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# Volunteers lend helping hand to homeless
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/volunteers-lend-helping-hand-to-homeless/
- Published: 2002-12-17T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T01:07:30.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Community, Venice, #archive-import, Homeless

*By Daily Press staff*

Volunteers from the Santa Monica Girl Scouts, National Charity League, Ticktockers, and Holy Trinity Parish were on hand at the annual Family Center and Food Pantry Christmas party last Saturday at St. Joseph Center in Venice, providing donations of food, toys, face-painting, and a photo with Santa Claus to more than 300 low-income families on the Westside. The St. Joseph Family Center has provided emergency services, case management, educational activities, and housing assistance to nearly 1,000 families, including more than 3,000 children, teens, and parents.

St. Joseph Center provides life-building services for homeless and low-income individuals and families on seven sites in Venice, Santa Monica, and West Los Angeles. It holds 11 holiday events and parties in December, one for each of its programs. Volunteers provide decorations and party supplies, serve meals, and donate food, clothing and holiday gifts.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 17, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/121702.pdf?ref=smdp.com)