<div>You know that feeling when you walk into a space and instantly feel like you belong? For over a decade, The Center SF was that rare sanctuary. So many of us found our people, found ourselves, and found our home.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>San Francisco needs a heart-centered third space. So when The Center closed its doors in June 2025, its former volunteers came together to figure out how we could channel that energy into a new form.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We’re searching for a new permanent home for the community – a welcoming space to gather for tea, movement, and mindful connection.
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/96326955_1763255045347076_r.png" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>WHAT WE’RE CREATING</strong>
</div>
<div><a href="https://www.gathersf.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gather Collective</a> is a new organization created by former volunteers and staff of The Center SF. Our mission is to open a community teahouse where we can offer tea, yoga, and events. We are co-creating a vibrant community space guided by the following core values:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>1. <strong>Community-first</strong>: We see ourselves as humble stewards of the community, not owners of a business. While we're committed to providing a stable foundation, we honor that community takes form organically. We're establishing a nonprofit structure to ensure this space can serve as our home for many years to come.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>2. <strong>Open access</strong>: San Francisco has wonderful membership-only spaces and social clubs, but we believe SF also needs a space that keeps its doors open to everyone. We're committed to maintaining our new space as a welcoming sanctuary where all are truly welcome.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>3. <strong>A haven for mindfulness, wellness, and personal growth</strong>: For many, our community was a first doorway into a life of authentic connection and human flourishing. Tea ceremonies, yoga practice, and the transformative events we will offer are all pathways to this end.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>NEIGHBORHOOD AND VISION</strong>
</div>
<div>As a community space, we need to be where our existing community already is. We are searching for a permanent home, prioritizing the area around Upper/Lower Haight, Duboce Triangle, and North Mission.
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/96326955_1763494921983539_r.png" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We want to create a space so warm and vibrant that you feel you’ve been transported to a different world when you walk in.
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/96326955_1763082124602441_r.png" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/96326955_1763082141539843_r.png" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>HOW YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL SUPPORT US</strong>
</div>
<div>We’re raising $300K to build out a space and support the first year of operations.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Creating a physical space in SF is no small endeavor. This amount will cover rent, commercial rent deposit, build out, decor, permitting, insurance, salary for one general manager, and hourly staff as needed to support volunteers.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The good news is we’ve projected the space will be self-sustaining after a year. With the right financial foundations, we’re confident we can create an enduring community hub.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Since we are a nonprofit, contributions to Gather Collective are legally required to be spent to further our mission. In the case that something goes terribly wrong, we will collect community input and pass along our funding to an aligned nonprofit organization.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>FOR LARGE DONORS AND CO-CREATORS</strong>
</div>
<div>If you’re considering a donation of more than $10K, reach out to Alex (alex[@]gathersf.org). We’d love to chat about helping your donation go further, employer matching, or about incorporating a charitable gift as part of your annual tax planning. We’ve submitted an application for 501c3 status, currently pending. Our detailed business plan is also available on request.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Support doesn’t only mean money. We called ourselves Gather Collective because we’re a community effort, by and for the community. If you want to co-create the space with us, <a href="https://www.gathersf.org/get-involved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get started here</a>.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If you’re working on a similar project, we want to talk! We’re excited to work together to grow the network of conscious community spaces in the Bay Area.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>ABOUT THE GATHER TEAM</strong>
</div>
<div>Gather Collective is a new organization, not under the same ownership as The Center.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Dozens of people have already contributed their time and energy to the project. Here’s a selection of our team leads (see how we organize <a href="https://www.gathersf.org/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> ):
</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/azirbel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alex Zirbel</a> (core team) was a volunteer and staff member at The Center
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dpankaew/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Derek Pankaew</a> (core team) was a volunteer at The Center and started the Village coliving community house
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-kandangath-75073a352/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cara Kandangath</a> (core team) was a volunteer at The Center
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielmazelgee/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ariel Mazel-Gee</a> (community lead) was a volunteer lead at The Center and runs a weekly meditation night along with a circling practice
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiel-howe-b1093915/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kiel Howe</a> (pop-up events lead) was a volunteer at The Center
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabi-gazzola/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gabi Gazzola</a> (events lead) was the event manager at The Center, runs events at Decentered Arts, and is a part-time yoga instructor
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vehbidegerturan/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deger Turan</a> (tea lead) is the CEO of Metaculus, and has extensive experience sourcing high-quality tea
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktblack/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Black</a> (location lead) was a volunteer at The Center and started the Celo Foundation
</li>
</ul>
<div>As a team, we've run businesses, led community spaces, and collectively raised over $22M in funding. We have a deep well of experience creating and running organizations, and are excited to take that expertise to a soul-aligned project.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Our initial board is Alex, Derek, and Cara. We’re advised by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethannecahill/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Liz Cahill</a>, the executive director of Decentered Arts.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We envision a volunteer-run space, operated with solid financial planning. The core team is creating this as a labor of love, but will hire a General Manager and paid part-time roles as needed to ensure the effort is sustainable.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>SUPPORT US IN CREATING A NEW GATHERING SPACE</strong>
</div>
<div>We’re so excited to create a new home for the community we love so much. With all of our hearts, we want to thank all of those who created The Center and stewarded it through its many iterations – co-op residents, business owners, volunteers, event facilitators, yoga instructors, and more.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Also, thank you to the continuing community who have given time and energy to the Gather Collective project over the past months.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>All our donors and volunteers will be invited to a welcome party once we open the new space. Any amount helps :)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Follow along via <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gather_sf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.gathersf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">newsletter</a>, or <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/IqK6Bqn0a2jHoYEicWXXwE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WhatsApp</a> .
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With love and gratitude,
</div>
<div>The Gather SF community
</div>

Anonymous

Janice Chen

Bobby Fishkin

Ethan Currens

Cody Hasty

Jay Dermody

Matthew Goodman

Tarwin Stroh-Spijer

Peter Benilov

Dimitar Simeonov

Kira Soderstrom

Noam Samuel

PAMELA S VAGATA

Bring the Gather SF teahouse to life

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

currencyCode

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

Influencer - Prod

US fundraisers and US users

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Bring the Gather SF teahouse to life

Still $1,850 to go. Help us build momentum.