RUTH’S

Nonprofit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID

TABLE
ABLE
San Francisco, CA
Permit No. 116

580 Capp Street

San Francisco, California
94110-2570

2018
bethanycenter.org
ruthstable.org

ANNUAL
We’re Just Getting Started!
Bethany Center’s construction is complete! Residents have moved into their redesigned and
refurbished home and are enjoying a beautiful outdoor Green Space. Next up: The public opening
of the new Ruth’s Table building in 2019.
REPORT
Ruth’s Table celebrates
Carnaval San Francisco

BETHANY CENTER NEWS is an annual publication of Bethany Center, a Covia Affordable Community, and
Ruth’s Table, a gallery and learning center fostering opportunities for people of all ages to engage in creative expression.

Editor BOARDS OF DIRECTORS Senior Director,

Karl Soehnlein Bethany Center Covia Affordable Communities
Ken Donnelly, President Jerry W. Brown, caspf
Design
Kevin Clarke Win Marshall, Treasurer Director, Ruth’s Table
Gordon Case Jessica McCracken
Photography Jamie D’Alessandro
Drew Altizer Photography Program Coordinator, Ruth’s Table
Stephen Emslie
(event photos) Margarita Mukhsinova
Bruce Lanyon
Heidi Wagner Lee Lippert Websites
Monica Lee Photography Fran Wagstaff bethanycenter.org
Ruth’s Table Staff Sally Little-Waterman ruthstable.org
Susan A. Bradley
(masthead photo, above) Bethany Center Foundation
of San Francisco
Contributors Debra Varner, President
Jerry W. Brown, caspf Donna Calame
Jessica McCracken Gretta D’Acquisto
Margarita Mukhsinova Frances Hildebrand RUTH’S
Laura Darling Bruce Lanyon TABLE Ruth’s Table
Dan Fontes Sheila Malkind
Monica Lee Hanna Regev 3160 21st Street
Sheila Malkind Elizabeth Schwarte San Francisco, CA
Bethany Center residents, board members, and Covia staff gather Heidi Wagner Kevin Tuuaga 94110-2570
in the new Ruth’s Table Green Space to kick off our 50th Anniversary Celebration.
RUTH’S TABLE AT BETHANY CENTER

BETHANY CENTER
2018 ANNUAL REPORT

NEWS
B E T H A N Y C EN T E R A N D RU T H ’ S TA B L E / 5 8 0 C A P P S T REE T S A N F R A N CIS C O C A 9 4110 / W W W.B E T H A N YC EN T E R.O R G / W W W. RU T H S TA B L E .O R G

John Casey, Debra Varner, Jerry W. Brown, David Chiu, Mr. Deng, Ken Donnelly, Karim Sultan, and Kevin Gerber

Margie Ramirez and granddaughter Talia Monica Lee, Janet Jones, and Kathryn Hyde

Celebrating the Art of Growing Older

Oh, what a night! Stilt-walking butterflies…a magical mariachi band Those smiles didn’t fade all night. “It was a Bethany family
serenading…and an abundance of savory and sweet delights. On reunion,” Jerry remarked. “We all felt a great sense of pride and
Oct. 18, 2018, treasured friends, family, and colleagues gathered accomplishment.”
together to mark Bethany Center’s 50th Anniversary. The event showcased the opening of the new Ruth’s Table building,
Bethany residents dressed to the nines and invited guests to filled with art for the night, and the beautiful Green Space, plant-
“Celebrate the Art of Growing Older.” The party was the culmina- ed where a parking lot used to be. “Our residents
tion of two years of major construction, including seismic upgrades, loved the opportunity to interact with
safety improvements, and beautiful modern design. Jerry W. Brown creative folks and younger people,”
offered words of welcome to the earliest arrivals, followed by Kevin said Jerry. “That’s exactly the
Gerber of Covia, who congratulated Bethany Center for 50 years kind of mix we want
as a visionary model of affordable housing serving the needs of for Ruth’s Table,
low-income seniors. And then a row of Chinese Lion Dancers roared moving forward in
up the ramp and into the party, nuzzling guests in the garden, and this new building.”
putting a smile on every face.

