2021 Top-Rated Nonprofit

Shanti Project

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Nonprofit Overview

Causes: Animal Protection & Welfare, Animals, Breast Cancer, Cancer, Health, Health Care

Mission: Shanti is a pioneering nonprofit that builds human connections to reduce isolation and improve quality of life. We believe that meaningful relationships are essential for navigating life’s most difficult challenges. Every day, we ease the invisible suffering that can accompany isolation or illness, and combat it through the power of personal connection. Because when we take care of each other, we make San Francisco a healthier and more compassionate community, for everyone.

Results: For nearly 50, Shanti has been cultivating compassion in our community. Founded in 1974 by Dr. Charles A. Garfield at the UCSF Cancer Institute, Shanti was one of the first volunteer organizations in the United States to provide support to people with life-threatening illness. Shanti emerged from the UCSF cancer ward halls to become one of the world’s very first community-based organizations to help support people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS during the epidemic’s early, most nightmarish days. In 2001, we expanded our services to include women diagnosed with breast cancer, and in 2015, we expanded again to serve women facing any cancer diagnosis. Also in 2015, we welcomed into the Shanti family community partner Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS), whose mission ensures that no person has to make the decision between caring for their pet or caring for themselves. To bring our internationally recognized model of care to more underserved members of our community, we launched two new programs in 2016. Our LGBTQ Aging & Abilities Support Network (LAASN) addresses social isolation as well as emotional, behavioral, and health challenges faced by LGBTQ seniors and adults with disabilities. Our Peer Advocate Care Team (PACT) supports current residents of Potrero Terrace and Annex to help them prepare for their public housing to be demolished and rebuilt into a mixed-income community.

Target demographics: marginalized individuals, including people who are living with life threatening illness or disability, aging adults, and individuals facing poverty and systemic inequities overcome barriers to care so they may improve their health and wellness outcomes.

Direct beneficiaries per year: 2,200+ San Franciscans

Geographic areas served: San Francisco

Programs: Shanti serves more than 2,000 San Franciscans every year through the following programs: COVID-19 Emergency Response Volunteer Program (CERV) is our most recent program, launched in March 2020. CERV was created in partnership between the City of San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) and Shanti Project. CERV volunteers provide one-time or occasional practical support to older and vulnerable adults who are strongly advised to limit outdoor exposure during the Coronavirus pandemic. HIV Programs exist to ensure that the most underserved people living with HIV in San Francisco receive the compassionate support they need to manage all aspects of their health. LGBTQ+ Aging & Abilities Support Network (LAASN) addresses social isolation as well as emotional, behavioral, and health challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer seniors and adults with disabilities. Margot Murphy Women’s Cancer Program offers services to mitigate the barriers women face after a cancer diagnosis. Our program augments hospital-based care and reduces the social, economic, linguistic, and cultural barriers that underserved women face accessing, maintaining, and completing treatment and transitioning into survivorship. Peer Advocate Care Team (PACT) PACT reduces isolation, stress, and anxiety among residents of Potrero Terrace and Annex as we help them to prepare for their housing to be rebuilt into a mixed-income community. Our Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) program keeps people and their companion animals together. PAWS believes that no one should have to make the difficult choice of caring for themselves or caring for their beloved pets. We provide free comprehensive support services for pets of seniors and individuals living with disability or illness. Volunteer & Community Support Services Program offers meaningful opportunities to volunteer directly with our clients as Peer Support Volunteers and PAWS Pet Assistance Volunteers. We also provide other ways for volunteers to support our organization and our clients. Each year, hundreds of Shanti volunteers provide emotional and practical peer support services to some of San Francisco’s most underserved individuals, from those with challenges such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses to LGBTQ+ seniors and adults with disabilities facing isolation. Animal lovers also help keep those most at risk in our community together with their beloved pets within our PAWS Program (Pets Are Wonderful Support). Volunteers provide a continuum of services such as dog walking, distributing and delivering pet food from the PAWS food bank, transporting pets and clients to vet appointments, and providing temporary pet foster care.

Community Stories

98 Stories from Volunteers, Donors & Supporters

Client Served

Rating: 5

Hi my name is Linda Rommuno and I am on SSDI and have 2 cat's Roomba and Boo Bear and thanks to the wonderful people at PAWS I now have everything I need for my furbabies they even delivered my babies food once a month to me they have been a very big help to my furbabies and I besides food,litter and treats they have beds,cat trees, and everything and anything else i need for Roomba and Boo Bear I am so grateful they came into are lives

Client Served

Rating: 5

I am a PAWS client and this year was tough. Losing my BooBoo dog was heartbreaking. But Care Navigator Georjean was there with support and compassion. I know she helped me with vet funds above and beyond. Without PAWS I don't know what I would have done.

Client Served

Rating: 5

The Shanti Project has served the HIV/AIDS community in San Francisco for three decades. Their program, Honoring Our Experience, gives San Francisco's long-term survivors of HIV/AIDS a diverse, inviting, respectful environment to help each other through the trials and triumphs of having lived with AIDS for 30, 35, or 40 years. There services are absolutely necessary. I don't know what we long-term survivors would do without them.

