Glide Memorial Faces Defunding Call Amid Allegations of Facilitating Drug Addiction and Vagrancy

A recent social media post has leveled serious accusations against San Francisco's Glide Memorial, claiming the organization facilitates drug addiction and encourages "rampant vagrancy," and calling for its defunding. The tweet, authored by "Nat," stated, > "@war24182236 Glide Memorial is now part of the problem. Here they are facilitating drug addiction and drug overdose deaths. Their food program encourages rampant vagrancy. Glide is a bulwark of the Homeless Industrial Complex and as such Glide should be defunded." This criticism emerges amidst ongoing debates about addressing San Francisco's severe homelessness and drug crisis.

Glide Memorial, a long-standing institution in San Francisco's Tenderloin district since 1963, describes itself as a center for social justice dedicated to fighting systemic injustices and providing comprehensive care. The organization offers a wide array of services, including daily free meals, housing readiness workshops, and harm reduction programs, aiming to help individuals and families achieve stability and break cycles of poverty. Their impact report highlights serving hundreds of thousands of meals annually and distributing thousands of Narcan doses.

The organization's approach to the drug crisis, particularly its harm reduction efforts, has been a point of public discussion. Glide's harm reduction team distributes supplies like clean syringes and Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal drug, directly to drug users in the Tenderloin. Glide CEO Karen Hanrahan stated that harm reduction "saves lives and reduces disease" and "builds relationships with people who we can then wrap our arms around and help them through a continuum of other services."

San Francisco has been grappling with an escalating opioid crisis, with fentanyl driving a significant rise in overdose deaths, particularly among the unhoused population. The city has implemented measures like Proposition 1 to fund mental health facilities and housing, and Measure F, which aims to incentivize drug-addicted public assistance recipients into treatment. This context highlights the complex challenges faced by organizations working on the front lines of addiction and homelessness.

Despite the recent criticism, Glide Memorial has also received public support and recognition for its work. In February 2025, NBA analyst Charles Barkley volunteered at Glide, serving meals and donating $250,000, acknowledging the organization's efforts to support communities in need. This demonstrates a varied public perception of Glide's role in addressing the city's social challenges.