St. Joseph Center

St. Joseph Center empowers working poor and homeless adults, children, veterans and seniors to achieve self-sufficiency by providing food, childcare, mentoring, housing assistance, job training, essential services and case management.

How do you help people in my community?

St. Joseph Center opens its doors to those who are often forgotten: from the person standing on the street corner to any low-wage worker trying to make ends meet, from the homeless veteran to those with severe mental illness. Have you ever seen these individuals in your community or on television and have wanted to help but did not know how?  St. Joseph Center is a place where you can refer neighbors in need, or where you can lend a hand through a donation or an hour of your time. Even though West Los Angeles has a reputation for affluence, there are pockets of severe poverty that are easily overlooked among the high rises and sandy beaches. St. Joseph Center helps clients to identify obstacles to self-sufficiency and to find long-term solutions.

Why do you need my support?

Last year, over $700,000 was raised through individual donations. These funds pay for a number of essential items including diapers for the infants in child care, educational materials for the pre-school students, food and showers for homeless clients, equipment for the Culinary Training Program, computer classes for adults and youth, exercise classes for seniors, and staff salaries. Your support is especially crucial at this time as we are in the midst of a capital campaign which will replace our old building with a new facility. In a recent newsletter, the California Community Foundation called the Center, “one of the preeminent social service organizations serving low-income members of the Westside community.” Indeed, St. Joseph Center could not have come this far without the generosity and support of our community.

How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely and won't waste it?

Eighty-two percent of funds raised last year were used for program services. St. Joseph Center works hard to stretch each dollar. Obtaining in-kind donations, working with volunteers, and negotiating with vendors to obtain discounts helps to reduce the cost of providing services to an increasing number of clients. In addition, financial statements are produced annually, are reviewed by St. Joseph Center’s Board of Directors, and are audited by a reputable accounting firm. Our annual reports, which contain our financial highlights, are available to the public.

Can I Volunteer? How?

St. Joseph Center welcomes new volunteers. The first step is to contact Maria Alderete, Director of Mission and Volunteers at 310-396-6468 ext. 325 to set up an appointment for an orientation. Volunteers can choose from a number of projects including: serving hot meals to homeless clients; assisting teachers in the child care programs; mentoring a teenager; preparing supplemental grocery bags for families; tutoring an elementary school student; delivering grocery bags and visiting seniors in their homes; sorting donated items at the Thrift Store; working at the Homeless Service Center; or filing records for the Monetary Advisory Program or Veterans’ Representative Payee Program. Volunteers can also assist with special events such as our annual dinner dance; client summer picnic; holiday parties, and Adopt-A-Family holiday project.