Juliana McNeil greeted reporters in what’s known as the living room, a tranquil space with yellow walls where people use computers, read books and unwind.

She was there as a kind of ambassador for the visitors who come in regularly, and had glowing reviews of her experience at the Tenderloin Center.

McNeil said she had been sleeping on the streets in Oakland before she arrived at the site. She said staff helped her find housing, mental health support and mentors.

“Places like this need to exist in other counties because when you’re homeless, you feel like you have nothing,” she said. “They got me not only a hot meal, they gave me a hygiene kit, clothes. They basically linked me back up to where I’m building myself again, my trust with people.”

Juliana McNeil told members of the media she lived on the streets of Oakland before finding support at the Tenderloin Center. (Holly McDede/KQED)

Donna Hilliard, executive director of Code Tenderloin, took reporters to the courtyard.

“What we tell people is, ‘Welcome to grandmother’s backyard,'” she said.

She pointed toward a mobile shower and laundry station.

“You can come in smelling like pee, but guess what, we have a shower, and we’re going to give it with care,” she said.

Hilliard nodded toward the game area and where guests can get coffee, and gray-and-blue reclining chairs arranged in a circle where people wait for services or nap.

Then reporters were escorted to what staff called “the overdose prevention area.”

The area is pretty basic. Plastic tables and chairs are set up for people to use drugs with relative privacy, while staff are nearby to reverse overdoses.

“There are people we don’t see in treatment, people who leave treatment and have reoccurrence of drug use. And for those people, we believe we have an obligation to care for them so they don’t die of a drug overdose,” said Vitka Eisen, president and CEO of HealthRIGHT 360, a nonprofit health provider that offers harm-reduction services at the Tenderloin Center.

On a typical day, in this outdoor lounge area at the Tenderloin Center, guests wait for services. Vitka Eisen with HealthRIGHT 360 said staff have reversed overdoses at this spot and that naloxone is readily available when needed. (Holly McDede/KQED)

Naloxone, the drug used to reverse overdoses, and clean needles are at the ready. No one has fatally overdosed at the Tenderloin Center, and staff have reversed over 90 overdoses since the site opened in January, according to data from the San Francisco Public Health Department.

Eisen disagreed that the site is a safe consumption site, however, and preferred to call it an overdose prevention site.

“The safe consumption sites are typically indoors. They have nursing staff, a medical model, and this is outdoors in a tent,” she said. “It’s rugged.”

The post Inside San Francisco’s Tenderloin Heart, Which Serves A whole bunch Each Day appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

by Jocelyn Moran

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) — Monday marks 116 years since the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, ranked as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time by the US Geological Survey. Now it serves as a reminder of the need to be prepared.

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“We live in earthquake country, there have been big earthquakes in the past, there will be big earthquakes in our future,” said Keith Knudsen, the deputy director of the USGS Earthquake Science Center.

Knudsen said during earthquake anniversaries, he revisits his earthquake plan.

“Are you going to have a way to contact the rest of your family? Do you have an assembly point?” he said.

Faith Meacham moved to San Francisco from out of state about a year ago.

“I definitely thought about it when I was looking for apartments. I was like, `Do I want an older build? Newer build? Which one is safer?’ But since moving, I haven’t really thought about it too much,” she said.

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Knudsen said that’s not a bad idea.

“That’s actually one of my favorite recommendations. I encourage people to investigate the buildings in which they and their families spend time in,” said Knudsen. “If your kids go to school, has the school been evaluated? Are they safe, is your home safe? Is your apartment building safe?”

Other things to think about include having an earthquake kit ready to go.

The California Residential Mitigation Program offers recommendations that include:
• 3-day supply of water for each member of your family
• 3-day supply of nonperishable food
• First aid kids for your home and cars
• 3-day supply of food and water for your pets
• Flashlights in every room with extra batteries
• Power packs for phones
• Prescription medication
• Whistle
• Swiss Army knives
• Copies of personal documents
• Extra pair of eyeglasses
• Small cash bills

Knudsen said something he thinks about when thinking about the 1906 earthquake was the damage from the fires triggered by the earthquake.

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“If we have big earthquakes anywhere in the Bay Area, anywhere in California, there will be fires so it pays to learn things like how do you shut the gas off to your house?,” Knudsen said. “Is your water heater strapped? Are there flexible lines to your gas appliances? Anything you can do to make where you spend time more resistant to fire hazards.”

The post 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Anniversary Serves As Reminder To Be Ready For Subsequent Large One – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

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The family-run Hong Kong Lounge is located in SF’s Outer Richmond District and serves as the staple for classic dim sum in the Bay Area. During this lunar new year, the restaurant offers a variety of take-away specialties, including a giant pot of festive foods known as a poon choi. This traditional dish is overflowing with special meat, seafood and vegetables that symbolize wealth and fortune.

Sweet treats also play an important role in the New Year’s dishes. The Hong Kong Lounge caters to customers Nian Gao (Year Cake) and Fa Gao (Prosperity Cake). Nian Gao is a circular, sticky rice cake most popularly consumed during the Lunar New Year to promote togetherness and happiness for a better year. Fa Gao is a steamed, yellow cake that is successful when consumed.

As the manager of her family’s restaurant, Tiffany Zhou hopes that New Year’s dinner at the Hong Kong Lounge will bring much-needed joy to families.

“I want you to be happy,” said Zhou. “And just remember, you know, sometimes you have to slow down and just enjoy the moment.”

Visit here to learn more about the Hong Kong Lounge and to place an order.

Every year, the Hong Kong Lounge, together with the Fort Point Beer Company, offers a special brunch with delicious dim sum dishes and beer offerings to celebrate the New Year and Beer Week. Visit here to pre-order your home dim sum brunch for Saturday 20th February.

The post San Francisco’s Hong Kong Lounge serves fortunate meals for the last word Lunar New Yr feast appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.