A ‘perfect storm’ has thrown one of Gilroy’s most reliable
charitable organizations for a loop
The news that a “perfect storm” has combined to wallop one of the most efficient, enduring and endearing charitable organizations in our community, St. Joseph’s Family Center, is sad indeed. But we’re confident that Gilroyans – given the long track record of St. Joseph’s good works – will respond appropriately.
The news that a “perfect storm” has combined to wallop one of the most efficient, enduring and endearing charitable organizations in our community, St. Joseph’s Family Center, is sad indeed. But we’re confident that Gilroyans – given the long track record of St. Joseph’s good works – will respond appropriately.
Vanishing grants, donor fatigue, tangled red tape and changes in funding rules have left St. Joseph’s $100,000 short, while requests for assistance from families needing help with rent, energy bills and food continue to rise.
The financial cupboard at St. Joseph’s is bare.
The details of the storm: County reserve funds for St. Joseph’s rental assistance program ran dry; federal red tape fouled up a grant transfer that would keep the Ochoa Migrant Camp open this winter as housing for homeless families with children; summer donations have lagged; and a shift in the United Way’s approach to doling out dollars left St. Joseph’s sadly short.
Executive Director David Cox points out that frugal and creative management have protected SJFC from the disasters that other non-profit organizations have suffered. “St. Joseph’s Family Center has worked hard for many years to keep our program development in line with the needs of the community. Our diverse funding and fiscal management have allowed us to avoid situations like these during some tough financial times in recent years,” wrote Cox in a letter to the editor.
To minimize the damage, SJFC has spread cuts evenly among its different programs. One staff member was laid off and the center’s county-funded emergency assistance program, which chips in for utility and rent bills, will give out half as much money this year. Pricey extras such as milk, meat, diapers and baby formula will likely be scaled back, he said.
Perhaps, our generous Gilroy community could consider coming through with a “Christmas in July” effort for St. Joseph’s by:
– Giving the items SJFC can’t provide: diapers and baby formula.
– Donating money so that SJFC can buy the specific items a family might need.
– Giving a few dollars more for a few months if you’re a regular donor (And if you’re not, consider becoming one.)
– Growing a Row for St. Joe: home gardeners can give the hungry their extra produce. Tomatoes, fruit, beans, whatever bumper crop you have in your garden is welcome.
Contact SJFC at 842-6662 to find out how you can help. The pantry receives non-perishable and produce donations from 9am to noon and 1 to 4pm, Monday through Friday, or by appointment.
Next week our whole town celebrates the Stinking Rose with our huge annual food fest. Let’s make sure no one goes hungry in our back yard. It’s the working poor – the folks who pick and pack the produce, wash the dishes and clean the hotel rooms – that St. Joseph’s routinely helps.
Please consider lending a hand. Of all the local charities, St. Joseph’s should not be forced to exist hand-to-mouth.
