Celebrating 60 Years Serving Gilroy and South County
Helen Hansen (photo at right) played an important role in the agency’s expansion throughout Santa Clara County. Catholic Charities’ program staff were joined by elected officials and other guests at the ribbon cutting celebration of the opening of the Focus For Work Gilroy branch office in 1994. (Photo bottom left)
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County is celebrating 60 years of ongoing services in Gilroy this year.
Our programs and initiatives in South County play a key role in our vision for the future and ongoing outreach to people in need throughout the county. And our presence there is a vital part of our agency’s beginnings.
On July 1, 1955, Helen Hansen was hired as Executive Secretary for Santa Clara County by Catholic Social Services of San Jose, a branch of Catholic Social Services of San Francisco. This visionary and energetic social worker from Chicago led the agency until 1983 and championed its causes until her death in 2005. During her 28 years, Hansen oversaw the expansion of Catholic Charities services, building on a long history of diocesan and parish social justice initiatives in the Bay Area.
Hansen’s arrival coincided with the start of the region’s transformation from the orchard-rich ‘Valley of Heart’s Delight’ to what would become ‘Silicon Valley,’ a global center for innovation and technology. She observed the challenges of Santa Clara County’s rapidly growing population – and its impact on the entire community. Early in her tenure, she recognized the gaps families were experiencing in available social services and what Catholic Charities could do to respond. Based on emerging needs, the work of Catholic Charities was expanded throughout the county from San Jose and North County to Gilroy and South County.
She realized the agency needed to provide services for older adults and that those services were lacking in other areas of the county beyond San Jose. In 1962, Catholic Social Services started a senior club at St. Mary’s Parish in Gilroy. With the assistance of the pastor, Monsignor John Dwyer, and parishioners, the senior club was a huge success.
In 1963, Catholic Social Services opened an office at St. Mary’s in Gilroy so people wouldn’t have to travel as far for services. Hansen worked at that office one day a week to establish a counseling program there. An outreach worker provided counseling and skill-building for Latinas while Helen taught a workforce re-entry class for women at Gavilan Community College. By the 1970s Catholic Social Services was also providing immigration legal services. In order to better align with Catholic Charities USA and its network of agencies, Catholic Social Services became Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County late in 1986.
Today, our South County services are among our more than 35 programs at over 90 sites throughout Santa Clara County. Our history inspires us to build on our expertise, portfolio of services and existing team of caring professionals.
Our vision for the future calls for us to implement new solutions to the root causes of poverty and engage with our communities and partners. We are transforming through innovation as we continue to walk with families and individuals on their unique journeys of hope and opportunity.
