His doctors called it “failure to thrive,” a sterile term for a truly human crisis. For Grant, it was just his reality. After suffering with severe back pain for years, Grant finally had the surgery that had promised to [...]
For years, Robby was a self-made man. “I’ve always had my own business and never needed anyone else,” he recently wrote. But in the aftermath of the pandemic, he lost his business, then his housing, and eventually while homeless, [...]
This year marks the 23rd year of Maitri’s respite care program. For 23 years, we’ve had clients come to us for care and get better, able to return to independence in the community. For our residents, graduating from Maitri [...]
Chandra knew Maitri was where she needed to be as soon as she got a referral. As a middle-aged transgender woman who had immigrated to the United States from Southeast Asia, Chandra had known adversity. But she also knew [...]
Looking at her today, you would never guess that six months ago, Lisa couldn’t move on her own. Spinal surgery had removed her ability to walk, or even turn her head on her own. And despite her fears of [...]
As HIV/AIDS medications have improved, Maitri’s mission and care have evolved to meet the needs of our residents. While we maintain our hospice program, since the early 2000s, every year we serve more and more people who come to [...]
Every holiday and every celebration at Maitri is important for two big reasons: It could be someone’s last and many never thought they would be able to celebrate another. That’s why whenever there’s a holiday coming up, our kitchen [...]
People come to Maitri for a multitude of reasons, but the focus of our care is helping people meet their personal health goals. For many, that means helping them learn or re-learn how to manage their HIV infection while [...]
Samuel had lived a hard life especially for someone who was only in his 30s. He’d been kicked out of his home when he came out to them and had never really recovered. While living on the streets, Samuel [...]
Raquelle doesn’t let the news get her down. As a transgender woman of color, she’s gotten hate for living her life for years. In spite of the recent wave of anti-trans legislation sweeping the nation, Raquelle was determined to [...]
For 15 years, Randal lived in institutional care. The thing is, he really didn’t need to. When Randal got to Maitri last year, we were surprised by how independent he was. He took exceptional care of his room at [...]
When Byron found out there was a chance he would go blind, he began to blindfold himself while he walked around his apartment. This way, he thought, he would know how to get around if he lost his sight. [...]
Written by David Valentine, Volunteer Coordinator A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with Larry in the living room about his favorite movies. He mentioned a musical from the ‘70s that I had never heard of. So, while [...]
When Lee first came to Maitri, he was so frail and thin that he could barely support his own weight, so he depended on a wheelchair. He was 40 lbs underweight and his blood sugar was over 500, the [...]
Every morning, Ray is the first and last person in the dining room for breakfast. As his appetite has thankfully grown, so has his friendship with one of our talented cooks, Alex. When Ray comes in for breakfast, he [...]
Are you sure you have the cutest lil cat or dog in the Castro District? The Maitri’s Mutts and Meows Charity Calendars are our way of reaching out to our community and helping everyone enjoy the companionship our community’s [...]
Ann, Maitri’s Food Services Director, was 21 when she moved to the Bay Area for school from Iowa. She cooked to get through school, then fell in love with it. In 1999, she started working for Maitri. She tells us [...]
Humans have a tendency to continue to move on after tragedy strikes without thinking too much about it. As the world opens up, Maitri’s therapist, Lonnie Ferguson, reminds us that we must not forget to reflect on the last [...]
After a year of isolation, we may never again take for granted the most basic elements that makes our lives full: being able to see, hold, and spend time with loved ones. The story of Josef, a resident at [...]
