St.
Joseph Center has achieved significant recognition as an outstanding
charitable partner in helping solve problems of needy families and
individuals on the Westside of Los Angeles. The California Community Foundation’s Donor Connect newsletter referred to St. Joseph Center as “one of the preeminent social service organizations serving low-income members of the Westside community.”
Don't miss our Thrift Store's Boutique Event coming up on Saturday, August 28th. We have been saving all of our premium donations and this is your chance to snap them up. Visit our Thrift Store page for more information about this great event.
Please visit our Thrift Store page for more information about the new store. You can view a TV news segment about the launch of the new store at the KCAL9 News website.
We also need great volunteers to help us sort through and organize the many donations that the Thrift Store receives each day. In fact, working at the Thrift Store is currently the Featured Opportunity on our volunteer information page. Contact our volunteer coordinator to see if helping out at the Thrift Store is right for you!
Thank you to Locanda Del Lago in Santa Monica and their great chef Chef Roberto Maggioni for presenting our most recent Culinary Experience Fundraiser. A special thanks to Whole Foods Venice as well, which served as our food sponsor for the evening. Watch this space for information about upcoming culinary fundraisers and check out our Culinary Experience for a Cause page for information on past classes.
This year's Dinner Dance was a tremendous success! Entertainment Tonight correspondent Samantha Harris served as the night's emcee, and ET sent their cameras to cover Food Pantry volunteer David Arqutte receiving our Hope Through Empowerment Award.
We raised $460,000 through this event -- $100,000 more than last year! Of that total, $145,000 was specially designated for our Bread and Roses Café. The funds we raise at this event support our programs that help 6,000 low-income and homeless individuals and families rebuild their lives each year. Get all the details about the event here.
KABC Channel 7 Visits St. Joseph Center's Bread and Roses Café
St. Joseph Center partners with L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to Launch Project Focused on Housing 40 Chronically Homeless Venetians
On July 2, 2009 St. Joseph Center presented its findings to the community from a survey of homeless individuals in Venice conducted over three nights in May 2009. 222 people were surveyed in an effort to establish a "Service Registry" of the most vulnerable. After analyzing the data, 98 of those surveyed were identified as highly vulnerable. 40 of the most vulnerable will be targeted by this new project over the next two years for placement in permanent supportive housing. We have a white paper available for download that describes the survey and its findings (PDF reader required).
204 Hampton DriveFacility Now Open
On September 11, 2008 St. Joseph Center's held a Dedication Ceremony for the new family services and administration facility that we opened at 204 Hampton Drive in Venice. This marked the Center's return to its address of 20 years after a 20 month absence due to construction. Follow the link for more photos of the new facility.
St. Joseph Center's Executive Director: Va Lecia Adams
Va Lecia Adams brings fresh energy and a wealth of experience with respected social service providers to the position of Executive Director at St. Joseph Center. You can learn more about her experience by looking over a short profile on our Management Team page.
St. Joseph Center takes a comprehensive view of
problems, integrating many services into long range solutions that
provide the advantage of sustainable change for more than 6,000 men, women, and children annually.
More than 900 working poor families presently
use Center services. We provide job training and referrals to improve
employment situations. We also provide safe, creative environments
for children of all ages through all-day childcare, mentoring, tutoring
and family recreational activities.
St. Joseph Center provided more than 15,000 grocery
bags last year through its family Food Pantry and served more than
24,000 hot nutritious meals at Bread & Roses Café, an innovative
free restaurant for the homeless.
The Center offers help to more than 2,400 homeless
men, women, and children each year through street outreach, emergency
services, crisis intervention, case management and referrals. Our
comprehensive programs provide job training and placement, meals,
and access to affordable housing.
The Center offers a compassionate alternative
for those unable to manage their government benefits due to mental
illness or instability. Our staff assures that formerly homeless mentally
ill men and women remain housed, in treatment, and on a path to self-sufficiency.