Muralist Dan Fontes celebrates
with a Lion Dancer
CONTENTS
2 A Letter from Jerry W. Brown / Covia
3 Board Member Sheila Malkind
4 Muralist Dan Fontes
5 Photographer Heidi Wagner
6 A Dazzling Night of Art
7 50th Anniversary Celebration Photos
8 A Living Gallery for All
9 The New Ruth’s Table
p6 10 Annual Report / Grow With Us
11 Recognizing our 2018 Donors
 A LETTER FROM JERRY W. BROWN, CASPF

Rebuilt and Renewed

Debra Varner, Jessica McCracken, and Jerry W. Brown
You’ve been with us on this journey,
an unfolding story, one of vision,
transformation, and growth.
Four years ago, I announced our plan to completely renovate Bethany
Center Senior Housing, install a garden, and build a permanent
home for Ruth’s Table. Today, we stand happily on the far side of
that journey.
In October we marked our 50th Anniversary by opening our doors and sharing
our refurbished home with the wider Bethany Center family. All night, I heard
guests remarking with awe at the inspiring art, vibrant color, modern design,
and increased accessibility.
Today, our building is more seismically sound, our residents are comfortable
and safe, and our capacity to serve seniors has grown. Our gratitude goes first to
HUD (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) for the funding
that made this massive project possible; to Gelfand Partners, our architects; Ca-
hill, our contractor; Ventura Partners, our project manager; CBRE, our mortgagor;
and our board members. We’re still putting the finishing touches on electrical
work and permitting, which has delayed the public opening of Ruth’s Table,
but please take a look at the story on page 8 to learn about our new programs,
already in the works.
I offer heartfelt thanks to all those who made our Celebration possible, including
the many individual donors and sponsors who gave generously, and our stellar
Honorary Host Committee, which included Assemblymember David Chiu, who
honored Bethany Center with a Certificate of Recognition from the California
Legislature (left). Congratulations to our hardworking staff, event planner Robert
Hunter of Hunter Events, and our Anniversary Committee, who met for over a
year to plan this fabulous night and to launch us into a full year of celebrating.
You’ve been with us on this journey, an unfolding story, one of vision, trans-
formation, and growth. Now we begin the next chapter: renewal.

SENIOR DIRECTOR,
COVIA AFFORDABLE COMMUNITIES

Moving Forward at 50 Kevin Gerber, Katharine Miller, and Karim Sultan of Covia

Bethany Center’s affiliation with Covia Affordable Communities, announced in 2018, was among the mile-
stones we toasted at our 50th Anniversary Celebration as we raised our glasses to our past and to our future. 
Covia operates other affordable communities in the region, The affiliation also benefits our staff through the many ad-
including Lytton Gardens in Palo Alto; Presidio Gate Apartments ministrative resources that Covia provides, like IT and other
in San Francisco; Oak Center Towers in Oakland; Jennings Court technical support, accounting and payroll, and professional
in Santa Rosa; and Shires Memorial in San Jose.  development. This has freed up Housing Administrator Benson
Bethany Center’s emphasis on lifelong learning and creative Lee and our staff to spend more time with residents, listening
aging programs will be a boon to the many seniors in Covia’s to their concerns and meeting their needs.
communities as they access the creative aging programs offered As we celebrate 50 years of serving seniors, we look forward, as
every day at Ruth’s Table. part of Covia, to enhancing the Bethany mission for the next 50!

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 “Ruth’s Table left a lasting
mark on me. As an
immigrant who left most
of her family back in Costa
Rica, I felt I found a new
family among the open
faces and warm embraces
of Bethany Center. I am
honored to be part of the
social fabric of Ruth’s
Table.”

IRENE CARVAJAL,
RUTH’S TABLE ARTIST

NEW BOARD MEMBER SHEILA MALKIND IN HER OWN WORDS

Making a Creative Contribution

My path to the Board began as a member of Creative Aging San superior leadership skills and his great respect for all people. So
Francisco (CASF), an organization co-founded by the extremely cre- my decision to say “yes” was easy.
ative Jessica McCracken, now the Director of Ruth’s Table. I came to I was lucky to play a bit part in hosting the 50th Anniversary
an art opening and a workshop, Celebration, where I witnessed
and I was struck by the level of the redesign of Bethany Center,
artistic integrity and originali- including the parking-lot-turned-
ty generated by the staff. The garden and the new Ruth’s Table
German word gemütlich came to gallery. I danced and hung out
mind—it means “comfortable” with the residents all night long,
and “congenial.” Every activity and I left certain that I wanted to
felt stimulating and fun. add my own skills to this won-
derful mix!
“…people of all ages Ruth’s Table has a remarkable
can live meaningful ability to engage diverse commu-
nities to work together artistical-
lives with courage ly and personally, and to learn
Benson Lee and Sheila Malkind from each other. In addition to
and humor.” offering financial support and
I was creating the Legacy Film Festival on Aging when Board assisting with programs, I’m looking forward to making my own
President Debra Varner surprised me with an invitation to join the creative contribution: showing short films, mainly about older adults
Board of Bethany Center Foundation of San Francisco. I had already (a personal interest of mine) and incorporating younger generations
worked with Debra at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, and into the activities. People of all ages can live meaningful lives with
I had known Jerry Brown for many years and greatly admired his courage and humor. 

