Hot chocolate with plenty of marshmallows, cookies and hand-woven winter hats.
Those are the ingredients in a pre-Thanksgiving street event held Tuesday at San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. The event was put together by St. Anthony's Church and organizers said they are trying to build the community in the area.
"It's a very good event for people who can't really pay for anything," Tenderloin resident Stephanie Cuevas said.
Tuesday marked the first time the event was held during the day - making it easier for residents like Elsa Santos and her daughters to attend. Being able to take home a few items is also helpful for the community dealing with rising costs.
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The Tenderloin has a reputation for being one of the toughest neighborhoods in San Francisco, so the hope is events like what St. Anthony's Church put together will help bring together and highlight the other side of this often maligned area.
"This is a community that struggles and there are a lot of people in need," Mayor London Breed said. "And so they are fortunate to have a place like St. Anthony's Church to go, not just for Thanksgiving and the holidays - this is year round."