Client Served

Rating: 5

Without PAWS, I would not be able to afford to feed my dog food, and I would have to surrender . Just the thought of losing him makes me cry. My dog Tango and I are a family and we need each other.

Client Served

Rating: 5

Almost a lifesaver for my 3 cats. They always accommodate us with food, supplies and more---even transportation when needed. And during this pandemic we are always served with a smile and friendly advice. Still, I wish we could return to the "open" location, like before COVID. Hopefully it will be soon.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I help volunteer by delivering cat and dog food to those in need. They are great to work with and make such an impact in the community.

Donor

Rating: 5

Pets Are Wonderful Support (“PAWS”) is one of the many extraordinarily valuable programs of Shanti Project. The mission of PAWS is to ensure that the elderly, ill and disabled in our community are able to keep their beloved pets when they need them the most. For many clients of PAWS, their beloved pet is their only family.

Tommy G.3

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I have worked with the PAWS for 30 years. By honoring the human- bond I have seen clients enjoy a quality lives with their pets that would not be there otherwise. Their health is improved and their outlook on life is tremendously better.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

The best place in San Francisco . Caring and honest people who only want the best for their clients . Empathy is their number one skill

1

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I found myself at the Shanti reception desk as if in a dream after reading an ad on the bus. It was the early 80's and we were in the middle of the AIDS pandemic and that ad made me realize that I could help immensely just making someone's bed.

I was 26, barely off the boat from Italy and I felt like a child among adults when throughout the 3 day training I heard people's stories and experiences, their sorrows and backgrounds often difficult and very different from mine, because of their sexual orientation, social status, religion or culture but still wanting to help others nevertheless.

The training was one of the best things that happened to me, it brought me back to a level of compassion and empathy I had long buried inside. I wanted to test my ideas and believes about suffering and death but was assigned a client that was relatively well and I cleaned his house weekly for 9 months, slowly getting to know him better. Other volunteer friends were not so lucky and ended up saying goodbye to 6 or 7 clients during the same period of time. Some of the volunteers were HIV positive and getting sick themselves and still did amazing things for their clients.
People said that HIV/AIDS brought the best out of the Gay Community, which got closer and better organized to fight discriminatory policies and lack of support from the status quo.

I marched in the Gay Parade that year and it was a great experience. At the time the director was Jim Geary -who was also present at our training weekend- and there was some dissent on how he was managing that got in the papers, so I was not expecting the support of SF citizens lining Market Street clapping and cheering when we passed as the Shanti volunteers group.
In my naiveté I asked a volunteer friend why, if they were so loudly supportive, did they not also volunteer like we did. He had to explain to me that not everyone can do what we were doing, most people prefer writing checks or clap from a distance.
I am surely grateful to have volunteered and learned all I did then, thank you Shanti.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I came across Shanti a few years ago when I was looking for volunteer opportunities. I completed the Peer support training and it changed my life. I was matched with my client for two years until my schedule would not allow me to volunteer anymore. My relationship with my client was like no other in my life. I am forever grateful for my Shanti experience.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

Volunteering for Shanti has been one of the most rewarding and meaningful experiences in my life. I remember participating in the training 4.5 years ago and it was transformative. I am so grateful to be given an opportunity to meet my incredibly resilient clients - without Shanti we would probably have never met. It is an honor to be a part of their life. The Shanti community holds a very special place in my heart.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I joined Shanti as a volunteer in 2017 and I am so grateful to be part of this wonderful community. I consider Shanti to be an essential pillar in the history of San Francisco with its capacity to show up for the most vulnerable when it is needed, in such a unique compassionate way. My time as a volunteer inspired me to apply for a full-time position at Shanti where I now work as an HIV Services care navigator. I feel so lucky to work with such an amazing group of people!

Donor

Rating: 5

I had the honor of working with Shanti as a donor and am so proud to have been a part of the Shanti family! Working at a photo studio, we had a large amount of clothing samples that were usually sent somewhere and passed off as Goodwill donations. Being in SF, our team wanted to restrategize this process so we could directly impact our local community. After doing some research we found Shanti and were able to get them approved by corporate for us to send our donations. Communication and planning with Shanti was easy and convenient; they rented their own truck to come and pick up donation boxes-making it much easier to coordinate with our team. Shanti was beyond grateful for our contributions, and it was so great to see all this clothing going directly into the hands of people in need. We maintained this donor relationship with Shanti for over a year while I worked at the Photo Studio. Shanti invited us to attend a Gala to show their gratitude, where we able to meet numerous clients who were a part of Shanti and benefitted from our donations. It makes you realize- clothes are often times more than just clothes. They can create self confidence; they can boost our self esteem and lift our moods. They can make you feel proud and beautiful. We were shared a story of a man who was able to find a suit that fit him from our donations so that he had a nice outfit to go visit his family he had not seen in years; that was just one of many stories we were shared that made our team beyond grateful and appreciate for all the care Shanti provided to its clients and the community. Thank you Shanti for all the good work you do, all the care you provide, and all the love you spread through your services! Very glad my team could contribute; I look forward to the next opportunity where I can once again partner with Shanti.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I have worked with my client for 5 years and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of my life. Shanti is truly a family and so supportive. They’ve been at the forefront of so many crisis in San Francisco history and have been a pillar of love and support for those who are suffering the most. I feel proud to be a part of this community. The trainings are excellent and benefit your life beyond just your work as a volunteer. Highly recommend!

