph.org 

When: Every Sunday at 11am
Where: Curry Drop In Center (333 Turk Street, 2nd floor)

A language course for beginners

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Mindful Meditation

Category: Drop In
Staff Contact: Rashaad Bess | rashaad.bess@sfdph.org 

When: Saturdays and Sundays at 9:45am to 10:45am
Where: Curry Drop In Center (333 Turk Street, 2nd floor)

A program designed to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress

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Samahang Pinoy/Current Events (Tagalog)

Category: Community Programs
Staff Contact: Lalaine Favis | lfavis@curryseniorcenter.org

When: Friday 10am to 12pm
Where: Curry Senior Center

A group of Tagalog speakers with an assortment of engaging activities and discussions on Filipino culture.

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Tech Tutoring for Vitenamese Speakers

Category: Technology
Staff Contact: Trang Ngo (tngo@curryseniorcenter.org) & Anh Tran (atran@curryseniorcenter.org)

When: Fridays 1pm to 3pm
Where: Curry Computer Lab

Supportive, one-on-one, technology tutoring sessions for clients whose primary or only language is Vietnamese.

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Dave Knego

Since 2007, David’s been leading the charge to increase Curry Senior Center’s impact on the lives of San Francisco seniors in need. During his tenure at Curry Senior Center he has launched new programs, expanded the volunteer base, and led the organization through a rebrand. Prior to Curry Senior Center, David served as the Executive Director of Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly, where he expanded the agency’s volunteer-based programs supporting homebound and isolated elders. He also worked at Central City Hospitality House, a community center for low-income and homeless adults. His current community involvement includes: Board President of the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium; Board President of the Community Living Campaign; Co-Chair of Advocacy Committee for the Coalition of Agencies Serving the Elderly; Member of the Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Community Advisory Board. David holds a Masters of Social Work Degree from San Francisco State University and a Bachelor of Biology and Psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

“Curry Senior Center’s staff, residents, donors, volunteers and board of directors are who inspire me every day to make a bigger impact on our community, I’m grateful to be a part of this cause!”

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