One of the greatest joys of Charity Matters has been the realization that everyone has a cause they care about and want to share. There is nothing I love more than a friend telling me that I have to hear about their favorite organization and this one is no exception. The Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children found me through a friend and now it has found you.

In 1984, at age 60, Sister Julia Mary Farley and Catholic Charities responded to an increasing number of homeless on the streets of downtown Los Angeles.  She suggested using a former convent as an emergency shelter for the most vulnerable of the homeless population, women and children. These women and children became her focus.

Sister Julia’s mission was to offer shelter and hope for these women. She wanted them to rebuild their lives so they could experience a brighter future for their children. Her dream was to create a “Women’s Village” that would provide housing, job training, employment and other supportive services, to achieve independence.

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Today, 27 years later Sister Julia’s dream has become a reality for over 1,000 homeless women and children each year. Every night 93 women and 40 children are off the streets because of her. The work she started has been carried on by Sister Rosaline and the staff at the center.  Good Shepherd Center has impacted the lives of over 25,000 homeless women and children by giving them the support they need to achieve self-sufficient lives.

Sister Julia said it best, “I think, to use whatever God has given you to help other people. We’ve got to make the world a better place, got to keep working at it.”

Charity Matters.

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