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I have been volunteering with Shanti since the winter of 2009. I never cease to be amazed at the entire staff's endless enthusiasm, support and care for not only their clients, but also for their co-workers and volunteers. The entire experience has been a gift and has challenged me to grow in ways that would not have been possible if I had not worked with Shanti. The work they continue to do is unparalleled, and I consider every person in the organization to be a real champion and hero. I take great pride in being able to work with such exceptional and caring human beings. Thanks to all at Shanti, you are truly the best and I appreciate all that you do.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I have been volunteering for Shanti for a little over a year. My experience with Shanti has been incredible. It is an amazing organization full of wonderful, talented people. The peer support training was thorough and insightful and adequately prepared me for the volunteer role. After the training, the staff continue to support their volunteers in many different ways. It is clear that they care deeply not only about the clients that they serve, but about the overall experience of their volunteers.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

It has been amazing pleasure to volunteer for Shanti so far. They have a great training for peer-to-peer volunteering. The care-navigators are very supportive.
Their communication platform and availability is great to provide support and adjustments for any volunteering activity. It's always great talking to shanti members and clients in the meetings. For anyone who is looking forward for a volunteering opportunity, which is easy to get in, I would strongly recommend trying out shanti. They have great platform to volunteers based on their interests, availability and location. One can get involved in activities like dog walking, peer-to-peer volunteering, basic activity needs of the clients who find it difficult to access.

Yadira S.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I absolutely love volunteering for PAWS Shanti. I volunteer as a dog walker for an elderly person and walking that little dog is the highlight of my day. It’s therapeutic and heart-warming...I sincerely feel like I get more out of this than I give. That dog brings a lot of joy to his humans life and I’m very glad to be of help.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

Shanti came into my life over three years ago. I was blown away by the support this non profit offers to our community in need. Last year I volunteered delivering stockings to clients and their beloved pets through their organization PAWS; Pets Are Wonderful Support. PAWS provides services such as food delivery, dog walkers and more for individuals with pets that are in need of assistance with their animals. We delivered stocking for cats, dogs and birds filled with treats and toys. The look on clients faces and the warm welcome from their pets as we delivered the stockings to each door was one for the books. Without these services many would face losing their pets and because of Shanti they will not allow this to happen! I look forward to volunteering again this year!! Cheers to such a wonderful Organization. Shanti changes lives!

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I began volunteering with Shanti back in 2015. The impact they have in San Francisco is undeniable. I am grateful to be a part of Shanti!

Sarah342

Volunteer

Rating: 5

When I moved from London to San Francisco in February this year I wanted to find a volunteering opportunity that would allow me to give back to the community in a truly meaningful way. I feel so fortunate that I discovered Shanti as they have allowed me to do this and then some!

Shanti has been such a massive part in shaping my love of San Francisco; the passionate and dedicated staff, the excellent volunteer training programme, the other awesome volunteers, my incredible client and being involved in fundraising events from auctioning lap dances to serving beers at leather festivals.

Everything about Shanti is so refreshingly genuine and the services they provide make such an important difference to some of San Francisco's most vulnerable.

Long may their work continue!

1 shirleeeeeey

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I waited 1-1/2 years to volunteer with the Shanti Project before my schedule finally allowed it, and it's been everything I was seeking!

I wanted to make a deep commitment to help someone else. The Shanti Project provided thorough training and then paired me with a long-term peer support client who is such a wonderful match for me.

I'm learning how to be open-hearted and fully present for my client... and it extends into every other aspect of my life. On top of getting to give back to the world around me, I'm having so much fun! Thank you, Shanti!

1

Volunteer

Rating: 5

ShantiProject is an ever evolving nonprofit .it was founded in 1974 and through the darkest days of the AIDS plague of the 80's it was one of the go to organizations offering support and comfort. As our community and its needs have changed so has the Project.
They offer peer support to all that have life threatening illnesses.
Needs vary by individual. Every client is meticulously matched to their peer volunteer . And support is specific to clients needs and requests . I am proud to be a member of this selfless and compassionate organization .

1 Ryan77

Volunteer

Rating: 5

The Shanti Project sets the example for a peer-support network beautifully integrated into the communities it serves. This nonprofit provides critical, often overlooked, services to those afflicted with life-threatening illnesses and others in need, such as emotional & practical support, empathy, and general companionship. I've volunteered with Shanti for almost three years, and can say with confidence that this organization is a vibrant, necessary, and constructive force for many communities in San Francisco. If only there were sister nonprofits spread throughout the country ... the world would be a better place.