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ARTIST PROFILE: DAN FONTES

A Fresh Face!
Salud means “health.” “Salud!” is also the
name of the nine-story mural on the 21st
Street exterior of Bethany Center. For most
of 2018, Salud! lived behind scaffolding,
being restored in conjunction with Bethany Kristi Holohan, Antoinette Johnson, Dan Fontes, Gwen Perry, and Desi Mundo
Center’s 50th Anniversary by artist Dan
Fontes and his team.
Salud!, first painted in 1997, portrays
real-life Bethany Center residents from many
different backgrounds, “living their fullest
lives,” according to Fontes. He completed
the restoration with the help of five artists
he calls his “dream team”—Desi Mundo,
Kristi Holohan, Antoinette Johnson, Gwen
Perry, and Haley Summerfield—who bright-
ened up the portraits and touched up the
details. They worked long days, using brush- Dan Fontes with Elizabeth Dunlap in 1997 (left) and 2018 (right)
es as small as ¼ inch to apply acrylic paint
over the massive surface, followed by three coats of heavy-duty
Artist Dan Fontes restored his iconic
anti-graffiti varnish. In addition to being talented, these artists are
brave. “You have to have courage to step out over that 9th floor, 100 mural with a group of five artists he calls
feet in the air,” says Fontes.
his “dream team.”
The mural shares what goes on inside Bethany Center and Ruth’s
Table with the outside world. Says Fontes, “To me that’s a re-
ally critical message: that people understand this is a senior
center, these are beautiful people who live here, that it’s a
diverse community that’s shared by multiple races and
people from different countries and areas. It’s a positive
place, it’s a beautiful place, it’s a gathering of souls. In a
way, it’s a work of art.”
The unveiling of Salud! capped off the 50th Anni-
versary Celebration by bringing guests outside to 21st
Street. Led by Fontes, the gathered revelers counted
down to the big reveal: dynamic neon lights running
up the center illuminating the word BETHANY.

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ARTIST PROFILE: HEIDI WAGNER

Living With Passion

Images matter. Depictions of elderly adults in the media typically
show them as frail, sick, and isolated. These images present a neg-
ative vision of what life in our later years will be like. Photographer
Heidi Wagner meets these stereotypes head on with “The Passions
Project,” her series of portraits showing older adults doing what
they love.
Wagner was commissioned by LeadingAge, the national advo-
cacy organization, to bring The Passions Project to Bethany Center.
According to Sharon Sullivan of LeadingAge, “The arts can be
a powerful medium for demonstrating the vibrancy of older
adults and all they have to offer. The arts level the playing
field—young and old alike can engage in artistic expression
at any level, at any time.”
Wagner spent ten days at Bethany in early 2018, meeting her
subjects, learning about their lives, and gaining their trust. “The
residents were so warm, welcoming, and open,” she remembers.
Because so many languages are spoken here, Wagner says, “There
was a lot of going back and forth through translators, or communi-
cating without words. Every day was a new adventure.” By presenting joyous
faces and active bodies,
Wagner’s pictures serve
as weapons in the fight
against ageism. “Age-
ism perpetuates perva- October 18, 2018

sive stereotypes that

demean the individu-
al,” says Sullivan. “It
BETHANY CENTER 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
denies them the re-
spect they rightfully have earned over decades.”

The guiding spirit of Wagner’s work:

“Live now, live today,
live with passion and purpose.”
“The Passions Project” was unveiled
Heidi Wagner’s photographs of Bethany Center residents infused our 50th anniversary booklet (above) with passion.
at our 50th Anniversary Celebration.
“It was such a cool evening,” Wagner
marvels. “The building and the art on
the walls were inspirational, and it was
so good to connect with the residents
again.” Visitors to 580 Capp Street will
be greeted by a plaque with a quote
from Wagner about the guiding spirit
of her work: “Live now, live today,
live with passion and purpose.”
Playing music, cooking, dancing,
or walking hand in hand, the older
adults in Wagner’s portraits send the
viewer a powerful message: an active
life full of passion does not have an
expiration date.

