About Us

Singing for our Supper

The Singers of the Street (SOS) are a group of 30-40 Bay Area singers, artists and musicians. All participants comprise of homeless, former homeless and advocates for the homeless. Each Monday, they rehearse at Saint Paulus Lutheran Church, followed by a potluck lunch.

The SOS have a strong sense of purpose, achievement, team building and family engagement that not only enhances their own sense of worth, yet provides inspiration for those that hear them perform. They give their audiences a positive, personal and human experience that anything is possible if you want to sing your hearts out…and for a few hours, forget all your worries

The group was founded in September 2010 by conductor Dr. Kathleen McGuire who directed SOS for many years until she moved overseas. The baton was then passed to her long-time collaborator Music Minister Ashley Wai'olu Moore who partnered with Dr. McGuire to bring her renowned Street Requiem to San Francisco. In 2016 Sally Ann Ryan, a well-known school music director, took over, and led the choir until the COVID-19 pandemic. Pianist James Campbell collaborated with all three and is an incredible ‘play by ear’ musician who can easily perform hours of popular tracks without any music sheets).

The SOS have staged their music at dozens of regular, homeless-activist fundraisers around San Francisco, including the famed Tenderloin Tessie productions (serving food to thousands of homeless at each event). The SOS is unique in that they fully understand how life is for those that live on the street, since some of the singers head back to their own street life once rehearsals and performances are over. The synergy between the performers and the audience is rare.

About the director…

‍ SF CARES is pleased to announce that Ashley Wai’olu Moore will return as the new Program and Musical Director for the Singers of the Street (SOS).

‍ Ashley founded the Transcendence Gospel Choir in 2001 and was a member of Praise and Worship teams for the City of Refuge UCC, Congregational Church of San Mateo UCC, Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco, New Revelation Church of Berkeley, and the Pacific School of Religion before becoming Music Minister at the First Congregational Church of Oakland in 2012. She served as music and program director for the Singers of the Street choir 2015-2016 and served as choir coordinator for the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir 2020-2022.

In addition to her role as music minister, Ashley has served as Pastor in training at Saint Paulus Lutheran Church of San Francisco, on the Pastoral Triad at Tapestry Ministries, Disciples of Christ Church in Berkeley, offered pastoral care services for Welcome Ministries of San Francisco and as a chaplain during two units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Kaiser Hospital Walnut Creek. In 2019, Ashley completed her Masters of Divinity degree at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Over the last three years she has served as a member of the UCC’s Committee on Ministry and so brings a variety of relevant skills with her.

For bookings or more information about the Singers of the Street,

or call 510-985-9966

Donations to the SOS can be made via GoFundMe:

https://gofund.me/3f6adbbd