St Francis Center of Redwood City

St. Francis Center is a nonprofit organization whose focus is on helping families in need in the Redwood City area and attempts to assist such families in whatever ways will allow them to live in dignity and become self-supporting members of the community.

Since 1986, the St. Francis Center of Redwood city has been a “place of miracles”; it was founded to provide food, clothing, and other essential services for “working poor” families who, though working at one and sometimes two low paying jobs, find it very difficult to pay both the exorbitant rental costs and provide basic necessities for their families.  Since our inception, we have expanded our basic services to include ones we hope will help our families to move from dependency to interdependency.  We strive to provide these services keeping forefront in our minds and actions our motto:  “compassion not judgment.”

We hope:

• To alleviate suffering by providing direct social services to the economically disadvantaged and disenfranchised.
• To increase the marketability of our clients by periodically providing skill-building courses.
• To reduce and help break the cycle of poverty by providing a solid value-based education to selected client family cohorts.
• To address the desperate need for affordable housing by owning and operating an apartment complex specifically designated to serve families with very low incomes.
• To beautify the neighborhood and give client families the numerous therapeutic and practical benefits afforded by a community garden.
• To offer our neighborhood youth an alternative to gang membership and encourage healthy physical engagement
• To foster nurturing relationships, encourage self-determination, and advocate for change in systems that oppress.
• To address areas of concern not directly addressed at our center by referring clients to agencies with whom we network.

Major Services (All Of Our Social Services Are Offered Free Of Charge)

• Take Home Food Box Program
• Clothing
• Shower and Laundry Facility
• Rental Assistance (When Funds are Available)
• Holiday Toy Give-Away Program
• 41-Apartment Units for Low/Very Low Income Residents
• Re-Home Children’s Book and Toy Program
• Siena Community Youth Center
• Computer Classes for Adult Women
• Mother and Child Literacy Program (Holy Family School)
• ESL. GED for men and women
• Classes to establish a business plan and budget for people interested in starting their own businesses
• Community Garden Family Plots (10,000 square feet)