5
 A Dazzling Night of Art
Expressions of creativity ruled the night at Bethany
Center’s 50th Anniversary gala, “Celebrate the Art of
Growing Older.”
Donors, sponsors, residents, and colleagues in the field of aging
mingled with artists, who expressed their love of working at Bethany
Center with the supportive community brought together by Ruth’s
Table. We’re delighted to share their words among these vibrant
photos as we relive this unforgettable night.

Jeff Friant, Martha Atwood, and John Nelson

“I believe that creative expression is

even more essential as we age.
Ruth’s Table is a unique source of
continued inspiration and growth.”
Samuel Mathau, Ken Donelly, and Grace Fong JANET JONES, RUTH’S TABLE ARTIST

Kim Edmonds, Karim Sultan, Jerry W. Brown, Tom Azumbrado, Noah Reischmann, and Kevin Gerber Aiko Cuneo and her son, Hudson

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 “As humans, we need comfort and the space
to share our creative imaginations freely.
Ruth’s Table is clearly the catalyst for
such a community.”
ALEX BENEDICT, RUTH’S TABLE ARTIST

Event production by Hunter Events Mural unveiling

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 OUR NEW BUILDING

A Living Gallery
for All
Interactive, inclusive, and intergenerational—Ruth’s Table
is a living gallery where all are welcome to experience
the joy of creativity.
In 2019, we’ll open the doors to our new building, marking the
biggest transformation in our history. In this standalone space,
we’ll be able to expand our free creative, educational, and cultural
programs beyond what’s been possible before.
More space and better facilities will increase our accessibility to
Bethany Center residents and older adults around the Bay Area.
Greater visibility will allow us to extend our reach to neighbors
and a broader community, serving as a vibrant gathering place that
brings together people of all ages, interests, and abilities.
We know that when people come to Ruth’s Table, what they ex-
perience here has a transformative effect on their lives. This new
building ensures a future alive with boundless creativity and an
even greater impact of our work.

“Ruth’s Table is a place where you can

find integration between mind, body, spirit,
and art, giving one a chance to bravely
create and share with others.”
Austen Diliberto, Gelfand Architects, and Kate Lemly, Cahill Contractors
(at right), join partygoers celebrating in the new building (top) JENNIFER EWING, RUTH’S TABLE ARTIST

OUR NEW GREEN SPACE

An Urban Oasis
We dug up a parking lot and planted
a Green Space. This beautiful, sus-
tainably designed oasis provides a
safe place for enjoyment, creativity,
and relaxation in the middle of the
Mission District.
This outdoor canvas has so much cre-
ative potential: live performances, exercise
programs, and community gatherings of all
kind. From Bethany Center residents and
staff, to kids from the neighborhood schools,
to art-lovers who come to our events and
programs, multiple generations can connect
with each other in the open air.
Bethany Center Family Day Garden Party 2018

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Changes Are Coming
To Ruth’s Table
In 2019 we’ll launch a year of programs to cele-
brate ten years of Ruth’s Table: a dynamic series Public
of rotating exhibitions, artist-run workshops, Programs
after-hour events, family activities, and com- Bethany Center Neighbors &
munity initiatives. The diversity of creative Residents Community
programs we offer to older adults—the heart-
beat of our mission—is expanding as well, with
exciting new partnerships already underway.

Make Something Together! Workshops Gallery

Our interactive Gallery Takeovers start with visi- & Classes Exhibitions
tors of every age making art inspired by the themes,
ideas, and techniques on display in our exhibitions.
The resulting works will go up on the walls for a series of
month-long exhibitions. Gallery Takeovers give our visitors a
hand in every aspect of the gallery experience, from making
Artists &
art to curating shows. Come be part of a collective expression, Makers
and help shape the conversation.

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

Honoring Our
Artistic Roots
“Bauhaus: An Enduring Legacy” celebrates the 100th anni-
versary of the influential Bauhaus Movement. Inspired by
our namesake artist Ruth Asawa, who connected to Bauhaus
artists through her training at the legendary Black Mountain
College, this yearlong exhibition will highlight textiles, color
Residents with Ruth Asawa’s art at the de Young Museum
theory, photography, activism, and innovations in technology.

