Brick & Mortar Friends: Mt. Zion Hospital Gift Shop/Friend to Friend

It's with profound honor that we say, "Hello!!!" to brick and mortar friend Mt. Zion Hospital Gift Shop/Friend to Friend . . . located in Mt. Zion Hospital at 1600 Divisadero St. in San Francisco.

This place oozes happiness from the minute you walk in.  Happy employees Katrina and Arthur, who were happy to be photographed, as well as the happy customer posing for you here.  Joy!

Which, we have to say, strikes one as odd for a hospital gift shop.  Because wouldn't it be a somber place?  

Nope.  It is not.  Not for one instant.  Along with happy customers and employees, a bright and shining wall of cards.  [Now including ours :) ]

And lots of fun gifts.  

And then . . . you walk into the second room . . . and you start to see lots of hats and scarves . . . .

And prosthetics.  And bras.  And wigs -- like this fabulous pink model.

And then you find out exactly why this gift shop has such a wonderful, happy feeling to it.  It is because IT IS THEIR MISSION!!!  The gift shop is run by breast cancer survivors, who make it their mission to SPREAD LOVE.  And they do.  Like we said, it oozes right into you the moment you walk through the doors.

Beans had the good luck to meet with manager Chris Wilhite, who runs this operation.  Never will you find a kinder, friendlier, warmer shopkeeper.  She is happy to tell you about Friend to Friend, the volunteer organization that runs the gift shop, the profits of which to go give bras, breasts and wigs to survivors who cannot afford them.  Women who have no resources, and who have had breast cancer.  There is not a place Beans could be more blown away at being a part of.

Friend to Friend's major fundraiser this year will be its Fall Fashion Frenzy, to be held at the Lake Merced Golf Club on October 22.  Please feel free to contact Chris by phone (415-353-7776) or by e-mail (cwfriend2friend@aol.com) if you would like to be involved as a volunteer or patron.  

ROCK ON, YOU FABULOUS FOLKS!!!!! Thank you so much for trusting Bean Up The Nose Art cards in your goodies for sale.  It is such an honor and joy to be part of such a special place.