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.
Categories: community