9
ANNUAL REPORT

We Blossom With Our Community’s Support

Construction of the new Ruth’s Table building continued through-
out 2018. For several months, programming took place in a tem-
porary storefront before moving into the refurbished rooms of
580 Capp Street. In 2019, after final permitting, we’ll open our
doors to our new, permanent home, with expanded programming
and revenue.
0.7%
Bringing this ambitious vision from dream to reality could not
have happened without our community of donors, volunteers, art-
ists, and friends, who dug deep last year. Their generous support
provided the nourishment for us to bloom and grow, and made a
potentially rough transition a smooth process that kept participants
engaged and active.

8% 56% 7% 64%

REVENUE 9% EXPENSES
29%

2018 fy 2018 fy
1% 0.6% 26% 2%

6% 71% 68%
27%
In-Kind Services

21% Support from BCSH

Gifts from Individuals

Programming
2017 cy Workshops & Exhibitions 2017 cy
Fundraising
Foundation Grants (2017)
Investment Income (2018) Administration

GROW WITH US
Planting Seeds of Inspiration
Since our enthusiastic beginnings around a single table at Bethany
Center, Ruth’s Table has always dreamed big. Again and again
we’ve witnessed the amazing benefits of bringing generations
together—seniors feel revived, more stimulated, and less isolated,
while younger people absorb the insights and experience of those
who’ve lived long, eventful lives.
2019 will be a catalyst year for us. We’ll celebrate our ten-year an-
niversary in a building of our own! We have been planting seeds that

Ruth’s Table is a place to

be creative, interact with art,
and feel the uplifting joy
of community
will soon grow into exciting public programs,
and we want to bring you along on this journey.
We are honored to have the support of
many individuals, businesses, and community
partners who share our mission of bringing
quality, affordable, creative programming into
the lives of people of all ages. We invite you
join the growing Ruth’s Table family and lend
your support.

10
OUR 2018 DONORS

Thanks To You, Our Transformation Continues

$2,000 + $250-$499 Charles Raymond Shirley Perkins Kathleen Betts
The San Francisco Greater JCC Swimmers Club Dona Malan Stanley Watson Nadine Bagel
Mission Rotary Club Kevin Clarke & Frances Hildebrand Susie Gilmartin You Huang Wong Ding
Jerry W. Brown Karl Soehnlein Frank Lin Tracy Powell Avedis Kabajouzian
Aiko Cuneo Gail Mejeur Wilfredo & Beatriz Asperin Bette Spencer
$1,000-$1,999 Barbara Solomon Hadley Dale Hall Hai Ky Mao
Debra Varner Dee Ann Campbell Kazuo J. & Rosalyn Nanya Up to $99 Kam Chan & Siu Mui Tse
Ken Donnelly Julie Stuhr & Marie Di Gino George Fu Kay Nemeth
Cahill Contractors Conrado Dominguez Mary Fong Ann Megan Rovere Melissa Lee
Gretta D’Acquisto Kevin Tuuaga Mary Hilton Christine Wood Gonzalez Ninghing & Ah Htwe Ng
Jeffrey Ellis Winthrop Marshall Mary Reilly Claire Maxwell Ramona Davies
Meta Pasternak Gloria Bustamante Tai Yin Tsang
$500-$999 $100-249 Ho Chan
Monika Schwarte Yee Choy Lai
Elizabeth Schwarte Hanna Regev Jan Guiliano
Nancy Cooper-Frank Ying Tse
Janet Jones Monica Lee Lynn Savage
Pamela Kaufmann Youbao Guo
Benson Lee Helen Patel Mitzi S Palmer
Qing Zhi Deng & Charlton Leekin
Bruce Lanyon Peter & Lauren Fouquet Wen Xiu Qiong She Qin Huang Concordia Hanns
Stanley Chan Rebecca Perez Stephen Shapiro Mara Mamayev
Sang Kyong Lee Robert Bradley Childs Ted & Jody Zolty Susan Backman
Calixto Robles Robert F. Young Inga Horton Zhong Zian Wong
Barbara Hardacre

Donations to Bethany Center Foundation between July 1, 2017–June 30, 2018

With Gratitude To Our 50th Anniversary Sponsors

The Estate of Bethany Center Bethany Center

Charles A. Raymond Board of Directors Residents Association
John Nelson & Jeff Friant Debra & Michael Varner Jerry W. Brown
Ken & Jan Donnelly Donna Calame & Terry Schmitt Jeffrey Ellis
Julie Stuhr & Katharine Miller Bruce Lanyon
Conrado Dominguez
Elizabeth Schwarte Carl Grossman
Winthrop Marshall
Laura Fingal-Surma Frances Hildebrand
Gretta D’Acquisto
Bright Light Cleaning

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