A Request from Theo

Dear McCarthy Center friends and supporters,

With so much uncertainty looming over the city of San Francisco—our communities need the McCarthy Center more than ever. In this current moment, the local headlines above the fold, spotlights so many inequities: homelessness, housing affordability, increased crime and addressing the educational achievement gap for Black students. These same trends have emerged in major urban cities across the country. But the McCarthy Center has the inherent responsibility to set the tone for the rest of the world and faces these issues head-on by fostering leaders committed to building community, social justice, and the common good.

I am one of many leaders to ascend from the lineage of the McCarthy Center. Today, I serve as Director of Homeless Initiatives and Community Development for The Salvation Army, leading an initiative to confront San Francisco’s homeless crisis by redeveloping and repurposing existing properties to dramatically increase services for drug/alcohol rehabilitation in the largest expansion since 1883. My commitment to direct good policy, develop programming, and provide a resource for the greater San Francisco community — has evolved from the McCarthy Center.

Your support is not only monumental to the success of the McCarthy Center and the University at-large but also a commitment to the city we all know and love. It’s a commitment to shift the narrative, to stand up for vulnerable populations, to think boldly about systems change, and to use this moment as an opportunity to change the world, from right here in San Francisco.

Join me in supporting the McCarthy Center in creating and nurturing future leaders and changemakers.

In solidarity,
Theo Ellington