History
A HISTORY BUILT ON OPENING DOORS
OVERVIEW
An Ongoing Story
For 50 years, St. Joseph Center has been opening doors across Los Angeles with one mission in mind: to help unhoused and vulnerable neighbors find stability by filling the gaps in the system with formal assistance, functional resources, human kindness, and Beloved Community.
We believe that housing instability is not a reflection of character but often the result of larger circumstances, systems, and institutions. That’s why we focus on who people are—their strengths, stories, and potential—not just where they’ve ended up.
OUR TIMELINE
Milestones that Shaped
St. Joseph Center
It began in 1976 when Sister Marilyn Therese Rudy of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet encountered neighbors in Venice struggling to stay fed, clothed, and housed. Moved to act, she and Sister Louise Bernstein opened a small storefront, offering food, clothing, and advocacy while planting seeds of hope and healing.
They named it St. Joseph Center, grounded in the belief that we belong to one another and must uplift our dear neighbors.
1976
A Storefront of Hope
Sisters Marilyn Therese Rudy and Louise Bernstein of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet open a small storefront on Rose Avenue in Venice, offering food, clothing, advocacy, and referrals to families in need.
1980s
Expanding Beyond Basics
Job readiness and family support programs launch, reflecting a commitment to long-term solutions.
1988
Planting Seeds of Dignity
Sister Rose Cecilia Harrington and the SJC Board of Directors purchase an old bar, Thad’s Peruvian Rose, and renovate it into a café with support from the LA Community Development program.
August 15, 1989
Bread & Roses Café Opens
Bread & Roses Café serves its first meals, with Sister Rose Cecilia Harrington as its first chef. The café becomes a cornerstone of SJC’s mission: a restaurant-style dining experience where neighbors are served with dignity.
The name reflects its purpose: bread for nourishment of the body, roses for the beauty and love that nourish the spirit.
Fall 1991
Training Kitchen Launches
Bread & Roses Training Kitchen begins, giving clients culinary and job skills. Its first class graduates in December 1991.
2000s
Scaling Services
St. Joseph Center adds housing, outreach, and mental health services while continuing to scale programs for families, youth, and individuals.
2010s
A Citywide Presence
With new partnerships, programs reach tens of thousands of individuals and families annually.
March 20, 2017
A New Culinary Chapter
Professional chef James Cunningham joins Bread & Roses Café, reinforcing the belief that “There is no them, just us” and fostering community through food.
2020
Meeting Crisis with Care
During the COVID-19 pandemic, SJC plays a critical role in Project Roomkey, helping secure emergency housing and wraparound services for thousands of Angelenos.
August 15, 2024
35 Years of Bread & Roses Café
Bread & Roses Café celebrates its 35th anniversary, continuing to nourish bodies, minds, and spirits in the heart of Venice.
Today
A Countywide Presence
From its Venice roots, SJC has grown to serve more than 15,000 people annually through major service centers in Venice, South LA, and Downtown Los Angeles, along with program offices in Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Palms, and Whittier.
IN THEIR WORDS
Hear Our Story
from the Beginning
Want to know how it all started? Meet the women whose courage and compassion launched St. Joseph Center, sparking a movement nearly 50 years ago that continues to transform lives today.
50 Years of Service
Celebrating a half century of opening doors for Angelenos.
People First
Focusing on the dignity and potential of each person.
Beloved Community
A tradition rooted in compassion, belonging, and mutual uplift.
Future Forward
Honoring the past while advancing lasting solutions to housing instability and poverty in L.A.
