A couple charity drives, live music and comedy kick off the neighborhood holiday events calendar this post-Thanksgiving weekend. 

But first, our top stories of the past week.

The Luggage Store is back at Sixth and Market. While renovations aren't 100 percent complete, art is back up on the walls and we stopped by to hear what purchasing the two-story building means for the future of the gallery.

We chatted with the founder of Mama G's Thanksgiving Street Dinner, while helping to serve up turkey, mashed potatoes and all the fixings last Sunday at UN Plaza, to learn how the annual dinner for hundreds of San Franciscans in need got started six years ago. 

A few more tidbits before we get into our laundry list of weekend events...

Those who have Black Friday sales on their minds may want to consider adding a few good causes to their shopping lists:

• The Tenderloin police station is hosting a holiday toy drive from 11am-2pm Friday, Dec. 5, at Boeddeker Park. For those dropping off gifts, there will be games, entertainment and refreshments rain or shine.
• Larkin Street Youth Services is also holding an annual gift drive benefiting the 450 youth in their emergency shelter and transitional living programs. Unwrapped gifts will be accepted 9:30am-4:30pm Monday through Friday at 134 Golden Gate until Dec. 11.

Cyber Monday shopping sprees can do some good in the neighborhood as well. Through the AmazonSmile program, a portion of your Amazon.com sales could go toward St. Francis Living Room — which recently secured grants from the San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services and the Saint Francis Foundation to keep the program from shuttering by year's end due to a budget crisis this summer. Here's how the AmazonSmile program works:

A few updates for neighbors concerned about crime and safety this time of year. Tenderloin Station Captain Teresa Ewins stated during her monthly community meeting last night that there are now officers on Leavenworth 24/7 with the goal of reducing drug dealing in the area. The SFPD has also kicked off its annual Safe Shopper program, which aims to deter thefts and robberies surrounding Westfield Mall through mid-February.

Finally, if you'd like to get to know your local foot beat, stop by the Baldwin Hotel at 11am Wednesday, Dec. 2. There will be coffee, snacks and foot beat patrol officers eager to mingle with neighbors.

On that note, have a fun and safe Thanksgiving weekend.

Friday

Saturday