St. Joseph Center created a Mother’s Day Café at our South LA interim housing site, welcoming over 200 mothers and families for a day centered on dignity, joy, and connection.

Originally published by Zócalo Public Square, this essay explores how faith communities help address food insecurity through compassion and community support.

St. Joseph Center celebrated the opening of Berkeley Station, marking a major milestone in expanding affordable housing and creating new pathways home in Santa Monica.

St. Joseph Center President and CEO Dr. Ryan J. Smith recently joined the prestigious Frederick Douglass Human Rights Lecture series at the University of La Verne to discuss a roadmap for housing justice.

During the keynote, Dr. Smith explored the harsh realities of homelessness and shared his own personal journey. He reminded the audience that meeting this crisis head-on is not just about policy, but also about approach: “It’s not just what you do, but it’s how you do it. We believe in the power of radical care.”

Read More:
https://laverne.edu/news/2026/02/20/human-rights-lecture-explores-harsh-realities-of-homelessness/

Watch Full Presentation:
https://youtu.be/K7Qm8_dkQxU?si=vgfYvosLfxaiiwOZ

St. Joseph Center hosted a holiday celebration for clients and families at their South L.A. (SOLA) headquarters on Dec. 15 as part of Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week and ahead of Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on December 21.

Source:
LA Sentinel

St. Joseph Center’s annual ChefsGiving in Venice was a huge success. Top local chefs, including celebrity Chef Bradley Miller, Emporium Thai, and Levain Bakery, served 150 guests to celebrate our 50th year of supporting the community.

“Chefsgiving is about more than food,” said Dr. Ryan J. Smith, St. Joseph Center’s President and CEO. “It’s about breaking bread together, honoring community, and uplifting the next generation.”