St. Joseph's Family Center

Food Assistance Pantry

This is the oldest and largest program that St. Joseph’s operates. Families and individuals receive nutritious, balanced food baskets that help them maintain a proper diet and physical well-being. Some of the food that is distributed by St. Joseph’s is donated by Second Harvest Food Bank and local grocers. Essential items that are not regularly donated by these sources are purchased by St. Joseph’s. These items include such things as milk, formula, baby food, diapers, meat, eggs and fresh produce.

Key Accomplishment Fiscal Year 2006-2007

Distributed nutritional food supplements to over 1,800 children and adults each month through our food pantry

Brown Bag Lunch Program

Each day, many unhoused individuals in our community come to St. Joseph’s to receive a bag lunch. The lunch provides hydration during the hot summer months and a nutritious option for those living on the street.

Key Accomplishment Fiscal Year 2006-2007

Distributed nearly 10,000 bagged lunches over the course of the service year

Lord’s Table-Hot Meals Program for the Homeless

The Lord’s Table serves hot meals to mostly homeless individuals and extremely low-income families. The nutritionally balanced meals are prepared on site and are served on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 5:30 pm in the St. Mary School gymnasium. Traditional holiday meals (Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas) are also offered to those that are living in the street and do not have anywhere to go on these special days.

Key Accomplishment Fiscal Year 2006-2007

Served close to 10,000 hot meals to homeless, unhoused individuals and very low-income members of our community

Employment Services Program

This service helps the hardest to serve in our community to overcome the significant employment barriers they face (language, education, etc.). Pairing a “wrap around” approach to support services with intensive case management, St. Joseph‘s provides unemployed and underemployed, low-income individuals with the support structure necessary to enhance their demand and value in the workforce. The program leverages these services in a way that helps participants secure and retain permanent, full-time employment that pays family-sustaining wages.

The following are a sampling of the free services offered to program participants:

• Job coaching and counseling

• Resume development

• A jobs board that lists local employment opportunities and openings in the greater Gilroy area

• Interviewing techniques and simulations

• Information about free career development trainings available in English and Spanish

• Assistance applying and registering for free or affordable trade and vocational training certification programs

• Job retention incentives

• Referrals to other community resources

• Personalized career development and job search action plans

• Family budget counseling

• Discretionary financial assistance to help overcome employment barriers

• Internet job search and on-line application assistance

• Assistance setting up email accounts

• Internet access and individualized computer instruction

Key Accomplishment Fiscal Year 2006-2007

Enrolled 58 participants into the program. Through individualized, full-service case management, 42 were able to find new, permanent employment – a 72% success rate!

FIRST 5 - Full Potential Family Partner Initiative

In July of 2006, St. Joseph's Family Center entered into another phase of community collaboration with FIRST 5 - Santa Clara County. FIRST 5 is dedicated to enhancing the lives of families with children between the ages of 0 through 5, including research and advocacy to implement a state-wide "Preschool for All " opportunity. The Full Potential Family Partner Initiative is the gateway for these families to access a variety of services. St. Joseph's, along with Community Solutions, MACSA and the Gilroy Unified School District, will provide qualified and trained staff to work with these families to develop a family success plan that allows them to be more stable and successful in their everyday lives. This is complemented by other services including home visitation, dental care, parent workshops and therapeutic services.

Emergency Rental, Utility and Transportation Assistance

These programs are geared toward helping families/individuals in dire financial need, brought on by circumstances beyond their control. The goal is to assist the family through the financial crisis by enabling them to secure new housing, maintain their current housing and/or utility service. Though applicants must provide substantiating documentation to validate their need, we try hard to minimize the bureaucracy they otherwise face with other mainstream services. Transportation supports are also available in the form of gas vouchers and VTA day passes.

Key Accomplishment Fiscal Year 2006-2007

Helped 144 families end or avoid homelessness by providing timely rental assistance to acquire permanent housing or avoid eviction

Wheeler Manor-Senior Hot Meals Program

St. Joseph’s offers a twice-weekly hot meals program at Wheeler Manor, an adult retirement development operated by South County Housing. The meals are prepared on-site and are coordinated by our staff. We ensure variety and quality while taking into account the special dietary and nutritional needs of the residents.

Key Accomplishment Fiscal Year 2006-2007

Served over 2,700 hot meals to seniors with very limited incomes

Wheeler Manor residents await a hot meal.

Senior Shuttle

This service provides local transportation to low-income seniors living in our community. The shuttle provides free transportation to older adults living in six different housing communities in our area. Each month this service provides dozens of seniors access to a variety of grocery, retail, and specialty stores.

Key Accomplishment Fiscal Year 2006-2007

Approximately 50 seniors each week have access to local pharmacies, grocery and retail stores