Tenderloin Tessie
Feeding the Hungry in San Francisco for Over 50 Years!

For over 50 years, Tenderloin Tessie Holiday Dinners, an all-volunteer organization, has fed the community of San Francisco on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. We work hard to prepare a bountiful meal, a smile and a gift to all of our patrons in a welcoming environment. Our dinners average a thousand people each holiday and take place at the First Unitarian Church at the corner of Franklin Street and Geary Boulevard. Everyone is welcome!

History

Tessie was the drag name of Perry Spink, a local performer/bartender who was very familiar with the people and character of the Tenderloin District in San Francisco during the 60’s and 70’s. Legend has it that on Thanksgiving in 1974, he received several turkeys and was inspired to cook and serve them to the local Tenderloin residents (with the help of less-than-sober bar buddies). It was a gesture that showed the San Francisco Community that no matter who you were; there was someone who cared.

The dinners continued on a monthly basis for a while. It was a Godsend for the little blue haired women of the neighborhood who were trying to live off meager social security checks. These dinners, served on the last Thursdays of the month, garnered Tessie many honors and she earned the title of Empress 15 in 1980.

Along with the dinners, Tessie started the tradition of giving gift bags along with the meals, a tradition that lives on today. These bags contain donated items such as toiletries, socks, gloves and an assortment of non-perishable food.

Sadly, Tessie died in 1984 but the meals continued on an uneven basis. Three years later, the name Tenderloin Tessie Holiday Dinners was created and the meals became a holiday tradition on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. They were served at a church on the corner of Eddy and Gough and began focusing on the needs of those suffering form AID’s and the growing number of homeless throughout the city.

The meals were a very satisfying way to help the community, but were becoming very large and were a great deal of work and stress for the few volunteers who loosely made up the board at the time. The program suffered a severe blow when the church burned to the ground in 1995. With the board in limbo and no place to stage the meals, many members felt it was time to move on.

A new board came together and the meals were moved to the present location, the First Unitarian Universalist church on Franklin and Geary. Since that time, the organization has become a non-profit and is stronger than ever and always mindful of the original mission of Tenderloin Tessie to help anyone in need.

In 2004 a new board took over with Michael Gagne as the board president. He added clothing from St. Anthony's and live entertainment, by the songstress of Tenderloin Tessie, Vanessa Bousay. Various other things have been added throughout the 20 years Michael has been involved: Free showers by Lava Mae, Open House coming to see if any LGBT seniors need housing, free phones were given away, people to check if clients needed help with Medicare and to this day - free haircuts by Love Cuts ~ a pop-up barber shop.

Everyone is welcome at our meals!

,

In 2024 Tessie Is Celebrating Its 50th Anniversary

Board Members

Michael Gagne

President

Martha Anne Vielle

Vice President

David Tejeda

Treasurer

Eric Osborn

Member At Large

Naomi Altman

Member At Large

Raj Seton

Events Planner

Marilyn Murrillo

Grants Administrator

Cesar Zepeda

Member At Large

Denise Gindoy

Secretary

Miki Ilaw

Member At Large

Christopher Limon

Honorary Member


Jim "Pushy Biesner"

Honorary Member

Linda Ostrom

Honorary Member

Chris Ostrom

Honorary Member

David Lassman

Honorary Member

Alex Upchurch

Honorary Member

Bonnie Bibas

Honorary Member


Robert Sparling (deceased)

Role of Honor

Rex Clark (deceased)

Role of Honor


Non-Board Appointed Positions

Michael Gagne

Co-Volunteer Coordinator

Stephen Johnson

Webmaster

Supporters

Diamond $3,000

Bob Ross Foundation

Platinum $1,000

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Gold $500

Hot Cookie
SF Ducal Council
Olivia Travel
Ricky Padilla Graphic Design

Silver $250

Fitness SF
Bruce Agid

Bronze $100

Cruisin' The Castro Walking Tours
Cliff's Variety
Harvey Milk Club
Orphan Andy's
Seth Munter
Twin Peaks Tavern
Recology

Other Sponsors

 


