About Us

St. Margaret's Center, a program of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles Inc., has served low-income and homeless families since 1987. The Center provides a comprehensive range of emergency and supportive services to about 10,000 unduplicated individuals annually in the Los Angeles "L.A.X." area, as well as parts of the South Bay and South Los Angeles.

St. Margaret's Center's mission has remained the same throughout its history, but the Center's programs have grown and evolved to respond to the needs of the community. St. Margaret's Center's programs target individuals and families who live at or below the poverty level, and are administered by a paid staff of fifteen, and an average of 75 volunteers. Programs are offered in both English and Spanish, and are free of charge, with the exception of nominal fees for some immigration services. The Center provides assistance to anyone in need, regardless of the person's race, national origin or religious affiliation.

A community center such as St. Margaret's offers a natural avenue to provide a range of services to poverty-level families. Over the past 35 years, persons with multiple needs have come to the Center for services and referrals for food, shelter, legal, medical, employment, housing, education and social services. Currently, about 700 persons come into St. Margaret's Center each week for one or more of its programs. They are all low-income, with the majority living below the federal poverty level.