Saying Goodbye to Nail Day
The events of the past year have meant some creative and significant shifts to our ministry. Some activities have been paused, and others have been reimagined with new leadership or new ideas. We have launched fresh initiatives, said goodbye to friends, and welcomed new ones. Despite these adjustments, our staff remain excited for all that 2021 will bring and confident in the bright future that lies ahead.
One big shift to announce is the closure of our Women’s Ministry Department. If you have supported our work for any length of time, you know that one of our most well-known outreaches is our Nail Day ministry. In fact, this was one of the first programs we launched at BJM almost 13 years ago. What started at a small table on the sidewalk soon developed into an indoors program that welcomed women to a place of safety, dignity, and restoration. We painted nails, offered prayer, and provided a space where women experienced the hospitality of Christ.
As time developed, our Nail Day outreach expanded into a full-grown department at BJM. We engaged in street outreach to women experiencing exploitation and abuse, handing out hygiene kits, clothing, and warm drinks. With the opening of The Well, our women and children’s center, we offered small healing groups where women shared their stories in solidarity. We had the joy of seeing women give their lives to Jesus, establish their sobriety, find housing, get baptized, develop friendships, and also give back to their own community through volunteering and sacrificial giving. These have been good years of service, and we look back on them with gratitude. It has been an honor and a privilege to do this work.
Though we are closing this particular ministry, this passion to love our community continues in our Youth, Families, and EdenMade departments. We are shifting our focus, but BJM isn’t going anywhere.
This change in direction is not a result of COVID or lack of staff. Despite the fact that much of our ministry of presence had been limited in 2020, we had expected to return and reopen the doors to Nail Day as soon as it was safe to do so. However, God had other plans. This pause allowed us space to reflect and come together in prayer about the future of BJM. Our leadership team is in full unity that God is urging us to focus our energy, time, and resources to other departments, and that it is time to say goodbye to our focus on women in the TL.
To every volunteer who walked through the doors of Nail Day to serve, thank you. Your love and investment impacted the women in this community.
To every donor, thank you. Thank you for generously giving so women could receive vital and life-giving services. You have sown seeds into the lives of some of the most needy in this city.
To every staff member who carried this vision, thank you. We are all overwhelmed with joy when we think of the ways you loved without restraint and made this outreach a huge success for almost 13 years. We especially want to honor Julia Pferdihert, our Women’s Ministry Director, for her sacrificial investment, never failing to offer kindness to those who reached out to her. We are thrilled that Julia remains a member of our executive team and will continue to invest in our work through training, mentoring, and leadership.
We are thankful for YWAM San Francisco and Restoration Initiatives (RI) who continue to serve the many women of the Tenderloin. We are partnered with RI to make sure women continue to have a safe and loving place to turn to in times of need.
To our faithful supporters and friends, please know that this decision was not made lightly. Despite our sadness, we are very excited about investing deeply in our three remaining ministries. Our staff are committed, our ministry is deeply rooted, and our vision is sharp. We remain focused on building pathways for women and girls so they can access their bright futures, and we look forward to doing this in the years ahead with you by our side.
Ruthie Kim
Founder and Executive Director
Because Justice Matters
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
What other ministry is BJM actively engaged in this season?
One thing you will hear us say at BJM is what we do might change, but who we are does not. Though the formal Women’s Ministry Department and Nail Day outreach are closing, BJM still ministers to women every day.
Families Ministry. Our Families ministry has seen exponential growth in the last year, supporting moms through the pandemic and beyond. Brave Space groups were launched in early 2020, engaging English- and Spanish-speaking moms, and in partnership with the La Cocina community. Women and mothers are experiencing caring community, coaching, connection to resources, and transformational relationships. Our team is actively working to address food insecurity for families in the Tenderloin by connecting families to food sources and dropping off food hampers. Additionally, the Brighter Futures Benevolence fund has provided over $50,000 in financial support to keep families housed.
Youth Ministry. Youth Ministry has continued to provide creative arts classes (dance, music, and theater) and mentoring, both virtually and in-person, throughout the pandemic. These connections have been vital to helping girls thrive in this season. Additionally we launched learning pods and are supporting youth with academic tutoring through a partnership with a local church.
EdenMade. For the past two years, our EdenMade team has built relationships with women in the adult entertainment industry through a presence inside strip clubs. Due to COVID, this outreach paused, and around the same time, our former EdenMade Director moved on. However, the team continues to meet monthly to pray for the women we met during past outreaches. Staff have remained present and accessible for these women, and have focused on training and developing future strategic opportunities for ministry. This month, we announced our new EdenMade Director: Lauren Butts. Lauren is leading this team forward with vision and experience in supporting exploited women. We anticipate new opportunities for volunteers and church partnership in the coming months.
This is just a snapshot of the other ministries of BJM. We post weekly updates our Instagram and Facebook accounts so that you never miss a BJM moment. Next month, we are releasing a series of in-depth impact reports from each of our ministries. We encourage you to review those as well for a fuller picture of BJM’s work in the Tenderloin.
Who is continuing to care for the women who Nail Day served?
We are so happy to have built strong partnerships over the years. These partners continue to meet the needs of the women we have served and we continue to collaborate with them. YWAM’s Restoration Initiatives (RI) has seen an increase in women served in its drop-in center. We have collaborated with training and resources to help equip their staff to minister to women. Our partners at City Hope and The Healing Well continue to offer their programs that provide support to women in a number of key areas. Many of the women who were served at Nail Day are already connected to RI and these other agencies, so there is not a gap in needs being met.
What might future volunteer opportunities look like?
The current pandemic has limited the types of volunteer opportunities offered but we do have some virtual opportunities available for youth and families. And there is always the opportunity to pray with us! Each Friday, we send out an email update to our prayer team with specific items we need prayer for in the BJM community. Contact volunteer@becausejusticematters.org to learn more about our virtual volunteer and prayer opportunities.
Looking forward, we expect there to be in-person opportunities available in leading Brave Space groups, EdenMade outreaches, prayer nights, youth mentoring, and more. There is still the question of what’s next, as we look at the new things that God has for us in the months and years to come.
There are also opportunities to volunteer with YWAM’s Restoration Initiatives by helping host their drop-in center and shower days, or by volunteering in YWAM’s weekly food pantry. Please contact volunteer@ywamsanfrancisco.org for more information.