Photograph courtesy of Anne Symon
Hill Designer and Resident Fights Child Abuse
By Lori Higa
Child abuse is a chronic problem in America, according to Rhode Island Street resident and interior designer Anne Symon, who serves on the board of the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center (SFCAPC). According to the Center’s website, three million cases of child abuse and neglect – including 2,000 deaths – were reported nationally last year. In San Francisco, the Center received roughly 19,000 calls from families in crisis, served 1,500 families, educated 6,700 children about ways to keep themselves safe and trained 6,000 people to recognize and report signs of abuse.
Children are abused in a number of ways, ranging from psychological trauma to bodily harm. “Children experiencing abuse often struggle with behavioral problems at school, for which they are not prepared or ready to cope,” the Center’s executive director Katie Albright said. Childhood abuse is associated with teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, chronic physical and mental health problems, and drug and alcohol abuse.
Symon is dedicated to Potrero Hill. “I’ll never leave. It’s the best neighborhood in the City.” When she bought her home eleven years ago, “it was the worst house on the block. You could see the previous owner had just let it go. All the neighbors thanked me!” Born and raised in San Mateo, Symon is a fifth-generation Californian. After years working as a waitress she fell into the interior design business sixteen years ago as a hobby, and decided to pursue it as a career. “It just worked,” she said. Symon moved to the Hill to be close to the Design Center. “Little did I know Potrero Hill would have the best weather, ample parking, be close to the 280 freeway, and be so ideal!”
Launching her business in 1994, Symon worked from her home for nine years. She opened an office on 18th at Kansas streets seven years ago. “All I had to do was paint. The building owner had installed beautiful terrazzo floors and benches because he was in the business.” For Symon, who has no children and is single, with a pit bull named Buddy, life was good.
Symon stumbled upon SFCAPC at a fundraiser the organization held at a design showroom eight years ago. She started volunteering to help raise money, and became a board member. Last year, Symon was co-chair of the Center’s annual Blue Ribbon benefit luncheon.
Symon is passionate about preventing child abuse. “Child abuse is a truly big issue in society. It causes so many problems later in life. Eight-five percent of people in jail were abused as children. Many abusers were themselves abused. So it’s a cycle of violence that continues. The Center does everything it can to intervene and stop this cycle,” she asserted. “I love children and I wanted to do something to help them. My work is great, but this affects me at a deeper level. It’s like soul food for me.”
“We believe a community is better served by supporting our families, educating our children, and being proactive with services that prevent child abuse rather than reacting to tragedy,” Albright said. “We at the Center are so incredibly grateful for the support of leaders and volunteers like Anne Symon. From our roots with the Junior League to our TALK Line and other programs staffed by committed and caring volunteers, we are keenly aware that we cannot do this work alone. Everyone has a role to play in preventing child abuse,” she observed. The thirty year old Center is located in the Haight in an old firehouse.
“Our focus truly is prevention. So we have an array of essential services, such as on-site child care and counseling. We make it easy for parents...they can leave their kids in good hands and go to their AA meetings right there as well. We’re the only organization that offers this,” said Symon. Among the most effective interventions the Center provides is its 24-hour TALK Line. “We’ve literally talked people off the ledge, stopped them from hitting their kids,” said Symon. “The talk line is instant therapy.” The Center also offers an off-site respite center where parents can drop off their children for the day, while they look for work, go to work, or go to appointments. “There’s a playroom, with a yard outside and occasional excursions to parks for the children. Kids have really flourished by being loved here,” Symon said.
For Symon, “The Center is a great fit. It really clicked for me, this really pulled at me. Many abusers have substance abuse issues, are homeless and single parents. Child abuse is a rampant problem, and the work the Center does nips it in the bud. Why spend money on building more jails? Our state has $8 billion for prisons, why don’t we put the money into fighting child abuse instead?”
Symon is gearing up for the Center’s 13th Annual Blue Ribbon Fundraiser, which will be held on April 30th at the Westin St. Francis hotel, featuring keynote speaker Riki Ellison, former San Francisco 49er and three-time Super Bowl champion. “We can always use more funding, more services, a bigger building so we can serve more parents and children,” insisted Symon.
For more information about Symon and the Center, see www.annesymoninteriors.com and www.sfcapc.org.