Stephen Johnson

For Web Site, Computer Advice, Electrician, Handyman

Events

Day
Date
Event
Time
Location
Saturday Feb 10, 2024 Locker Inventory/Movement - Easter 10:30 AM-3 PM Bayshore Storage
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024 Stuffing Eggs For Easter Egg Pull In Bars 7-10 PM Michael's House
Sunday Mar 24, 2024 Vanessa Bousay's Show 7-8:30 PM Martuni's 4 Valencia Street
Fri-Sun Mar 01-Mar 31, 2024 Easter Egg Pull In Bars - The Cinch, OMG Bar, Trax, and Others
Saturday Mar 30, 2024 Truck Help - Easter 10:30 AM-3 PM Storage/Grocery Store/Church
Sunday Mar 31, 2024 Easter Dinner 1-4 PM First Unitarian Church
1187 Franklin Street
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024 Unload Truck - Easter 10:30 AM-12 PM Bayshore Storage
Sunday May 12, 2024 Vanessa Bousay's Show To
Benefit For Tenderloin Tessie
7-8:30 PM Martuni's 4 Valencia Street
Saturday May 18, 2024 50th Aniversary Dinner/Awards 1-4 PM First Unitarian Church
1187 Franklin Street
Sunday Jul 7, 2024 Red, White & Blue Duco Fundraiser
For Kendall And Tenderloin Tessie
4-7 PM Aunt Charlie's Lounge
Saturday TBD, 2024 Imperial Court Fundraiser For Tenderloin Tessie 4-7 PM Beaux on Mareket Street
Sunday Aug TBD, 2024 Ducal 50th Gala & Check Disbursement
The Cafe'
4-7 PM 2369 Market St.
Sunday Sept 1, 2024 Eagle Beer Bust Benefit 3-7 PM 398 - 12th Street @ Harrison
Sunday Sept 22, 2024 Leather Pride Block Party 12-7 PM 398 - 12th Street @ Harrison
Saturday Sept 28, 2024 Eagle Beer Bust Benefit
Folsom Fair Weekeend
3-7 PM 398 - 12th Street @ Harrison
Saturday Oct 26, 2024 Locker Inventory - Thanksgiving 10 AM-2 PM Bayshore Storage
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024 Stuffing Turkeys for Turkey Pluck In Bars 7 PM Michael's House
Fri-Thurs Nov 01-Nov 28, 2024 Turkey Pluck In Bars - The Cinch, OMG Bar, Trax, and Others
Wednesday Nov 27, 2024 Truck Help - Thanksgiving 10:30 AM-3 PM Storage/Grocery Store/Church
Thursday Nov 28, 2024 Thanksgiving Dinner 1-4 PM First Unitarian Church
1187 Franklin Street
Saturday Nov 30, 2024 Unload The Truck - Thanksgiving
Locker Inventory - Christmas
10 AM-2 PM Bayshore Storage
Friday Dec 6, 2024 Tenderloin Tessie's 6th Annual
Christmas Caberet Spectatular
Door 6, 7-10 PM First Unitarian Church
1187 Franklin Street
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024 Truck Help - Christmas 10:30 AM-3 PM Storage/Gocery Store/Church
Monday Dec 25, 2024 Christmas Dinner 1-4 PM First Unitarian Church
1187 Franklin Street
Friday Dec 27, 2024 Unload The Truck - Christmas 10:30 AM-12 PM Bayshore Storage

NOTE: Dates with a Question Mark after them have not been confirmed yet. The Mark will be removed when they are confirmed.
Click on an event name or location to get more information. Items with *TBD: Details are Pending
If you would like to volunteer for any of these events, please see our Volunteer Page and call or e-mail Michael Gagne.

Media

Coming Soon


Volunteer


TenderloinTessie@yahoo.com
Michael Gagne
415-584-3252 (No Text)

Easter Dinner is on!


With the proper PPE in place for Volunteers and Clients


To Volunteer,  please email or call Michael.

Please use the TenderloinTessie@gmail.com for email or

Call (No Text) Michael at his Landline at 415-584-3252.

We are taking volunteer names starting March 1st through March 30.


Dinners are held at:

First Unitarian Church
1187 Franklin St @ Geary

We are looking for some good and hard working Primary Volunteers

Contact Us

Tenderloin Tessie Holiday Dinners
2261 Market St #494
San Francisco, CA 94114

Please make checks payable to: Tenderlointessie
And mail them to the address above

Tenderlointessiedinners@yahoo.com
415-584-3252 (No Text)
Michael Gagne


All your donations are tax deductable. We are a 501(c)(3) organization.

Tax ID #94-3381288