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 “compassion not judgment” mission of service. In what was once a crime-ridden area, the Saint Francis Center has transformed the North Fair Oaks neighborhood into a vibrant community in Redwood City, California. Over the past three decades, a dedicated group of staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to insure that our neighborhood is a safe place where families can access basic, 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, ESL, and immigration services, our goal is to make sure that the Center is a comfortable place where compassion speaks loudly.

As the cost of living crisis continues to create a desperate situation for many who have called the Peninsula home for generations, the St. Francis Center has gently shifted our primary focus from direct services to acquiring properties that can be turned into homes for low and extremely low-income families who have nowhere to turn. We now operate 17 newly built or refurbished apartment properties that house nearly 1,300 residents, and it is our hope to keep growing and providing more low-income housing opportunities for 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 a rich environment in which miracles happen. At the St. Francis Center, you will get a glimpse of the Lord’s vision for a world in which all people gather as one and live life abundantly.

We hope that you enjoy our site and that you consider becoming a participant on this truly inspirational journey with the St. Francis Center of Redwood City.