For more than 40 years, we have evolved and expanded our programs, services, and approach. The organization’s first shelter program was housed in the basement of Dolores Street Baptist Church in the 1980s and the location name was an important marker for our community to find our services.

Over time, and the last 10 years in particular, we have expanded significantly, forcing us to move out of Dolores Street and deeper into the Mission District. Today, our community members access our services at various locations throughout the Mission District creating a disconnect between the location name and our actual physical location. Given the expansion of our programs, we felt it was important to change our name to reflect where we are as an organization today.

The Mission District is where we have taken action for more than 4 decades to provide shelter and housing to those community members who are experiencing housing insecurity; community services to individuals who need direct support to maintain stable living; and community engagement and organizing related to housing rights, worker rights, and immigrant rights to those who need legal backing to remain in San Francisco and earn a thriving wage. The name Mission Action encapsulates our geographic location and active approach.

This year, Mission Action is rolling out a new strategic framework that features a holistic and inclusive approach rooted in trauma-healing and culturally affirming service to address the impacts of systematic racism, poverty and gentrification in the Mission District. Our hope is that the new name will support our efforts to demonstrated that:

• We are a Trauma-Informed/Trauma-Healing Organization that provides personalized services to stabilize individuals in crisis, fostering a welcoming environment for healing, connection, and empowerment through community. Our team recognizes the impacts of trauma and aims to create an environment that promotes healing and resilience.
• We are a Learning/Practicing Organization that prioritizes continuous learning and collaboration, equipping staff with trauma-informed skills and ensuring language justice for inclusive participation. Through Language justice we ensure multilingual accessibility so that language is never a barrier to access our services and participate in decision-making processes. We affirm, embrace and celebrate diverse cultures within our organization and communities served.
• We are a Membership-Based Social Justice Organization that empowers our community, by offering essential services while fostering leadership development and collective action, building on diverse programs to amplify immigrant and indigenous voices to drive social change. The active members of our served communities are a key base of self-experienced individuals that can serve as leaders in the Mission District, helping to find solutions.