Powering the legacy and future of our award-winning public library
Members of the Leadership Circle anchor the partnership between Friends, the community, and the San Francisco Public Library. They believe in the value of the library as a democratic institution of free access to resources for everyone. They invest in the public/private partnership that has worked for 60 years to fortify the resilient library we have today.
Leadership Circle donor commitments between $5,000 and $49,999 make up 33% of donations given to Friends annually. These members inspire thousands of donors to participate at all levels. |
"...inspire thousands of donors to participate at all levels."
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“I give to Friends of the SFPL because we need our libraries now more than ever - they not only lift us up with stories, they are community anchors that bring us together and local economic engines that enable people to apply to college, find jobs, secure government benefits, and gain the skills they need to move forward. The wide-ranging, positive impact our neighborhood libraries have on all of us cannot be understated.”
– Alissa Lee
A Legacy of Library Excellence
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There are many ways to join the Leadership Circle. We welcome a personal discussion to talk about your interests. Members make their gifts in several ways, including Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), direct cash, stock gifts, Qualified Charitable Contributions (QCDs), and online donations through our web portal. We welcome you to contact Marie Ciepiela, Executive Director, at 415.477.5220 or email Marie.Ciepiela@friendssfpl.org.
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“Our children began attending “Baby Rhyme Time” at the Library when they were just a few months old. Surrounded by books, music, and the diverse families that comprise our neighborhood, our son and daughter began their lives with a sense of joy around learning. But libraries are about so much more than our own family. Libraries are democracy, equity, and inclusion; they help to bridge the digital divide; and they provide shared public space that helps to anchor our community. As investors in and advocates for the library, Friends is critical to making our library system one of the best in the world.”
- Sarah Ives
Members of the Leadership Circle
$25,000 - $49,999
Mrs. Donald G. Fisher
James Haas |
Daniel Handler and Lisa Brown
William and Ruth Isenberg |
$10,000 - $24,999
Anne R. Blackman
Jarie Bolander Gordon and Ann Getty Sarah Jones and Jason Smith Nion McEvoy and Leslie Berriman Judith Miller Matt Rubens and Devon Watts Mark and Clare Schmehl Sophie Taggart |
Nancy Wakeman
Humanist Fund Morgan Stanley Eucalyptus Foundation SF Environment Dodge & Cox Hellman Foundation William G. Gilmore Foundation Mimi and Peter Haas Fund Kislak Family Foundation, Inc. |
$5,000 - $9,999
Terrie Campbell and James Henderson
Emily and David Casnocha Cliff Frey and May Lim Alison Geballe Ross Gerber Susan Goldstein and Andrew Kivel Sarah Ives and Michael Montgomery Mr. and Mrs. Franklin P. Johnson, Jr. Carl Kaufman and Martha Angove Patricia Kelso Matthew Kenaston Elizabeth Klein Alissa Lee and Erik Christoffersen Kuen Lee Michael Linn and Cheryl Frank Judy Miner |
Michael Nguyen
Diane Ringel JoAnna Robertson Arthur Rock and Toni Rembe Rock Karuna Charitable Fund David Stringer-Calvert Roselyne Chroman Swig Elizabeth Watkins Paul Wythes and Antoinette Wythes California State Library Fong Family Revocable Trust Bernard Osher Foundation Paul S. Nadler Charitable Trust American Endowment Foundation Alexander M. & June L. Maisin Foundation |
Gifts made between January 2020 to October 2021.