More Than a Job: Sonya Katcher Reflects on 12 Years at SFFP

May 30

**Could you tell our readers who you are and what you do?**

Hi, my name is Sonya Katcher, and I am a Recreation Therapist and Senior Case Manager here at St. Francis Friends of the Poor.
**How long have you been with SFFP?**
Since July 2013—so, 12 years now.

Could you tell us about when you first started working here?

My bosses were three Franciscan priests, and getting to know them completely changed and expanded my worldview—my ideas about religion, nonprofits, and what work could be. They were warm, direct, and hands-on.

I had just completed my MFA and a master's in art education when I arrived. The Fathers—Fr. John McVean, Fr. John Felice, and Fr. Tom Walters—along with Julie [a retired nurse of 25 years] and Janet [the recently retired Activities Coordinator of 44 years] welcomed me and my colleague Chris [former Program Director] with open arms. They genuinely asked for our opinions on strategies and issues. I remember thinking, "They’re asking me? I’m just the art person!"

an older man and a woman standing in front of a building

They were excited to teach us, and we were eager to learn. It felt like a shared mission. I looked forward to coming to work every day. Their support and encouragement left a deep impression on me, and I’ve tried to pass that forward as the staff changes and the work continues.

They struck a rare balance—radical and traditional—that really works for our population. You have to think outside the box when working with people who live outside the box. As the legendary Mickey Maguire [former Assistant Program Director and “Dean of Admissions”] once said: “It takes fringe people to work with fringe people.”

What is your day-to-day like?

There’s no typical day! But our structure starts with “medication and money.” From 10 AM to noon, we encourage everyone in the building to come down for help with their medications, budgeting, to meet with Steve [benefits specialist], or simply to say hello.

The whole point of this program is to make people—who often feel invisible—feel seen. A simple "hello," asking how their family is, how they slept, or what they're eating for lunch builds real, human connection. Our tenants should never feel like a number or a "consumer." They're valued members of our community.

I run several groups:

Tuesdays: Exercise group
Wednesdays: Laundry group
Thursdays: Movie group (Today we're watching I Am Legend—though the Godfather trilogy was the biggest hit recently, especially Part III!)
Fridays: Poetry group, one of our most popular.
Multiple times a week: Art group

There’s always something unexpected—some surprises are delightful, others are tough—but I love the unpredictability of the work.

What do you love about your job?

The beauty of permanent supportive housing is that there’s always an opportunity to learn more about someone. It can take years for tenants to open up, and I love being part of that long, slow process of trust-building, consistently nurturing that relationship is what has me hooked on the job.

Many of our tenants need help managing medications, which can be overwhelming even for someone without a mental illness. What we do here is simple—and that simplicity works. When we focus on helping the people who need it and supporting the people doing the helping, something special happens.

What is your favorite holiday at SFFP?

Believe it or not, Valentine’s Day has become my favorite—because of you, Linda! It used to be my least favorite. As Fr. McVean used to say in his raspy voice, “It’s a Hallmark holiday.” But you reminded me it’s really about celebrating love, and this year, I had a lot of love to celebrate.

Janet, who ran holiday parties for over 40 years, taught me that when tenants see staff enjoying themselves, it lifts the energy of the entire place. That’s what I try to do daily, not just with parties, but with activities and simple moments of connection. Historically, Halloween was my favorite—but this year, Valentine’s Day won me over.

Planning the Menu
For this year's Valentine’s Day party, I started by handing out heart-shaped glasses and frilly headbands. One of our tenants, Sandra—who has amazing taste in music—volunteered to DJ and got everyone dancing.

We served samosas and salad from Kailash Parbat—our neighborhood is rich in Indian cuisine. For dessert, we went to Bread Story on 21st Avenue.

Quick backstory: Janet was a pastry connoisseur, and Maison Kaiser used to be her go-to. When it closed during COVID, we were heartbroken. One day I stumbled upon Bread Story and loved it. Turns out, the head baker there used to work at Maison Kaiser! A sweet discovery—literally and figuratively.

This year, I chose a gateau basque because one of our longtime helpers, Myrna, is avoiding chocolate. It’s a dense, buttery cake—kind of like a blondie—and it was a total hit. Shoutout to Cheryl, our VNS home health aide, who got everyone dancing off that cake!

Preparing for the Party
What made the party really special was the lead-up. I was hesitant about Valentine’s Day but had the idea to make our own cards using rubber stamps, something more approachable for those who don’t consider themselves artists. I found Casey’s Rubber Stamps—right next to Veniero’s Bakery, another SFFP staple with a story for another day.

The stamp shop is run by a charming older Irish man. As a printmaker, I loved hearing about the stamp-making process. I bought 10–12 stamps and tons of new faces showed up—it was a huge success. My goal is always to encourage people to try something new.

This year, tenants also asked for balloons. Our local Party City closed, but I found Balloons To Go, a mom-and-pop shop founded in 1981. I emailed them our story, and Vanessa called me right away. She said, “I checked out your website—great work. I want to give you a discount.” We totally clicked, and the balloons were gorgeous—so much better than the ones from Party City.

Something I wasn’t planning turned into a community connection, which is what I love most about this work.

When did you know this place was special?

From the very first day. Tenants surrounded me asking questions like, “What’s that tattoo?” “What are you doing here?” “Are you going to work here?”

Everyone—tenants and staff—were different and direct. I felt like I belonged immediately. I felt welcomed and part of something meaningful from day one.