FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Todd McCormack
June 22, 2015 415.972.1294 / 415.972.1294 -g
Catholic Charities Expands Services with Youth Club at St. Francis of Assisi in East Palo Alto
San Francisco, CA – Catholic Charities, a human services organization serving San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties, assumed operational responsibility on June 16, 2015 for a summer and after-school youth program located at the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in East Palo Alto.
Catholic Charities Youth Club at St. Francis of Assisi will continue to provide low-cost tutoring, physical fitness, and technology and environmental learning opportunities to more than 100 third- to twelfth-grade youth in East Palo Alto each year. Currently, three session options are available through the program: a five-day-a-week after-school program; a five-day-a-week, all-day summer program from June 29 to August 1; and a bi-weekly Saturday program from September to June.
“We are enthusiastic about a relationship with Catholic Charities after celebrating our 10th year anniversary,” said Les DeWitt, St. Francis of Assisi Youth Club Advisory Board Chair. “Father Goode's vision and our mission will continue to thrive and will be stronger with an experienced and capable partner.”
“Catholic Charities will provide even more resources and structure to our program,” said Program Director, Mar Y Sol Alvarado, who is continuing in this role with Catholic Charities. “This gives our youth even more opportunities to thrive.”
Courtney Johnson Clendinen, Division Director of Catholic Charities CYO Family Services said, “We see the value in the current activities at the Youth Club and we wanted to come alongside in order to enhance what exists. Given our success with similar Catholic Charities programs in San Francisco and Marin counties, we are excited to participate in impacting the lives of the youth in San Mateo County as well.”
“We are pleased and excited to add the Youth Club at St. Francis of Assisi to our existing programming in San Mateo County, which includes CYO Athletics, adult day services, refugee and immigrant services and behavioral health services,” said Jeff Bialik, Executive Director of Catholic Charities. “We are also pleased to be retaining the staff from the existing youth club, which will help a great deal in fostering a successful transition from the parish to Catholic Charities.”
For more information about Catholic Charities, visit www.CatholicCharitiesSF.org.
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Catholic Charities is the social services expression of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Founded in 1907 to care for the orphans of the San Francisco earthquake, Catholic Charities is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening families and reducing poverty in Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties. All financial contributions directly support client services.
Catholic Charities serves and advocates for the poor, the sick, the distressed, children, youth, families, immigrants and seniors, regardless of race, religion, color, sex, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, or any other basis covered by local law. To learn more about the work Catholic Charities does and how the people we serve are impacted, follow us on Twitter @CatholicCSF and Facebook at facebook.com/CatholicCharitiesSF.