Mission: To improve the quality of life through comprehensive services that help establish food security, shelter, gainful employment and other opportunities toward achieving self-sufficiency
Geographic areas served: South Santa Clara County
Programs: Emergency services---served 48,000 individuals through the food pantry program; served 94,000 individuals with weekly produce mobile; the lord's table served 12,800 hot meals to homeless, un-housed individuals and low-income families; provided support services and housed 14 clients in our "gilroy place" program for chronically homeless individuals with disabling conditions; provided support services and housed 11 chronically homeless families coming from domestic violence shelters in a permanent housing program called "our new place"; implemented new gilroy sobrato apartments program serving 25 chronically homeless individuals; served 27,000 lunches to the homeless and unhoused; developed a transit assistance program with santa clara county to serve up to 75 individuals monthly; provided emergency utility assistance to 31 households; helped 100 families avoid homelessness by providing rental assistance to acquire permanent housing or avoid eviction; provided nutritious, traditional food baskets to 675 families for both the thanksgiving and christmas holidays; distributed 200 clothing vouchers and baby layettes to very low-income and homeless/un-housed individuals; distributed gas vouchers and bus transit tokens to more than 300 individuals.
other services---ancillary services provided to individuals and families not included as part of either emergency services or employment services. Includes services provided in conjunction with the gilroy street team.
employment services---the mission of our employment services program is to provide intensive case management to unemployed and underemployed low-income individuals to enhance their demand and value in the workforce. In this fiscal year, 41 new case managed clients have been enrolled into the program. Of the 41 new enrollees:1. 22 secured some type of employment, with over 50% retaining the employment for more than six months. Follow-up case management services remain in effect for all participants who actively stay in touch with our staff2. 109 additional individuals, though not taken on as fully case-managed participants, received some level of servicing or benefit from the program. Services to these individuals included, resume development and critique, on-line job search access, email account setup, resume faxing and emailing, transportation assistance (bus tokens, gas cards), job leads and referrals to other community resources. An uncounted number of individuals benefited from st. Joseph's employment services job board, which lists current employment opportunities in the greater south county area3. Served 54 individuals with the uplift transit pass program, allowing homeless individuals free transit passes in addition to case management. Gilroy street team: homeless and/or formerly homeless individuals were put to work part-time, assisting with beautification projects throughout the city of gilroy. The gst has adopted the downtown areas of gilroy, leavesley and first street. A total of nine individuals participated throughout the year, with three of those individuals retaining an active participation of six months or longer. A total of 3,557 hours of community service were performed, making our city cleaner and safer.
I donate through a payroll deduction to St. Joseph's Family Center via United Way. I chose St. Joseph's because they provide food, employment services, homeless outreach, and emergency rental assitance to the neediest people in the Gilroy community. I trust that the leadership of this organization will use funds wisely. We are all potential beneficiaries of the services provided at St. Joseph's since most of us are a couple of paychecks away from needing the services they provide.
In my interaction with St. Joseph’s Family Center, I have observed a keen sense of concern by their administrator for the well being of the staff members. Responsiveness and respectfulness haven been practiced in each endeavor relating to employee benefit issues. I mention this because this type of awareness resonates through the culture of an organization and carries outward, into their community. Heidi C. Jensen, Account Manager CAN Insurance Services
This is an outstanding organization that does so much for so many with so little. As a donor, volunteer and board member, I witness often the efforts of a small staff of 7 serve more than 8% of Gilroy's population with grace, integrity, compassion and respect.
Outstanding center that serves all South County
residents. Provider of food, shelter, employment training, low-income housing, linkage, hot meals with the best soup kitchen in the entire Bay Area! The Director of this center is lightning speed efficient and gracious; by far one of the best and brightest contributions to the fabric of our society. God bless St Joseph's Family Center!
St. Joseph's Family Center is a true asset to the South Valley community. They reach out to the homeless, the hungry, the unemployed, senior citizens, etc. I have attended fundraisers, donated and volunteered. It is refreshing to see people in the community who take time from their day to volunteer and help just because they want to. People support the organization because of their generosity, but also because of the leadership of St. Joseph's. When I donate I am confident the money will be well spent.
Lisa DeSilva
Professional with expertise in this field
10/15/2008
Rating: 5
10/15/2008
St. Joseph’s Family Center is a jewel in our community. Not only does the agency provide the most basic and critical services that people need for day-to-day survival, they promote the future self-sufficiency of those who are most in need of stability and security. Their services are punctuated by a deep respect and caring for the individuals and families they serve. St. Joseph’s Family Center willingly and openly responds to request for assistance that our agency, and many others, makes on behalf of our clients.
St. Joseph's serves our community by meeting the needs as they come up...whether it is feeding the hungry, finding shelter for the homeless, or assisting in legal matters, SJFC never ceases to fill the gap. The agency is ready to partner with other organizations to come up with a solution, as well as develope their own programs to assist our residents.
sherristuart
Professional with expertise in this field
10/09/2008
Rating: 5
10/09/2008
St. Joseph's has been part of the community of Gilroy CA for almost 30 years. It is the sole provider of comprehensive services for the homeless and those in urgent need in Gilroy and San Martin. What sets St. Joseph's apart is its compassionate and far-reaching services - providing basics such as food and hot meals, but also finding ways for people to reach self-sufficiency with employment assistance. It is well-run by a diverse, energetic staff, and actively collaborates with other nonprofit organizations, businesses and churches to meet the needs of individuals and families with few financial resources and multiple challenges.