2 Chellee P.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I've known about Shanti for a while, and have wanted to be apart of the organization for some years now. I was lucky enough to get an internship as an Event Coordinator, and was later on hired full-time. I am reminded everyday how beautiful and welcoming this community is. From the amazing and caring staff, to the exceptional volunteers, Shanti really makes a difference in the lives of our clients, and has for a fact made a huge impact on mine. I look forward to coming to work everyday, to serve the community of San Francisco, and work with people who truly care and want to make a difference.

1

Professional with expertise in this field

Rating: 5

Shanti restored my faith in non-profits. I've worked at many Bay Area organizations, and most of them either didn't last, became way too corporate, or lost sight of their original missions. I feel that Shanti and PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support), now a program of Shanti, still have the grassroots, activist spirit that was around when they began thirty and forty years ago. My colleagues treat their clients with genuine respect, and I believe that's why I've never worked at a non-profit that's as loved and appreciated by its clients as Shanti.

2

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I am so happy to be a Shanti volunteer. It has always been one of my goals to work with this wonderful organization . The orientation is 24 hours which seems daunting but time well spent. During the weekend, I looked forward to seeing the other volunteers as we learned skills to best interact with our future clients. Working with my client has opened up a whole new world . He finds free things to do in San Francisco every week and we have great talks.
Once a month I attend a support group to share our experiences and our ups and downs with clients. It is a great volunteer experience.
I also work with PAWS . Once or twice a month on Saturday, I help deliver pet food to needy clients. Paws also helps clients walk and bath their dogs .

1

Professional with expertise in this field

Rating: 5

Shanti is an incredible organization! Our program became part of Shanti 1 year ago. At first I wasn't sure what to think because I had only heard of the organization and didn't know it very well. But each thing I learned about Shanti, I felt more and more confident. Now I proudly tell people that Shanti is a wonderful organization that supports so many people, pets, and communities. I am proud to be part of this strong, compassionate place.

2

Volunteer

Rating: 5

When I think of Shanti, the phrase that immediately comes to mind is, "from the heart." All of it. As great the word of mouth has been and as much good as I've heard about them, my experience volunteering with Shanti has still exceeded my rather high expectations.

Everything that Shanti offers and provides for its clients, and the in-depth training it provides for its volunteers, is completely and authentically from a place of caring and love in ways I find difficult to completely articulate in words--and in a way, Shanti's active listening model in being present and there our clients makes this feel a bit appropriate!

Shanti shares its mission of compassionate care and supporting many of San Francisco's most vulnerable folks with an assortment of services, including my own role as a peer support volunteer. The training I received was truly a bonding experience with other volunteers--I haven't felt that close with and supported by a group of strangers-turned-Shanti family for some time. Moreover, the training I received includes interpersonal skills that have only enhanced my interactions with housemates, co-workers, and my partner.

I have greatly enjoyed spending time with my client in a variety of support roles: in my case, simply being there in an emotionally supportive and totally present manner with some practical assistance here and there. My client and I have grown close in a short amount of time, and I look forward to our weekly meet-ups and finding out what's new with him.

I cannot recommend Shanti enough to anyone who has a desire to make a positive contribution to our community and help those in need.

1

Volunteer

Rating: 5

The Shanti Project is beautiful-from it's clients and volunteers to it's mission statement. As a volunteer, I really appreciate being able to work one on one with a client that I was perfectly matched with. It feels more like hanging out with a friend than doing volunteer work.

I loved the training as well. I have not felt that inspired about the kind of work I want to do and the type of person I want to become since college!

I love volunteering for Shanti and would highly recommend them to anyone looking to get involved in public service and mental and physical health problems.

2

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I've started volunteering with Shanti only recently but already can see that this is a unique organization. The support and guidance they offer their volunteers is remarkable. Also, I've noticed that many of the employees and volunteers used to be patients, I do believe it says a lot about a place. I honestly can't emphasize enough how grateful I am to take part of such an amazing organization!

3 Taylor28

Volunteer

Rating: 5

Shanti is the best nonprofit I have ever been involved with! I am currently a peer support volunteer. The training process for becoming a peer support volunteer was very organized and well thought out. I have been impressed with the kindness and professionalism of all the Shanti staff and would recommend them to anyone looking to get involved with a great cause! I love them!

1 Josh37

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I have been volunteering as a peer support volunteer for the last 6 months, and have been supporting Shanti for about two years. This is a phenomenal organization that spreads kindness throughout the San Francisco community and makes the lives of its most vulnerable members better through support and care navigation. It has been a truly rewarding experience to give back to the community through Shanti, and I admire all of the people who work there and are driven to spread its mission.

4

Board Member

Rating: 5

Shanti's community of staff and volunteers are the most dedicated and empathetic that I've ever seen in my history of working with nonprofits. The organization has made a huge impact in San Francisco in the 41 years that it's been in existence by ensuring that thousands of individuals with serious illnesses obtain the practical and emotional support services they need. For many of the clients who otherwise lack resources, Shanti truly has been "the difference between zero and one."

3

Professional with expertise in this field

Rating: 5

Shanti Project, they care about the work they do, their clients and how they reach others in the community. I had the pleasure of working with this amazing and dedicated staff during the past four months while planning their 40th Anniversary Benefit Dinner. I have never worked with a more dedicated & supportive staff in my 30+ years of fundraising. Pleasure to work with, amazing to hear their stories and see them work with the clients they service. Know when you donate to this organization, your money is spent well and for such great programs!

