I have been a client of St. Joseph and I have volunteered at St. Joseph. St. Joseph over the years has went through MANY changes. I don't believe the clients are the main focus anymore like it used to be say six years ago. I am not sure why there is such an incredibly high turn over rate of staff. There was a time when they had a few horrendous staff and now they've basically replaced the staff and they are friendlier and more helpful now. I don't know I think St. Joseph has some wonderful programs and has the potential to be such a great program but they are a business striving to stay afloat in this downgrading economy.
Review from CharityNavigator
When I first came into contact with St. Joseph Center I knew close to nothing about non-profit organizations. During the eight months that I have been a client of St. Joseph Center I have been unceasingly AMAZED at what this organization (vis-a-vis it's remarkable employees) is capable of doing! From referrals to every type of low-cost/no-cost medical/dental/optometric services I've ever known of (and some I didn't), to assistance with obtaining food from food banks in the area where I live (including theirs, which based upon my own personal experience, is the most well organized and efficient of all the other pantries). Having said all that, the most remarkable event for me was being assisted with housing issues. A little background: I moved to Santa Monica from Los Angeles in 1969-70 and I have lived at the same address since. That's approximately 42 years! In June of 2011 I was threatened with eviction from my apartment for non-payment of rent. St. Joseph (as I mentioned before about their diligent employees) promptly (and professionally) enrolled me in their Eviction Prevention and Re-Housing Assistance Program or EPRA. As a result of this, not only were they successful in stopping the eviction proceedings against me, but they also helped me with unpaid back rent. I was also advised about the different organizations which could help with utility bill assistance. St. Joseph Center also connected me to the Veterans Administration where I received comprehensive medical attention and overall stellar support. St. Joseph Center can help YOU get connected to all of the organizations and helpful programs that you qualify for. If it was not for St. Joseph Center (and their wonderful staff) I would probably be living in my car provided that the DMV hadn't impounded it because I couldn't afford to pay the annual registration fee. If you are having ANY sort of legal/financial/health issues call St. Joseph's they can really help! In perpetual gratitude, AJ
I have worked with many different case workers here and they have all done very well. Of course, I had to have patience. They provide very good meals and have excellent work ethics. I am aware that they can only do so much in a day. They provided me with clothing and food while I was on the streets for over 10 years and helped me in the past year to become housed and stable again. They still assist me and give me confidence and treat me with loving and accepting humor.
St. Joseph's has been very kind and very curtious since I became a client. They helped me with laundry and showers while I was homeless. They helped me get a voucher and find an apartment, that I still live in. If I ever have any questions, they have helped me find the answers. All in all St. Joseph Center has been a blessing for me!
I come from a backround of severe mental illness, and mental breakdown, since the age of 19. Now being in my mid thirties, I have been recieving Monetary Advisory Support from St. Joseph's Center for almost 6 to 7 years. With their help, uncoditional support and percise attention, I have been able to save, obtain a grasp of how to deal and think towards my monetary affairs. I believe St. Joseph's Center is a very unique and special, well needed program, not only for people who struggle with a disability, but also for anyone who may be able to benefit from their services and monetary support programs. I always look forward to my meetings, coming to St. Joseph's, because I know I am meeting with a group of commited, well caring, and supportive professionals, who enjoy what they do, out of wanting to, not because of the purpose of performing a duty or task. I am greatly appreciative of what they have done and continue to do for me and those benefiting from their services. Thanks, as I have been happy to share about my experience at St. Joseph's Center.
Without the wonderful staff at St. Joseph Center, many people including myself would still be homeless, hungry, and destitute-with no hope. It's not a hand-out, it's a hand-up.
I have been in St Joseph Center's Affordable Housing department going on 16 years. St Joseph Center has been a Godsend! They have made sure that I have food, clothing and shelter/housing and a place to come whenever you need someone to talk to. The staff at St Joseph Center is great! I have taken computer classes, cooking and nutrition classes and have learned a lot. I also got jobs with the experience I got from the classes. I have never seen a place that could match it!
St josephs has been very helpful, courteous and i appreciate what they do for me. I would recommended thesSt Joseph center is very helpful, the staff is coe money management and case management through veteran payee represntative program located here at th e VA to every veteran. Thank you St. Joseph.
If I were a philanthropist or donor I wouldn't dare donate money to this
organization. St. Joseph likes to pretend they are helping people
behind a facade of merely a greedy business. When they moved to the new location they changed management and fired staff that had worked for them for 30 years or longer in favor of a new image; they spent a ton of money opening up the new thrift store and raised the prices. The staff are mainly the biggest problem. They belittle the clients and treat them as a number. It's no longer about compassion or realistic goals rather just giving handouts to keep the homeless somewhat comfortable and not really giving the families tools to go anywhere in life. I knew a girl who had been displaced and was homeless with two young boys and she tried to get housing and get her boys into the daycare for 2 years and they refused to help her. No amount of crying would help. St. Joseph has an extremely high turn over of employees and it's no wonder. I was a client in the Family Self Sufficiency program for several years and each year I had a different caseworker. They wouldn't stay long with the organization. I had my final straw this year when they were dispersing the gifts and I was devastated to find that my kids did not receive anything I requested and in fact the clothes they gave my girls looked used and they gave us a pair of skates that would fit a 6 year old and I have pre-teens and one pair of shoes. I couldn't believe an organization could be that cruel two days before Christmas. I have no budget to be able to give my kids a real Christmas and my nephew died and I had to fly out to the funeral and any money that was saved was gone. Every year that I've been a client with this organization I have felt like they could care less but I stayed because of the programs for my children. Every year that they would request gifts from donors for the families I felt they always shortchanged us because something was always missing and they didn't seem to care but this year was the absolute worst. It couldn't have been worse timing. When I found out St. Joseph has a $7 million dollar operating expense I just couldn't believe it. With that much of a budget you would think they would make sure the families would have a great Christmas and in reality they don't care because they cater to the immigrants and make sure they get everything they want first. I felt as though they just threw us scraps for Christmas and expected us to be grateful and when I demanded an explanation they just said cook a "happy" meal wow really? You have no idea how sad I am and alone on Christmas and with nothing to give my girls and it's a terrible situation.