St. Francis of Assisi Church

Recent research reveals that students who cannot read by the end of the third grade are more likely to drop out of high school and experience higher levels of poverty, crime and an overall lack of success in their adult lives. East Palo Alto has high rates of drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and gang violence. East Palo Alto children have a higher chance of becoming incarcerated than attending, least of all graduating from, college. Over 70% of East Palo Alto children drop out of high school. Of the few who do graduate, barely 10% enroll in a four-year institution. 

 

About Us:
Commencing in 2004 and joining the Catholic Charities family in July 2015, Catholic Charities Youth Club at St. Francis has been providing a safe haven for youth to escape a stressful home and the rough East Palo Alto neighborhood environment, which includes but is not limited to: domestic violence, gang involvement, substance abuse, drug addiction, high crime, racial divide, learning disabilities, unemployment, high drop-out rates, and low-income poverty level. Through the years, the Youth Club transformed from a neighborhood sanctuary into an academic enrichment program to combat the known achievement gap of EPA neighborhood schools. In collaborative partnership with local elementary schools, the Youth Club implements a high-quality, comprehensive, structured, supervised and enriching year-round after-school and summer academic program, targeted at increasing reading, writing and arithmetic performance levels.

 

Mission Statement:
Helping youth grow into responsible adults by providing activities that foster character development, academic achievement, physical fitness, and environmental stewardship.

 

Programs & Services:
Each year, Youth Club serves more than 180 third through twelfth graders in East Palo Alto. Even though we serve some of the hardest working families, the majority of our students have endured repeated periods of homelessness and currently live in extreme poverty with annual household income of between $12,000 and $24,000. Over 97 percent of our students receive free or reduced school lunch.

 

Catholic Charities Youth Club at St. Francis of Assisi not only empowers local youth to grow into healthy, productive adults but also creates a stronger and more prosperous community with reduced gang activity, drug use, teen pregnancy and crime. 

By making a tax-deductible gift, you can help us deliver our vital literacy program, empowering at-risk youth to achieve their full potential. Every dollar makes a difference!