News Briefs: Project Open Hand marks 40 years

Project Open Hand, which provides nutritious meals for critically ill people and seniors, will mark its 40th anniversary with a gala fundraiser Friday, September 12. The event, Hand to Hand, will take place at the San Francisco Design Center, 101 Henry Adams Street, from 6 to 10 p.m., a news release noted.

Project Open Hand provides services in San Francisco and Alameda counties. Meals are medically tailored, and the nonprofit serves about 1 million annually to people with complex health challenges such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and heart disease.

The agency started in 1985 in the midst of the AIDS crisis. Ruth Brinker, a straight ally and retired food-service worker, saw several close friends suffer from malnutrition and decided to act. In the early 1980s she began by preparing meals in her kitchen, the agency’s website noted, and then Project Open Hand was formed. Brinker died in 2011.

People living in Alameda County began receiving services in 1989. The agency operates a grocery center in downtown Oakland from which it serves East Bay clients.

Paul Hepfer, a straight ally who’s the CEO of Project Open Hand, noted the importance of the agency’s mission.

“As we mark 40 years of meals with love, this milestone is a testament to the power of community and the enduring impact of nourishing food,” Hepfer stated. “Every meal we’ve served represents dignity, compassion, and hope for a healthier future – not just for individuals, but for our planet.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate this legacy and look ahead to continuing our work with renewed purpose,” Hepfer added.

At the event, guests will enjoy Champagne and gourmet cuisine, inspiring stories, and recognition of community heroes. There will also be live and silent auctions, dancing, and entertainment, the release stated.

Individual tickets are $300 and are available online at openhand.org/handtohand2025.

Carney reappointed to arts panel
Patrick Carney, a gay man and co-founder of the pink triangle installation atop Twin Peaks, was reappointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie to the San Francisco Arts Commission. Carney was sworn in September 3.

An aide in the mayor’s office noted that the reappointment did not need approval by the Board of Supervisors as the arts commission was created by the city charter and appointments are made by the mayor.

In an email, Carney said he was pleased to be reappointed and noted the commission is well represented by the LGBTQ community. In addition to Carney, other out members are Debra Walker, Mahsa Hakimi, Jessica Rothschild, Seth Brenzel, and J. Riccardo Benavides. An Arts Commission spokesperon reached out after publication to indicate that Hakimi's term has expired.

"We thank former Commissioner Hakimi for her service on the Arts Commission, especially for her work on the Visual Arts Committee, and for her commitment to the people of the City and County of San Francisco," the spokesperon stated.

According to the mayor’s office, Carney has participated in numerous complex renovations and historic preservation projects, including the renovation of San Francisco City Hall. Beyond his architectural career, Carney’s community leadership efforts include work to expand civil rights and stop hate crimes, which is his dedication to the pink triangle project. Carney holds a Master of Architecture degree from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science in architecture from Cal Poly.

In an email, Carney stated that it’s an honor to be reappointed by Lurie.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our city, and I’m especially pleased to remain a member of the Civic Design Review Committee of the Arts Commission,” he wrote in an email. “The goal of CDR is to ensure that all civic capital improvement projects improve the public realm, enhance the city, and respect the natural environment. It’s in this forum that I bring over four decades of experience as an architect and urban planner to help guide new city projects and renovations in ways that best serve San Francisco’s residents – improving both livability and aesthetics.”

Carney added that the CDR committee’s work is extensive.

“The CDR committee reviews, comments on, and approves all work on city-owned buildings – including fire stations, police stations, recreation and community centers, public schools, and all structures at San Francisco International Airport,” he noted. “We also oversee civic design work along the entire Hetch Hetchy System, stretching from Yosemite to San Francisco. Our scope extends to new and existing city parks and public spaces, as well as design elements within them: gates, fences, lighting, benches, historic plaques, and other fixtures on city and county land.

“I will continue to strive to make a positive impact on our city’s art and culture to ensure it continues to be inclusive, equitable, diverse and beautiful so it uplifts the experiences of all San Franciscans and visitors,” Carney stated.

This year marked the 30th installation of the pink triangle when it was put up in June. The symbol was used at German concentration camps during World War II to brand suspected homosexuals. Similar symbols, such as a Star of David for Jewish prisoners, marked others who were imprisoned, millions of whom died at the camps during the Holocaust. Much later, the pink triangle was reclaimed by the LGBTQ community as a symbol of empowerment.

About 10 days after this year’s pink triangle was installed, it was marred by vandalism. On June 17, San Francisco police arrested Lester Bamacajeronimo, 19, who was charged with vandalism over $400 after he allegedly damaged numerous pink panels with black paint. According to Bamacajeronimo’s attorney, he did not know the significance of the pink triangle and was trying to turn it into a “Superman” symbol.

MCC-SF marks 55 years
Metropolitan Community Church-San Francisco celebrates its 55th anniversary with Homecoming Weekend September 20-21.

A homecoming dance will be held Saturday, September 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. at MCC-SF, which is located at Trinity-St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in St. Mary’s Chapel at 1620 Gough Street (at Bush). The dance is free and open to all ages. People can enjoy Italian favorites from Pasquale’s Pizzeria and then hit the dance floor with beats by DJ Sergio Fedasz.

The homecoming worship service will be held Sunday, September 21, at 9 a.m. The guest preacher will be the Reverend Dr. Jane Spahr, a retired Presbyterian minister who was most recently in the news for her leadership in opening the new Marin LGBTQ+ Center. (The previous center, which was named for Spahr, had closed in 2024.)

The Reverend Daniel Borysewicz, a gay man who’s provisional interim pastor at MCC-SF, invited interested community members to attend the upcoming events.

“Whether you join us often, occasionally, or it has been some time since you’ve been with us in worship or at an event, know that your presence is deeply valued,” he wrote in an email. “In these challenging days, when uncertainty surrounds us and the need for connection runs deep, our congregation longs to see you again.”

MCC was founded by the Reverend Troy Perry in Los Angeles in 1968. MCC-SF was founded two years later.

For more information about MCC-SF, visit mccsf.org

Updated, 9/4/25: This article has been updated to state that Arts Commissioner Mahsa Hakimi's term has expired.