7 Paul148

Client Served

Rating: 5

The year was 1988. I had graduated high school a mere 7 years earlier. I was young, social, enjoying the freedom the gay rights movement of the seventies paved for me and my generation. Then in one swift stroke my happy go lucky life changed forever. My very first and only HIV test came back positive. Back then it was a death sentence. I felt alone, scared and was certain that no one could possibly understand what it mean to be told at 24 years old that you were going to be dead at 30.

Then, I encountered Shanti Project. The staff and volunteers accepted me with open arms and hearts. They listened, without judgement, without fear, without advice, to my fears and concerns. The people at Shanti Project taught me that it was okay to be angry, afraid, to feel cheated. But they also showed me that those feelings and this disease didn't have to define my life. That I could live a quality life not in spite of it but because of it.

Shanti Project helped me to turn a corner and to view this as an opportunity to not only help and educate myself but to do so for others.

Thank you Shanti Project.

2

Volunteer

Rating: 5

What lies at the core of the Shanti model is the epitome of humanitarianism to me - kind, caring, nonjudgmental support of peers in their time of greatest need. I feel privileged and grateful to have been a part of this community as a volunteer for eight years and counting. I get to help others the way I've been helped in my life. And I get to see so many wonderful staff members and volunteers make a positive difference in so many lives. This is all possible because of the focused and efficient way Shanti functions as an organization.

3

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I have been volunteering for Shanti Project in numerous capacities over the last year and a half. They genuinely care about their volunteers and follow up and offer more opportunities for folks to expand their services. I have gained positive personal growth and am certain my matched client benefits greatly from both the services I and Shanti provide. I am so thankful this organization is available in our community.

Previous Stories
1

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I joined the Shanti community in May 2013 and have been warmly welcomed by the staff, and members of the community within this great non-profit. I not only have been blessed with peer-support opportunities, but have been assisting within other departments such as Research and Fundraising. Not only are the staff and volunteers friendly and helpful, but the organization provides support for their volunteers as well. I believe this is key to the long-running strength of Shanti as a key player in the non-profit sector and LGBT community within San Francisco and abroad. The Shanti Model is one other non-profits, HIV/AIDS and Breast cancer organizations strive to mirror.

1

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I have been volunteering with Shanti in various capacities for nearly two years. I have found this organization to have a high performing staff, who are always engaged and eager to work with you. Shanti's unique mission has a tremendous impact for both their community and their clients, and I have been proud to be a part of this special group through volunteering both my time and money.

Some highlights of this organization and my experience are as follows:

-experiencing the unique volunteer training course, which ensures that each volunteer understands and espouses the Shanti mission
-building a relationship with my Shanti client
-helping plan the annual Breast Cancer Program event

3

Volunteer

Rating: 5

Shanti is an amazing organization both for its volunteers and for the breast cancer and HIV communities it supports. I joined Shanti 3 years ago as a volunteer in the HIV peer support program and am impressed regularly with Shanti's commitment, professionalism, and caring/knowledgable staff.

The first thing they do for new volunteers is to put them through an intensive weekend training program, which was an absolutely amazing experience. I was worried it would be poorly organized and kind of a waste of a precious weekend, but I could not have been more wrong. The training was well thought out and contained many safe and supported opportunities to practice the skills I would need as a peer support volunteer. The presenters were prepared and knowledgable, and the material was based on many combined years of Shanti experiences and best practices. I left the training with new friends and new skills in both personal life and peer support.

Following this I was matched with my very amazing and wonderful client, Josh, who is a blessing in my life. I am able to be a friend and support to him, listen to him, help him get to appointments, and share in his joys and his challenges. Our relationship is incredibly special to me, and I look forward to our time together very much. I feel grateful that we can share each other's lives through the Shanti model. I am also constantly supported by Shanti's amazing staff. As a volunteer I am part of a small support group that meets monthly, allowing us to work through issues that are hard for us with our client, share the joys and challenges and refresh ourselves by supporting one another. At the same time if I have anything come up with Josh that I'm not sure how to handle I can call or email my Shanti contact, who knows Josh personally and also stays connected to him. This means that Josh and I always have experts to go to for the challenges we are not sure how to handle on our own. I am so grateful to this amazing organization and love to be a part of it!

1

Professional with expertise in this field

Rating: 5

I went through the volunteer training about 20 years ago! That training informed my work with nonprofits. I joined the staff to help raise funds for the organization in 2012 and I couldn't be happier. Our work with breast cancer clients and people living with HIV helps the most at risk and underserved, and the clients really appreciate our hard work.

3

Board Member

Rating: 5

I have been a volunteer with Shanti for eight years and am honored to have recently joined the Board of Directors. I found Shanti shortly after moving to San Francisco and volunteered to facilitate jewelry-making workshops every few months for women in their breast cancer program. During that first year, Shanti's staff treated both me and their clients with a level of professionalism, kindness and respect that blew me away.

