• What is Father Joe's Villages?
• Where are your programs offered?
• So how does Father Joe’s Villages address the problem of homelessness?
• Who are your clients?
• Homeless people are living on the street because they’re lazy drunks or have drug problems. Why do you bother helping them?
• How does rehabilitation begin?
• Do clients "graduate" from your program?
• What makes the Father Joe's Villages program successful?
• If I donate, where will my gift be used?
• Do you only help the homeless?
• How can I help Father Joe's Villages?

What is Father Joe’s Villages?

Father Joe’s Villages is a multi-city homeless rehabilitation organization dedicated to addressing the immediate and ongoing needs of underprivileged children, families and individuals who, for various reasons, have found themselves without basic life necessities.

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Where are your programs offered?

The organization’s flagship operation, St. Vincent de Paul Village (est. 1987), is located in San Diego. The agency also operates Martha’s Village & Kitchen (est. 1998) in Indio, Calif.

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So how does Father Joe’s Villages address the problem of homelessness?

Father Joe’s Villages understands homelessness itself is not the problem, but the result of other issues a client may be battling, such as domestic or child abuse, the inability to earn a livable wage, mental illness, drug addiction or a combination of any of these and many other obstacles. By understanding the root cause of homelessness, the Villages has developed a comprehensive array of programs clients can access to regain their self-sufficiency, including short- and long-term residential accommodations, job-training classes, counseling and chemical-dependency services as well as a full-service medical and dental clinic.

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Who are your clients?

The Villages’ client-base is diverse and representative of neighborhoods across America. Children, families and individuals of all races, religious backgrounds and socio-economic status have sought help at the Villages. Doctors, teachers, attorneys, abused women and families and single adults who have been devastated by personal or financial loss all have entered the Villages in their time of need. As homelessness and the complex problems which cause it do not discriminate between downtown and uptown, neither does Father Joe’s Villages.

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Homeless people are living on the street because they’re lazy drunks or have drug problems. Why do you bother helping them?

It’s true many homeless people have been touched by drug or alcohol addiction, which often contributes to their current state of homelessness. It’s also true that a small portion of the homeless population makes a conscious choice to live on the streets and panhandle. That stereotype, however, is not representative of the thousands of people who strive to change their lives at the Villages. Each day, more and more families with children are seeking the assistance of Father Joe’s Villages, representing the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population. More often than not, economic hardships, such as lay-offs, undereducation or temporary disability, force these families to the streets. In San Diego, for instance, the average rent on a two-bedroom apartment unit is more than $1,200 per month; moreover, the rental market is operating at less than 2 percent availability, which means less than two out of every 100 apartment units are vacant at any given time. Only a minute percentage of those available units are considered affordable housing. For those individuals who are not interested in rehabilitation, the Villages cannot force them to change their lives. But for the many who make the decision to enter its programs, Father Joe’s Villages offers the foundation for a new life.

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How does rehabilitation begin?

Villages President Father Joe Carroll often says "it all begins with a meal." Close to 1.5 million meals are served each year at the Villages, and for many, a hot lunch is the introduction to the comprehensive, life-changing services the organization offers. Upon referral to the Villages, clients develop a case plan based on the contributing factors to their becoming homeless. The jobless find assistance at the Career and Education Center to become employable; those with mental illness meet with staff psychologists and psychiatrists; the sick are treated with compassion and respect in the Medical and Dental Clinic; others with more complex problems may access a combination of programs aimed at helping them address difficult issues, each playing a vital role in preparing them for a return to self-sufficiency. Case managers meet with clients on a weekly basis, checking to make sure goals are achieved and progress is made.

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Do clients "graduate" from your program?

While ceremonies are not held, clients do indeed graduate from the Villages. Once they have met the goals set forth in their case plan, are employed and find permanent housing, clients are declared official Father Joe’s Villages graduates. However, graduation is merely the beginning of a long road to becoming a Villages "success story." Clients must maintain permanent housing and employment for one full year from their date of graduation to qualify as a Father Joe’s Villages "success story." And it happens – all the time! Among families with children, the organization’s success rate is 91 percent; for single men 54 percent; and for single women 49 percent.

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What makes the Father Joe’s Villages program successful?

The answer can be found in the Villages’ C.R.E.E.D.: Compassion; Respect; Empowerment; Empathy; and Dignity. The Father Joe’s Villages C.R.E.E.D. lays the foundation for the comprehensive group of programs and services it offers. These services – located centrally on each Village campus – represent what is known by human services agencies as the "Continuum of Care." A philosophy of rehabilitation developed by St. Vincent de Paul Village, the "Continuum of Care" brings everything homeless families with children and single adults need to one site, making the life-changing services accessible and successful. It was a concern of Father Joe when he set out to provide a solution to the nation’s growing homeless problem: Services for the needy were decentralized, making it difficult (most homeless people do not have cars, nor do they have money for a taxi or bus) and demoralizing for the underprivileged members of the community to access various programs scattered throughout the city. He envisioned a center that included everything our neighbors in need might require to get back on their feet. It was a bold and innovative approach, but he made it happen.

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If I donate, how will my gift be used?

That’s entirely up to you. Gifts can be directed to any of the Villages or specific program areas, such as Children’s Services or the Medical and Dental Clinic.

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Do you only help the homeless?

The Villages began as a homeless outreach project, but Father Joe soon realized the phrase "neighbors in need" encompassed a much broader range of people seeking assistance. In addition to its San Diego and Indio operations, the Villages also provides outreach in these areas:

This unique branch of the Villages is a program for children and teens consisting of the Toussaint Teen Center in downtown San Diego and The Children's Village, a residential facility for foster youths being developed in Campo, CA.

Josue Homes and the National AIDS Foundation

Transitional living centers located in San Diego for men and women living with HIV or AIDS.

Padre Luis Jayme International Outreach

Provides food, clothing, blankets and other basic life necessities to the poor and victims of natural disasters in Mexico.

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How can I help Father Joe’s Villages?

There are any number of ways you, your loved ones, friends and co-workers can help Father Joe’s Villages in it’s fight against homelessness:

Cash donations – The Villages is proud to boast a mere 6 percent operating expense, which translates into 94 cents of every dollar being applied directly to programs and services to assist its clients. And you can rest assured you’re contributing to an organization which values your gift. Make a secure online donation now!

Donations of dry goods – Father Joe’s Villages gladly accepts clothing, appliances, furniture, electronics, diapers, personal hygiene items, artwork and much, much more at any of its warehouses. Contact the Village nearest you to schedule a pickup.

Food donations – It takes one big pantry to prepare 1.5 million meals. Donations of canned goods (#10), frozen foods and other perishables are welcome.

Cars, boats, RVs, planes, motorcycles, etc. – When you see Father Joe on TV asking for them, know that your vehicle donation truly does make a difference in the lives of the many people the Villages serve. The cars, boats, RVs motorcycles (and yes, even planes) are sold at auctions held throughout the country or to special collectors. The proceeds are directed to the many programs and services offered at Father Joe’s Villages. Please call 1-888-FATHER JOE (328-4375) for more information on vehicle donations.

Volunteering – The Villages depends on more than 4,000 volunteers annually who give their time to assist Father Joe’s Villages with its life-changing mission. Whether you’re a doctor who wants to volunteer in the clinic or just want to serve a meal, the Villages will gladly accept your help and hard work. The organization can also arrange for group-volunteer projects (any size) to bolster employee morale and give back to the community in a meaningful and tangible way. Contact the Village nearest you for more information on volunteering.

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