Get to Know Our 645 Larkin St. Programs & Leaders
Get to know your new neighbors and read some brief introduction messages from our 645 Larkin St. programmatic leaders below!
Rowland Mendoza (He/Him, Associate Director of Prevention Services, The Lotus Project & Stop The Hate):
The Lotus Project is a wraparound program of resources serving the LGBTQ Asian & Pacific Islander population of San Francisco. In collaboration with UCSF (University of California San Francisco) Alliance Health Project, the program offers community-based support groups on sexual health, gender identity, and social gatherings, and access to basic needs such as food, sexual health, and harm reduction supplies.
The Lotus Project is thrilled to be co-located at 645 Larkin Street to further connect with the AAPI (Asian American & Pacific Islander) community of the tenderloin and build strong partnerships with the existing businesses of the area.
Jason Ogao (He/Him, Program Manager, Stop The Hate)
‘Stop The Hate’ is a program dedicated to addressing anti-AAPI LGBTQ hate, violence and discrimination through support and awareness. Our aim is to provide comprehensive supportive services, advocacy, and educational resources to empower and uplift those impacted by hate incidents and hate crimes. It’s crucial that the ‘Stop The Hate’ program is based in the heart of the Tenderloin and Little Saigon, as these neighborhoods are home to vibrant and diverse AAPI LGBTQ communities who often face heightened levels of discrimination and violence. By centering our program here, we can directly engage with and support those most impacted, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment through community focused initiatives and collaborative partnerships.
Dani Heringer (he/him/they/them, Capacity Building Program Manager, Project CIRCUIT)
As a federally qualified health center (FQHC), we are proud to provide clinical services embedded in the community. We are well equipped to offer community-based organizations a breadth of trainings, technical assistance (TA) and peer-to-peer learning opportunities to strengthen efforts to reduce HIV infections and HIV-related health disparities. SFCHC partners with our partner organizations to provide tailored capacity building services that are community-driven and culturally and regionally specific.
Project CIRCUIT (Community-Inspired Research for Ultimate Change in the Tenderloin) is a community-needs assessment of the unmet medical, behavioral, and subsistence needs of the unhoused community in the Tenderloin District. Participation in this project is not open to the public. The project aims to identify actionable, culturally tailored strategies to address challenges in accessing appropriate medical and socials services for people experiencing homelessness. The understanding gained through Project CIRCUIT will enable SFCHC to develop effective and relevant strategies to better serve our clients.
The Capacity Building Assistance Team in San Francisco is excited to serve at 645 Larkin Street to connect with the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+) community and the unhoused community in the Tenderloin to provide culturally inclusive and competent services within the Tenderloin neighborhood and around San Francisco.