My experience with the program inspired me to increase my involvement and I decided to go through the weekend-long training to become a Peer Support Volunteer. This was followed by several years of deeply rewarding, multi-faceted volunteering with Shanti which I hold as one of the most meaningful experiences in my life. I was matched with a client in the breast cancer program, Magna, for many years and still help train new volunteers as well as run a monthly support group for currently matched volunteers.

I support Shanti because I have witnessed the critical need that their services fill for vulnerable people facing life-threatening illnesses in San Francisco. I support Shanti because their team is experienced and effective at training volunteers to meet this need, while always demonstrating compassion toward clients and appreciation toward volunteers and supporters. I look forward to a bright future for the organization as it continues to grow and serve our community.

2

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I have been a part of Shanti for over 5 years and each year gets better and better. I was honored to serve as a Board of Directors member and when I needed to step down; I was thankful to be able to continue to be a part of the the planning committee for Shanti's Swim-for-LIFE event.

Shanti contineus at 40 years strong - serving the Breast Cancer and HIV Communities of the SF Bay area and I am proud to be a part of this strong history.

Previous Stories
2

Board Member

Rating: 5

Shanti has been a place to where I am routinly in awe...from the staff, volunteers and clients. As a BOD member, I hear often how Shanti has had a positive impact on the lives of those we provide services to but also for the larger SF community. It has been an honor to be a part of Shanti and glad I can make a contribution to the work we all do together.

Read more
1 Brad D.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I moved to SF a few years back and sought out great non-profits that I could volunteer at, primarily to give back, and to meet new people. After having done research, I landed on Shanti--they had some wonderful reviews out there. I went through the volunteering orientation sessions and was *thrilled* to see that such care went into their programs. It truly is staffed by people that genuinely care about the causes. This was refreshing! Ultimately, I was unable to make a long-term commitment to their caregiving volunteer program; however, I volunteer each year for their Swim-for-Life program--it's my small way of still being connected to a fantastic organization and a fantastic cause.

1

Professional with expertise in this field

Rating: 4

I have known of Shanti for years but only recently become intimately involved with day to day operations. The mission of Shanti was evident in the staff and volunteers present. Staff are helpful, open and aware of who is around and who they serve. Their service outcomes, outputs, and financial information is available on their website and is understandable. The Executive Director and Board are accessible to most anyone seeking information.

2

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I've been involved with Shanti and aware of their impact for about ten years now. It is truly inspiring how many ways they change lives for the better. The breadth of their activities and their determination and perseverance is breathtaking. To not only survive, but thrive as a non-profit for over thirty years is an amazing feat.

I've seen first-hand the effects Shanti has not only on their clients, but on their community as a whole and I am honored to know many staff and volunteers there and to be a part of it myself.

1

Volunteer

Rating: 5

Shanti is truly an exceptional and life-changing nonprofit. I have been volunteering with Shanti for almost 10 years. There are few nonprofits in which I have witnessed such compassion, heart, and support from everyone involved - the staff, the volunteers, the Board of Directors, and the clients. I have volunteered and worked at numerous nonprofits, and I can truly say that it is rare to find 1) the incredible level of support that the Shanti staff provide for the volunteers and the clients, and 2) the deep level of compassion and dedication that the volunteers embody.
The staff and volunteers who provide Shanti's vital services and support to the HIV/AIDS and breast cancer communities are passionate about helping people with these life-threatening illnesses. There is a good reason why so many volunteers give hours of their time each week to serve Shanti's clients, and often volunteer with Shanti for many, many years!

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Volunteer

Rating: 5

Shanti is able to provide comprehensive support to almost 2,000 clients each year because staff put all of their heart into serving clients, and because the organization as a whole makes every effort to run on a lean, effective budget. Shanti has a model that has worked for over thirty years to improve quality of life for its clients, but their is still a strive to innovate and grow. Shanti works to expand and enhance its services, and build partnerships with organizations in the city that have complimentary models and resources.

Shanti stands out as the best volunteer organization I've ever worked with. First, the experience Shanti facilitates - providing compassionate support to their clients living with chronic illnesses - is an honor and a gift. Second, Shanti values volunteers as an integral part of the Shanti model, so Shanti staff treat volunteers as equitable partners in supporting clients. Finally, being a volunteer at Shanti for 5 years has been an opportunity to join a long-standing and important community in San Francisco. It is an inclusive community that is not based on similar backgrounds or lifestyles, just shared values - most importantly compassion!

1 chipsup

Board Member

Rating: 5

I have been associated with Shanti in various roles since 1997. what keeps me coming back? Well, there's the exceptionally dedicated and talented staff, and the agency enjoys remarkable leadership by its Executive Director, and the Board of Directors are very much involved in guiding the agency's course. But the main reason I come back to help this organization is the way Shanti volunteers touch the hearts and change the lives of their clients. Incredible transformations often occur as a result. I am so proud to be a making a contribution to this effort!

