News at St. Catherine's
Helene Sims ’03
As Events Manager at St. Anthony’s Foundation in San Francisco, Helene Sims ’03 relishes raising funds and awareness for the area’s most underserved.
As Events Manager at St. Anthony’s Foundation in San Francisco, Helene Sims ’03 relishes raising funds and awareness for the area’s most underserved. In a 24-hour span, the facility serves 2,400 hot meals; its clinic sees 130 patients, and 105 guests have access to computers and other resources. Guests are given the dignity of browsing racks of donated clothing as if they were shopping in a retail store. Addiction recovery, social work and job training are also offered, and the marvel is that St. Anthony’s receives no federal or state funding. Donations from private citizens and area businesses allow the operation to thrive, and Sims is at the heartbeat of it all, securing essential contributions to address urgent needs.
Service leadership is in Sims’ blood. Each summer was spent with her grandmother in Oakland, Calif., helping with church projects and cooking for the hot meal program. As a boarder she embraced service opportunities all four years, not because it was required but because it came naturally. Life came full circle when Sims relocated to California to care for her ailing grandmother. After the death of her beloved mentor, Sims stumbled upon St. Anthony’s and its credo, “Service is what makes life worth living.” The unapologetically Christian organization allows Sims the freedom to talk about her faith with donors, volunteers and guests. Two weeks after she came aboard, a former guest drove one hour to make a donation. From his shoe, he pulled cash that he had long been saving. He wanted to give back, he said, because when he needed help, St. Anthony’s was there. “You never know the impact you will have on a life…I hope that the work I do at St. Anthony’s helps to erase the ‘us vs. them’ mentality, and to humanize those who live, work and transition around us.” Only what we give remains our own.
Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St.Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.
