Spinsters of San Francisco is a historical, social and philanthropic women's organization aimed at cultivating volunteerism in young women and helping the San Francisco, California community through fundraising. Nonprofit by charter, the group consists of approximately 195 college educated, unmarried women who sponsor and raise funds for a designated local charity. The charity is selected by vote of the membership each year. Spinsters of San Francisco was founded in 1929 as a sister organization to the Bachelors of San Francisco.
History
Spinsters of San Francisco was founded on November 6, 1929 by Miss Patricia Tobin, who hosted the first meeting to the founding membership of thirty five women in the ballroom of her family's home, the de Young House at 1919 California Street, San Francisco. Miss Patricia Tobin was the daughter of Mr. Joseph Tobin and Mrs. Joseph Tobin and the granddaughter of Robert Tobin, founder of Hibernia Bank and M. H. de Young, founder of the San Francisco Chronicle and benefactor of the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum. The first charity was Travelers Aid San Francisco, selected in 1957. Since then, many other charitable groups have been the beneficiaries of Spinsters of San Francisco patronage such as Youth Advocates Safe Place Program, The Girls After School Academy, Edgewood Center for Children and Families, and the Bayview Hunter's Point YMCA "Just for Girls Program." The young socialite DeDe Halcyon Day in Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City series, is a Spinsters of San Francisco alumnae. The Spinsters of San Francisco organization is mentioned multiple times within the series including mention that DeDe and husband Beauchamp met at the Spinsters of San Francisco Holiday Ball. Today, Spinsters of San Francisco has a powerful and varied membership dedicated to work, community and networking. The membership is involved with many philanthropies and social organizations participating in other notable organizations such as Art Point, Bravo, Encore!, Symphonix, the YBC, the Junior Committee to the Women's Board of the CPMC and the Junior League. Members of the organization are often found in the leading San Francisco lifestyle magazines such as the Nob Hill Gazette's Most Eligible List published annually.
Charitable projects
The membership of Spinsters of San Francisco currently supports La Cocina. La Cocina cultivates low income food entrepreneurs as they formalize and grow their businesses by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, industry-specific technical assistance and access to market opportunities. They focus primarily on women from communities of color and immigrant communities to create an innovative, vibrant and inclusive economic landscape. La Cocina will receive a donation from the 2018-2019 Spinsters of San Francisco Charity Events and Legacy Benefit, as well as receive individual Spinsters' one on one time through hands on volunteering.
Social occasions
Along with many invitation only events and various social functions, Spinsters of San Francisco hosts three Charity Parties each year that are open to the public. These events feature entertainment, VIP hosted bars and are located at trendy venues in the city. Photography from the events can be seen in 7x7 Magazine, San Francisco Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Nob Hill Gazette and other leading lifestyle publications in the Bay Area. The largest charity event of the Spinsters year is Patron's Reception, held annually in the spring. This is a self-funding event, meaning there is no budget and therefore is maintained 100% through donation. Along with the current membership, active alumnae, members of the press, dedicated sponsors and civic leaders attend this highly anticipated, semi formal event.
Membership
Historically, invitation to join Spinsters of San Francisco has been granted through rigorous processes. In the organization's early years new members were only accepted when current members left the organization to be married. Today membership remains exclusive and by invitation only. Spinsters of San Francisco holds a membership recruitment period each spring where interested women may attend events designed to educate applicants about the organization. Requirements for membership consideration include the following: Applicants must have lived in the Bay Area for at least one year, be between the ages of 21 and 35, have never been married and must be a four-year college graduate. Annually, Spinsters of San Francisco receives hundreds of applications for consideration.
