By Jonathan Farrell

The Sunset Heights Association of Responsible People (SHARP) believes strongly in

supporting the community. For the past four years, SHARP has given out grants to local

organizations serving the neighborhood and the City. This year 17 groups

received grants.

“We gave out close to $54,000,” said current SHARP president Dennis Minnick. “Some are

previous recipients, like the food banks and St. Anthony’s dining room. And, this year is

the first time we have given to an organization outside of San Francisco.”

“We made an exception for the North Bay fire relief fund because the needs were so

great and so close to home,” Minnick said. “Our donation will be split equally between

Napa and Sonoma counties.”

The grant recipients this year included the Family House, Golden Gate Heights

Neighbor hood Association, Good Samaritan Family Resource Center, Golden Gate

Philharmonic (youth orchestra), Nature in the City, St. Anthony’s Foundation, Sunset

Youth Services, Sutro Stewards and the Western Neighborhoods Project.

Minnick, along with SHARP board of directors members Frank Noto, John Barry, Jeremy

Friedlander, Charles Head, Chooi Eng Grosso and Carol McHuron,

are dedicated to the goals of SHARP. They take stewardship of the neighborhood very

seriously and have been working to improve the district for decades.  In 2013, SHARP

began doling out grants.

Originally founded in 1910 as a neighborhood improvement club, SHARP, as it

has been called since 1976, has been more than just a neighbor ’s group.

“We have been instrumental in helping the entire Sunset District,”said former

president and long-time board member John Barry.

While the needs and issues changed over the decades, the basic principles

of being good neighbors and contributing to the community have remained

constant.

“The founding members had the foresight to realize the value of owning their

headquarters,” said Barry. Revenue gathered from rents paid by tenants in the upper

units of the SHARP meeting hall helps provide some of the funds for the grants.

The new meeting hall, with tenant units, was built and dedicated in 2010, allowing the

civic-minded members of SHARP to continue their mission.

For more information, visit the website at http://sharpsf.com.