Help us keep going 45 years more.
SJC is 45 years old – and look how we’ve grown. By our 25th anniversary year, SJC was serving 3,000 people. Today? SJC helps over 14,000 people annually. That’s cause for celebration!
We couldn’t have done it without you.
Your support means everything. It’s what helped us grow into a force for change — and it’s what keeps us going as we work to tackle poverty and homelessness.
In July 1976, two visionary women saw people struggling with hunger and homelessness in Venice Beach, California and decided to do something about it. Sister Marilyn Therese Rudy and Sister Louise Bernstein of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, together with a few volunteers, began providing advocacy and referrals and assisting families with the basic needs of food, clothing, and job readiness out of a storefront on Rose Avenue. They called the project St. Joseph Center.
The original focus of St. Joseph Center was working with low-income families and individuals. But soon the Sisters recognized the growing number of homeless individuals who came into the area in the early 1980s. The decision was made to expand their service, and they leased a nearby facility specifically to serve homeless men and women. In 1986, the Sisters stepped down from the leadership and St. Joseph Center became a separately incorporated non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
From the very beginning, SJC’s founders saw their task as one of renewing hope in people and enabling them to take steps to heal their lives. In 1989, SJC purchased a building at 663 Rose Avenue and started the Bread and Roses Café, one of the first three programs in the nation to combine a sit-down, table-service food program for the homeless with a food service training program for the jobless. It remains the only non-shelter hot meal program on the Westside of Los Angeles and now provides up to 300 dine-in and to-go meals a day for those in need.
In 1990, St. Joseph Center launched its first housing program to support families and individuals in finding and maintaining affordable and permanent housing. One year later, SJC opened the Food Service Job Training Program (now the Bread and Roses Training Kitchen) to provide homeless, formerly homeless, and chronically unemployed adults with the skills needed to secure employment in the food service industry. By expanding job training and housing services, SJC was continuing to respond to the changing needs of the communities we serve—a pattern that continues to this day.
In 2017, the voters of Los Angeles County passed Measure H to provide a dedicated source of significant public funding (estimated at 355M per year) to address the humanitarian crisis of homelessness in our region. Building on our strong foundation of caring staff, innovative programs, and community presence, and supported by new public funding, SJC entered an exciting phase of strategic growth in services and organizational footprint. SJC has served as the Lead Agency for Coordinated Entry Services (CES) on the Westside (Service Planning Area 5) since 2014.
At the start of the pandemic, St. Joseph Center staff found themselves in the unprecedented position of running toward a deadly virus to meet the dramatic surge in need for basic essentials of food and shelter. In April 2020, SJC opened the first Project Roomkey site in LA County, providing emergency shelter to people at significant risk of developing COVID-19. Across the agency, we quickly pivoted to adapt all our programs and services to operate at peak capacity while responding to shifting public health guidance and protocols. As we enter our third year of global pandemic, SJC is building resilience and improving our capacity to respond effectively in crisis situations.
From our humble beginnings 45 years ago, St. Joseph Center has grown into one of the largest providers of services for low-income and homeless individuals and families in Los Angeles County. In addition to operating service centers in Venice, South LA, and Downtown Los Angeles and program offices in Santa Monica, Palms, and Mar Vista, SJC operates two interim housing sites and provides services for five permanent supportive housing developments. In 2021, we served over 14,000 low-income and homeless individuals by providing access to housing, mental health, job training, and hunger relief programs. With an annual operating budget of $40M, a staff of 369, and more than 400 dedicated volunteers, our life-changing credo is Hope Through Empowerment.
In July 1976, two visionary women saw people struggling with hunger and homelessness in Venice Beach, California and decided to do something about it. They called the project St. Joseph Center.
In July 1976, two visionary women saw people struggling with hunger and homelessness in Venice Beach, California and decided to do something about it. Sister Marilyn Therese Rudy and Sister Louise Bernstein of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, together with a few volunteers, began providing advocacy and referrals and assisting families with the basic needs of food, clothing, and job readiness out of a storefront on Rose Avenue. They called the project St. Joseph Center.
The original focus of St. Joseph Center was working with low-income families and individuals. But soon the Sisters recognized the growing number of homeless individuals who came into the area in the early 1980s.
The original focus of St. Joseph Center was working with low-income families and individuals. But soon the Sisters recognized the growing number of homeless individuals who came into the area in the early 1980s. The decision was made to expand their service, and they leased a nearby facility specifically to serve homeless men and women. In 1986, the Sisters stepped down from the leadership and St. Joseph Center became a separately incorporated non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
From the very beginning, SJC’s founders saw their task as one of renewing hope in people and enabling them to take steps to heal their lives.
From the very beginning, SJC’s founders saw their task as one of renewing hope in people and enabling them to take steps to heal their lives. In 1989, SJC purchased a building at 663 Rose Avenue and started the Bread and Roses Café, one of the first three programs in the nation to combine a sit-down, table-service food program for the homeless with a food service training program for the jobless. It remains the only non-shelter hot meal program on the Westside of Los Angeles and now provides up to 300 dine-in and to-go meals a day for those in need.
In 1990, St. Joseph Center launched its first housing program to support families and individuals in finding and maintaining affordable and permanent housing. One year later, SJC opened the Food Service Job Training Program (now the Bread and Roses Training Kitchen).
