When St. Joseph of Carondelet Sisters Louise Bernstein and Marilyn Rudy first opened St. Joseph Center in Venice nearly 30 years ago, they thought naively that "a couple years would do the trick" and St. Joseph Center wouldn't be needed anymore.

"That," smiles Sister Bernstein, "has not been the case."

Indeed, the work is more important than ever, and to accommodate those needs --- 11 programs spread out over eight sites in the area --- the outreach effort needs larger quarters. On March 22, about 200 people witnessed the groundbreaking for a new two-story building, an event that also celebrated the work of the founding sisters in "planting hope and growing lives."

The new central site will be constructed on the site of the former St. Clement Elementary School that closed in the 1970s. For about 20 years the center has utilized the old school building and shared it with the parish. On the present school grounds services have been cramped and inadequate. The new building will provide an expanded food pantry, a larger training kitchen for the Center's Culinary Training Program, enlarged infant and childcare classrooms, offices, meeting rooms and much needed space. At the same time, St. Clement will now be able to use the vacated space for its own needs.

When St. Joseph Center began, Sisters Louise and Marilyn had a small handful of volunteers and each other to do the work. Their services were housed at a small storefront property on Rose Avenue.

"Our initial ideas were to be simple, to be present, to listen to the people and to empower people --- and work for justice --- and I think they're continuing to do that," said Sister Rudy of the expanded center.

"It's become everything we wanted and dreamed about and more," added Sister Bernstein. "The services are still needed, and St. Joseph Center is still here. Poverty, hunger, the need for jobs still persist. And I've seen firsthand how the staff now is so respectful and have provided for the needs of the people here in Venice."

Although Sisters Bernstein and Rudy no longer work at the center as they did initially, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet have continued to sponsor St. Joseph Center. Three sisters serve on the Board of Directors, one is full-time on staff, and three (including Sister Bernstein) volunteer regularly. The Center's mission remains the same: to help homeless and working poor men, women and children to attain stability and self-sufficiency.

When Sisters Bernstein and Rudy first began the center, maybe seven to 10 families received bags of groceries daily, clothing was handed out to six to eight families, and informal counseling and advocacy would be provided. Today about 14,000 bags of groceries are distributed yearly, and 400 volunteers and 87 full or part-time employees work at the center.

Services are provided for job training, childcare and pre-school programs are supported, and referrals, case management and home visits are made to senior citizens. Financial literacy programs are taught to the mentally ill and dually diagnosed military veterans (those suffering from substance abuse and mental illness) and hot meals and assistance in finding low-cost or subsidized housing is provided. Last year the California Community Foundation's Donor Connect newsletter called St. Joseph Center "one of the preeminent social service organizations serving low-income members of the Westside community."

At the dedication, St. Joseph executive director Rhonda Meister thanked the two religious for their inspiration and years of hard work, and described the many ways that this new building will be able to serve the community. Now, with a new and expanded central site, the center will be able to meet the continuing needs of those it has not forgotten.