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Volunteer

Rating: 5

Shanti is one of those rare finds - an organization with a heart. Shanti's founder frequently says Shanti's mission can be summed up in two words: Love heals. Never before have I been associated with something so permeated with love. The art of giving has been refined and perfected by the folks at Shanti. Do you want to enhance your life like that? Do you want to belong to a group of like minded and hearted individuals? Do you have three hours a week to give? Then volunteer here!

1 Ernesto Q.

Board Member

Rating: 5

Compassion is one of the words that come to mind when I think about Shanti. Right before joining Shanti's Board, Kaushik Roy, Shanti's ED, invited me to attend Shanti's peer support training, which turned out being a life changing event. It was an incredible weekend which is difficult to describe in a few words. All I can say for now is that I learned a bit about Shanti's model and the idea that no one should go through a life threatening illness alone. I'm proud to be part of this organization and I'm proud to give back to my community by volunteering for Shanti.

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Board Member

Rating: 5

Shanti is my favorite nonprofit organization. I met Kaushik Roy, Shanti's Executive Director, at a Board Match event in San Francisco at the beginning of 2011, and I've been volunteering for Shanti ever since. After going through some rough times and getting much support from the San Francisco community, I've decided to give back to the community by supporting Shanti. I highly recommend taking the Peer Support Training, a three-day program, that will provide life changing tools to better interact and be compassionate with other people. It definitely changed my life.

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Board Member

Rating: 5

Shanti is one of very few organizations that has accomplished and often surpassed it's mission for close to 4 decades -- the mission of ensuring that men and women with HIV/AIDS and with breast cancer do not face illness alone. By training and deploying volunteers into a 1:1 relationship with clients, Shanti provides a unique support service to those most in need. The organization has shown an unwavering commitment to the community and is an example to others in this arena.

1 tacurtis

Board Member

Rating: 5

Shanti Project is a San Francisco organization that started 39years ago to help those with teminal illness. They were called upon to help with the Aids epedemic in the City and more recently with breast cancer. Their model is unique because they match volunteers one on one with clients to support them when they need it most, whatever stage of the illness they may be in. The staff and volunteers are filled with compassion for the clients and organization!

1 Krystal K.

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I am inspired by the work that Shanti does! They support and care for many who need it most, with grace. They are the pioneers in what they do and have gained the respect of not only the Bay Area community but also internationally. I had the pleasure of volunteering for their Shanti Speakeasy Cocktail Celebration and couldn't have been more pleased with the quality and fun of the event and it's attendees. I am happy to help this organization in whatever way I can!

Review from Guidestar

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Client Served

Rating: 5

As one of the Human Development Facilitator based in Lubumbashi, DR Congo and assigned to the wide community of Kalebuka in the rural Southeast part of the city of Lubumbashi, I have the privilege of seeing first hand people’s lives transformed by the Participatory Human Development Process. You should see how proud they are to share their stories with visitors. Amongst them, maybe Phiri and Boni had the most tremendous change of their lives. Both are active members of local groups we organized in Kalebuka I and Kalebuka II. They are married and fathers of 7 and 5 children respectively. None completed his primary education.
Here is what Phiri said recently:
"Initially, when we started to get involved with Outreach International’s program, I thought that was as always, but things began to take shape for my life." Working on the project of clean water supply as a community, I had the opportunity to be trained in the repair of hand pumps with my friend Boni. I am now a craftsman repairer, with a certificate that proves that I can repair the hand pumps. At least Outreach International with its program gave me the opportunity to have qualifications. I was a mere hunter and casual farmer. Apart from the three hand pumps we receive from Outreach International that we maintain regularly, we receive more and more demands in addition, to repair many other hand pumps in our community and even in neighboring communities. I have started to feel that I am also being appreciated and valued as a worthy person, as compared to the time when I was without qualification. These people (Outreach International) came to help me develop; today I am also proud to help my community by repairing their hand pumps and by training others in the repair of pump. It is in this way that I participate also in the supply of clean drinking water to my community. Our training allowed us to have very good tools kits for the repair that many do not have.
Outreach International helped the two of us to have qualifications, with the possibility of getting employment in drilling companies.”
Lunda

1 alexander.rivera21

Board Member

Rating: 5

Shanti is a pioneer San Francisco organization who has stayed true to its mission for over 38 years. As one to the first organizations to respond to AIDS crisis in San Francisco, Shanti has trained thousands of volunteers in the Shanti model of peer support. Shanti volunteers provide compassionate care to our LGBTQ brothers and sisters living with life threating illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and Breast Cancer though out San Francisco. As Charlie Garfield, the founder of Shanti once said, “A shanti volunteer is often the difference between zero and one”. The difference between zero and one for a Shanti client often means the difference between having one compassionate person to care and love them and having no one. Shanti’s impact continues to be felt by thousands of men and women in the San Francisco LGBTQ community. I am proud and humbled to serve on the Board of Director of the Shanti Project.

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Donor

Rating: 5

As a social worker in the bay area, I have the opportunity to work with many non-profit organizations; and since learning of Shanti a little over a year ago, I've been exceptioning impressed by CEO, Kaushik Roy; the services provided to their client population; the advocacy role they play in the bay area; and their philosophy, mission and values. Shanti is both helping to improve the quality of life and save the lives of their clients. I have was formally involved with their Breast Cancer Program fundraiser this year and have been donating to Shanti since learning of their organization. I hope to remain involved with this extraodinary organization for many years to come.

