History

Mid-1960s

In the mid-1960s, a group of women from St. Mary Parish, led by Marge Albaugh, recognized a growing need to support the poor in the community. They began collecting donations of food and clothing to help those within the parish.

1981

Over time, it became clear that the need extended beyond the parish to the entire Gilroy community. In 1981, St. Joseph’s Family Center (SJFC) was formally established. The organization quickly became the giving arm of a consortium of local churches, businesses, and individuals. While the name reflected the Center’s close ties to the Catholic community, SJFC’s services were open to all in South County.

1994

Until 1994, SJFC operated entirely through volunteers. To secure grant funding and expand services, the Board of Directors hired Marge Albaugh as the organization’s first Executive Director and added support staff. This pivotal step increased the Center’s capacity, accountability, and consistency in delivering programs.

2001

Marge Albaugh retired in 2001 after decades of dedicated service.

2002

In 2002, SJFC transitioned from operating under the Diocese of San Jose to becoming an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This change gave the Center greater flexibility in developing programs, fundraising, and building recognition throughout Santa Clara County.

2003–2006

Following her retirement, Marge Albaugh continued to serve the organization as a member of the Board of Directors.

2000–2017

SJFC’s budget grew from just over $1 million in 2000 to an all-time high of $8 million in the 2016–2017 fiscal year, reflecting its expanding programs and impact.

2011

In 2011, a group of concerned citizens in South County came together to address the absence of critical services for the homeless in Gilroy. Collectively, they formed The Gilroy Compassion Center to take the lead in addressing the problem of homelessness in South County. Since 2011, the Compassion Center has opened South County’s only Drop-in Day Center for the homeless, where we provide basic needs services, individualized case management assessment, wrap-around support, and referral services.

We have hosted numerous Homeless Connect events where other agency service providers are on-site for unhoused Day Center clients to inquire directly for the services they need. We developed and piloted the Almost Home Camping Program that provides a safe haven for the unsheltered to camp and get access to important resources. A few years ago, the Compassion Center partnered with Santa Clara County, Home First and St. Joseph’s Family Center to provide a shelter for the unhoused during the winter at the Gilroy Armory.

2017

In 2017, the Compassion Center partnered with the City of Morgan Hill, Morgan Hill Police Department, County of Santa Clara, and the Morgan Hill Unified School District (MHUSD) to pilot the Safe Park Program, which is designed to provide respite and resources for local unsheltered families, and to facilitate family transition to more stable housing. To date, 58% of those who have entered the program have found sustainable permanent housing. We are presently searching for sites in Gilroy where we can replicate this program.

2020

In September 2020, we launched our Outreach component to reach more of our unhoused residents where they live by canvassing the streets to identify campers and directly deliver basic needs services, case management, and wrap-around services and agency referrals.

2021

In spring of 2021, we began our Emergency Rental Assistance Program in partnership with Destination: Home. It’s much harder to house someone than to keep them in their home. Our goal with this program is to prevent homelessness before it starts.

In the summer of 2021, we expanded efforts to provide the basics to encampment dwellers where they live through our Mobile Outreach. We also added weekly “Un-housed Popup Markets" at various locations throughout the South County, providing almost all of the services previously supplied to only the few who were able to visit our Day Center. These services include a medical van, weekly food boxes, personal portable toilets, and vouchers for laundry, and shower access, an on-site case manager, and much more.