Meet Anni Chung, the most famous San Franciscan you don’t know
Anni Chung, left, president and CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, visits Feng Mao Peng, 79, at her home at Lady Shaw Senior Center.
Anni Chung, president and CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, has spent over five decades transforming the lives of seniors in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Known affectionately as the “Mother Teresa of Chinatown,” Anni has championed culturally responsive, bilingual services that have kept generations of elders healthy, connected, and respected. Through her leadership, Self-Help for the Elderly has become a trusted anchor for older adults—offering everything from warm meals and wellness workshops to social services and advocacy that ensure seniors are not left behind.
Her commitment is not just measured by years, but by the depth of care and dignity she brings to every facet of her work. Whether walking alongside elders in Portsmouth Square or testifying for increased city funding, Anni is a steadfast advocate for justice, community, and compassion.
LeaderSpring Center is proud to celebrate Anni Chung as a Class of 2015 San Francisco Fellow. Her leadership journey reflects the very heart of our mission: to uplift leaders who are rooted in community, bold in vision, and unwavering in their pursuit of equity. Anni’s legacy continues to inspire a new generation of social sector changemakers who are following in her footsteps to create systemic impact with humanity at the center.
In honoring Anni’s story, we are reminded that transformative leadership is not always loud—it is consistent, deeply relational, and grounded in love for community.
Learn more about: https://www.selfhelpelderly.org/