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Board Member

Rating: 5

I have known Shanti for over 30 years and have been a board member for the past 2 1/2 years. I can say that the commitment to our clients is unsurpassed by any staff I have ever seen. The work that Shanti does to give a fighting chance to those who would otherwise might not survive a life-threatening illness is amazing. We work hard to make sure or clients are well cared for, our volunteers' commitments to empathetic and consistent support, and our staff's care navigation services give them access to services that they might not know about or otherwise have access to. Shanti is great, Shanti is wonderful, Shanti is love.

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Volunteer

Rating: 5

My name is Debra Garner I became a volunteer at Shanti's in 2011. I volunteered as a Care Navigator and Wellness Coordinator. I felt very honored to volunteer at Shanti , the clients were wonderful and very appreciative. I had the opportunity to work with a client who was at end of life and she had no blood family but considered Shanti her family. Shanti volunteer Staff were wonderful and always available to offer support. I don't think without the support of Shanti management that my experience would not had been a lifechanging experience.

1

Volunteer

Rating: 5

I've been with Shanti as a peer support volunteer since 1998. My current client, whom I've been matched with since 2001, is as different from me as it's possible to be, but Shanti taught me that it's still possible to forge a strong, respectful, supportive bond nonetheless. It was through Shanti that I learned about active, empathic listening and unconditional positive regard, two things that have allowed me to be a successful volunteer *and* a better, more present person in general. Shanti is unique in the skills it helps its volunteers develop, and in the work it enlists them to do. In addition, the organization does an extremely good job--through support groups, regular check-ins with staff, and other methods--of ensuring that volunteers get the support they need. Shanti has changed my life, and in turn has helped me have an impact on my clients' lives; for that I am in its debt.

Previous Stories
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Volunteer

Rating: 5

Shanti is an impressive organization that does a lot of good with a modest budget. Through its peer support program, which has been around for all of Shanti's 35 years, it trains volunteers to provide emotional and practical support to clients, allowing volunteers to have a real impact on the lives of people living with HIV and breast cancer. Shanti's staff are among the most dedicated people I've ever met. They're strongly committed to the agency's clients, to progressive wellness programs, and to Shanti's volunteers.

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Volunteer

Rating: 5

Hi, my name is David Araujo and I've been Shanti's client for about 8 years now. I remember the very first day when I went to Shanti completely lost regarding how to take care of myself and our community. Shanti open its arms and received me with all the love, wisdom and knowledge that they are known for and this was a major turn around in my life. Speaking about L.I.F.E. it's a wonderful and life changing program offered by Shanti that with all simplicity I'd say: """The best ever""". That said, I am really proud of Shanti and the LIFE Program for having keeping the highest and best standards that a non-profit organization can have serving it's clients, the community, families and all of us. Thank You, TAHNK YOU and T.H.A.N.K. Y.O.U. Love. :) D.

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Volunteer

Rating: 5

Hello, my name is Manolo Pizarro. I've been a client of Shanti for almost 12 years. I used to be a Chef du Cussine , but once I became familiar with the services offered at Shanti , I realized that I needed to change gears . Shanti inspired me to change careers and to get involved with the community. Today I am a Health Educator and an activist for the LGBT Community . I am a L.I.F.E graduate and nevertheless , I am a Shanti supporter and I will always be thankful for having them in my life and for showing us, the POZ community, how to obtain the tools required to build a stronger community .

1 Andrew23

Volunteer

Rating: 5

On June 20, I had the opportunity to lead a wellness workshop on medicinal herbal teas for Shanti's breast cancer clients. I wanted to provide the clients of Shanti with some easily accessible and inexpensive home remedies for some of the symptoms they regularly experience due to side effects of their chemotherapy treatment. There were so many interested clients that they had to offer the workshop in two sessions! The staff that coordinated the event even organized it so that all of the Chinese-speaking clients were together in one group with a translator to make it easier on me. The clients were so appreciative of the information I was giving and I felt completely supported by the staff. Shanti is a non-profit that gives offers support and health education directly to the people that need it most. I felt honored to be able to offer guidance to these receptive clients and to work with such a helpful and caring staff. I would recommend volunteering for Shanti to anyone that wants to make a difference in the lives of those with life-threatening illnesses in San Francisco.

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Donor

Rating: 5

On July 25, 2010, I had the pleasure of participating with a wonderful team of people in the San Francisco Marathon.  Each person on our team worked hard to raise money for a great cause while being a participant on the Shanti Cares Team.  Many of the Shanti employees ran in the marathon with the participants...which I thought was very commendable.  This program was awesome!  It motivated me to do something special to help others, while helping myself to become a better and healthier person. The Shanti Cares team training was very well organized, fun and motivational.  It was nice to be a part of such a great organization that does fabulous work assisting those in need.  I appreciate the hard work by the staff and volunteers. Keep up the good work Shanti.