In 1990, St. Joseph Center launched its first housing program to support families and individuals in finding and maintaining affordable and permanent housing. One year later, SJC opened the Food Service Job Training Program (now the Bread and Roses Training Kitchen) to provide homeless, formerly homeless, and chronically unemployed adults with the skills needed to secure employment in the food service industry. By expanding job training and housing services, SJC was continuing to respond to the changing needs of the communities we serve—a pattern that continues to this day.
SJC has served as the Lead Agency for Coordinated Entry Services (CES) on the Westside (Service Planning Area 5) since 2014.
In 2017, the voters of Los Angeles County passed Measure H to provide a dedicated source of significant public funding (estimated at 355M per year) to address the humanitarian crisis of homelessness in our region. Building on our strong foundation of caring staff, innovative programs, and community presence, and supported by new public funding, SJC entered an exciting phase of strategic growth in services and organizational footprint. SJC has served as the Lead Agency for Coordinated Entry Services (CES) on the Westside (Service Planning Area 5) since 2014.
In April 2020, SJC opened the first Project Roomkey site in LA County, providing emergency shelter to people at significant risk of developing COVID-19.
At the start of the pandemic, St. Joseph Center staff found themselves in the unprecedented position of running toward a deadly virus to meet the dramatic surge in need for basic essentials of food and shelter. In April 2020, SJC opened the first Project Roomkey site in LA County, providing emergency shelter to people at significant risk of developing COVID-19. Across the agency, we quickly pivoted to adapt all our programs and services to operate at peak capacity while responding to shifting public health guidance and protocols. As we enter our third year of global pandemic, SJC is building resilience and improving our capacity to respond effectively in crisis situations.
From our humble beginnings 45 years ago, St. Joseph Center has grown into one of the largest providers of services for low-income and homeless individuals and families in Los Angeles County.
St. Joseph Center 45th Gala Highlights ft. The Temptations
Highlights from St. Joseph Center’s 45th Anniversary Gala, honoring The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and featuring the Temptations. Including, an electric pre-show performance by Agape International Choir. Because of all the generous support, we met our $1 million dollar goal!
Thanks to everyone who attended! Your dedication and kindness means the world to us and the community we serve.
If you want to make a difference and contribute, please donate here
For volunteer opportunities with St. Joseph Center, click here
#SJC45 Shoutouts
Send a Happy Birthday video greeting to St. Joseph Center and share why you love St. Joseph Center.
Email your video link to publicrelations@stjosephctr.org. We will notify you once it’s been received and reviewed.
>> See More Greetings Videos Here
Shop for fun gifts at our new online gift store. All proceeds directly support SJC programs – and you can choose where you want your donation to go.
CENTER
“Thanks to St. Joseph Center, the simple dream of a roof over our heads became a reality–it’s nothing short of a miracle.” – Rebecca and Paul
“Thanks to St. Joseph Center, the simple dream of a roof over our heads became a reality–it’s nothing short of a miracle.” – Rebecca and Paul
CENTER
“St. Joseph Center has been such a blessing. It saved our lives.” – Ashley, Animo
“St. Joseph Center has been such a blessing. It saved our lives.” – Ashley, Animo
CENTER
“I feel like I have been given new life. I have been working on the goals I have set for myself–I feel like the program has helped me build a lot of self-confidence, it has helped me build my self-esteem.” – Cecelia
“I feel like I have been given new life. I have been working on the goals I have set for myself–I feel like the program has helped me build a lot of self-confidence, it has helped me build my self-esteem.” – Cecelia
CENTER
“Everything is going good for me now, and I’m on the right track.” - David, Project Room Key
“Everything is going good for me now, and I’m on the right track.” - David, Project Room Key
CENTER
“St. Joseph Center let me be there for my daughter–I am so grateful a place like this exists.” – Norma, Food Pantry
“St. Joseph Center let me be there for my daughter–I am so grateful a place like this exists.” – Norma, Food Pantry
CENTER
“St. Joseph Center has been such a blessing. It saved our lives.” – Ashley, Animo
“St. Joseph Center has been such a blessing. It saved our lives.” – Ashley, Animo
CENTER
“I feel like I have been given new life. I have been working on the goals I have set for myself–I feel like the program has helped me build a lot of self-confidence, it has helped me build my self-esteem.” – Cecelia
“I feel like I have been given new life. I have been working on the goals I have set for myself–I feel like the program has helped me build a lot of self-confidence, it has helped me build my self-esteem.” – Cecelia
CENTER
“Everything is going good for me now, and I’m on the right track.” - David, Project Room Key
“Everything is going good for me now, and I’m on the right track.” - David, Project Room Key
CENTER
“St. Joseph Center let me be there for my daughter–I am so grateful a place like this exists.” – Norma, Food Pantry
“St. Joseph Center let me be there for my daughter–I am so grateful a place like this exists.” – Norma, Food Pantry
CENTER
“Thanks to St. Joseph Center, the simple dream of a roof over our heads became a reality–it’s nothing short of a miracle.” – Rebecca and Paul
“Thanks to St. Joseph Center, the simple dream of a roof over our heads became a reality–it’s nothing short of a miracle.” – Rebecca and Paul