The Do-Right Man

Getting Daniel Lurie to talk about himself is no mean feat. He’ll reveal only a couple of details—his love for SFMOMA, perhaps, or his favorite food (burritos)—before steering the conversation to Tipping Point, the nonprofit he founded in 2005 at the Doogie Howser-ish age of 28; last year, it raised more than $2 million, funding 17 organizations working to combat poverty in the Bay Area.

Every cent of the money raised by Tipping Point goes out the door—operating costs are underwritten by the board of directors, whose individual contributions average $100,000 annually. “We pound the pavement looking for the best nonprofits fighting poverty,” says Lurie, who lives in Lower Pac Heights. “We try to figure out how we can make an impact beyond writing a check.”

Lurie credits his work on Bill Bradley’s 2000 presidential campaign with planting the seeds of Tipping Point. “[Bradley] always said that everyone needs to be part of something bigger than themselves. That really stuck with me.” His family influenced him too: His mother, Miriam “Mimi” Haas, and late stepfather, Peter Haas, have been two of the city’s best-known philanthropists.

“Twenty-five percent of people living in the Bay Area are too poor to meet their basic needs,” he says. “I think everyone agrees with me that those numbers are unacceptable. I want to be part of the solution.”

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Q&A

Favorite recent piece at SFMOMA?
I always love what’s featured in the New Work series—most recently, it was Felix Schramm’s Collider, a large, site-specific sculpture spread across two galleries.

Hottest thing about living in SF?
What isn’t hot about living in SF? We have diversity on every level—neighborhoods, food, people and experiences. There’s no place more hip or beautiful than San Francisco.

What would you change about SF?
We need to do more for those living on the streets. This is a decades-old issue, and one the city is working hard to address, but we’re still not there yet.

Favorite burrito?
Gordo Taqueria is my favorite burrito shop out on Clement Street. I also like El Farolito on 24th and Mission, but Gordo’s is old-school. I went there when I was in grade school!

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