Planting Hope, Growing Lives: St. Joseph’s Breaks Ground on New Center for the Poor, Homeless


By Suzanne Thompson

St. Joseph Center’s mission is to provide working poor families, as well as homeless men, women and children of all ages, with the inner resources and tools to become productive, stable and self-supporting members of the community.


On the eve of its 30th anniversary, St. Joseph Center is getting ready to build a new main service center at its 204 Hampton Drive site. Scheduled for completion towards the latter half of 2007, it will meet the needs of 3000 working poor individuals and offer such services as affordable childcare, job training and free groceries.

The founders, Sister Marilyn Therese Rudy and Sister Louise Bernstein, were joined by Executive Director Rhonda Meister, Capital Campaign Committee Co-Chairs Steven Hilton and Joan Payden, board members, elected officials and members of the community on Wednesday, March 22nd for the Center’s ground breaking ceremony.

Congratulatory remarks were made before a crowd of over 100 people by Robert Holbrook Mayor of Santa Monica, Vincent Jones from Senator Barbara Boxer’s office, Flora Gil Krisiloff from the office of Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Torie Osborn Special Advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Mark-Antonio Grant Venice Deputy to Councilman Bill Rosendahl.

Ms. Osborn’s remarked:

“The Mayor is on a plane back from New York, but his message I pass on to you today is one of great gratitude. Gratitude for your vision of service that shines in a dark time. We live in the richest country in the history of the world but we have lost our heart. We have the greatest economic disparity in American history. Today it is welfare for the rich and free enterprise for the poor. And the middle class is evaporating. And, there’s lots of pious talk about God in the corridors of national power these days. But there is no finer example in this country of TRUE ANGELS AT WORK than right here at the St Joseph Center. Thank you for 30 years of service to children, families and seniors. Thank you, Rhonda Meister, for your leadership that empowers others and sets a gold standard in the non-profit community, for your humble and true leadership on poverty and homelessness. Thank you, St. Joseph Center, for embodying an ethic of love that lights the way for all of us. On behalf of Mayor Villaraigosa, it is a privilege to support your work.”

Founded in 1976 by two Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, in a small storefront on Rose Avenue in Venice, St. Joseph Center, through its three decades of service to the community, has evolved into a multi-faceted social service agency that serves very poor, as well as homeless, families and individuals, employing close to 100 paid staff and benefiting from the dedication of more than 400 volunteers annually. It is a significant presence on Los Angeles’ Westside through its 10 programs at seven different locations, all of which continue to respond to the wide-ranging needs of homeless and low-income families and individuals in the community.

The campaign’s fundraising goal is $10,225,000. In addition to providing funds to build the new family service and administration building on Hampton Drive, the campaign will cover the costs of temporary relocation during construction as well as establishment of an operating reserve fund to help assure the Center’s long-term financial stability, especially during periods of economic downturn.

With the help of hundreds of committed institutional donors and individual contributors. Planting Hope, Growing Lives has passed $9 million and is still climbing. For information on making a gift to the campaign of cash or appreciated securities, or if you would like to arrange a planned gift or bequest, please contact the Director of Community and Donor Relations at 396-6468 ext. 324 or visit their website at <www.stjosephctr.org>.

Posted: Sat - April 1, 2006 at 01:21 PM          


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