Dear friends of the St. Francis Center,
As members of the Board, we welcome you to the St. Francis Center website where you will learn about the wide range of services and events that bring to life our mission of service through compassion, not judgment. The Saint Francis Center is a vibrant community hub in the heart of North Fair Oaks in Redwood City, California. Over the past three decades a dedicated group of staff and volunteers have worked with community members to make sure that our neighborhood is a safe place where families can access the necessary resources to live with dignity. Whether a community member needs a hand with groceries and affordable housing or access to educational programs like GED and ESL classes, our goal is to make sure that the Center is a comfortable place where compassion speaks loudly.
You will notice that our site highlights our affordable housing programs. The cost of living on the San Francisco Peninsula has created a desperate situation for many who have called this area home for generations. As the housing crisis continues to displace middle income families (approx.. 118K for family of four is considered poverty level), families who live under even more difficult financial circumstances have nowhere to turn. The St. Francis Center has gently shifted our primary focus from direct services to acquiring housing that can be turned into homes for low and extremely low income families. Currently, we operate 135 units in the North Fair Oaks Neighborhood and Downtown Redwood City and it is our hope to keep growing the number of homes so that we can continue to walk with this special community.
Finally, and most importantly, you will notice that our programs create opportunities for members of the neighborhood and volunteers to work side by side, creating the conditions in which miracles happen. At the St. Francis Center you get a glimpse of Jesus’ vision for a world in which all people live life abundantly.
We hope that you enjoy our site and that you consider becoming a participant in the great miracle that is the St. Francis Center of Redwood City.
With love,
St. Francis Center Board
