Growth at Booker T. —
A Story of Transformation
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck San Francisco in 2020, while other organizations shuttered their doors, Booker T. Washington Community Service Center made a defining choice: We never closed. This moment marked the beginning of the most dramatic period of growth in our 107-year history.
Under executive director Shakirah Simley's visionary leadership and a refreshed board of directors, what began as an emergency response evolved into a complete organizational transformation. We didn't just survive the crisis — we reimagined what a community center could be for an intergenerational village of San Franciscans.
Photo Credit: DON BOWDEN
Budget & Operations: From Survival to Sustainability
In 2020, the Center was in a place of financial uncertainty and an operating deficit. Today, we have consistent positive cash flow and a healthy reserve that ensures 6+ months of operating expenses.
2021: $1.2 million → 2024: $7.2 million
2021: 7 FTE → 2024: 34 FTE
Expanding our Program Reach
In 2021, the Center's programs were struggling to meet the basic needs of the community. Today, we have five fully-scaled programs, reaching over three times as many people annually as we did just four years ago.
2020-2021:
Crisis Response
Launched the Black Safety Access Freedom and Equity Program (BSAFE) to address community's immediate COVID-19 needs
From two to three core programs with the launch of the BSAFE program
~2,000 community members served
COVID-19 City Sanctioned Community Hub and education site
Distributed emergency food, PPE, and financial assistance
Prevented learning loss by teaching school on-site during closures
2022-2023:
Building infrastructure
Launched Food Justice program
Strengthened educational initiatives through quality assessments with DCYF, achieving 95%+ scores in safety & quality
Started rebuilding financial reserves
Formed the Food & Agriculture Action Coalition Toward Sovereignty (FAAACTS), hosting the first citywide SF Food Action Summit
Procured major philanthropic grants to sustain the organization and expand our programmatic function
Received multi-year public contracts from the City of San Francisco to stabilize our workforce, expand services, and is a seal of approval for our financial capability
2024:
Scaling Excellence
6,000+ community members served
Five fully-scaled programs with multiple sub-programs
Selected as National CDF Freedom School® site
Food to Freedom has expanded to four weekly food programs
BSAFE evolved from COVID-19 response to a core program addressing Black family homelessness and stability
Senior Victory Club is our fastest growing program, on pace with San Francisco's rapidly aging population
Operating at full housing capacity with 100% occupancy rate for 50 apartments
Not just bigger — better. Not just wider — deeper.
The Booker T. team is lean, tight, and adaptive. We haven’t grown just for growth’s sake — every additional dollar has translated into better outcomes for the people in our communities. We’ve seen that when we deepen our work, providing comprehensive and holistic services and programs, our impact has been transformative.
Photo Credit: don bowden
Continue the Story
